Drive on the Right? Make it cheaper for us...

an langer

So we drive on the left, just like the United Kingdom. Why? We used to be a colony of the UK what 80 years ago?

All the other European Union members drive on the right, our biggest investors in the USA all drive on the right....so why in the name of sweet God our we still driving on the left?

All our cars are made in France, Italy, Germany, USA, Sweden....it's costing us a fortune to buy the modified left hand drive versions from these countries (not including the government rip off taxes even with tiny cars with tiny 1.4 engines!!) For example, the new small as can be alfa romeo mito costs 12,000 euro in Italy and over 20,000 in Ireland. Time to open up fair competition and cut out illegal VRT and make it even cheaper by driving right hand side, like, well 90% of the rest of the world.

Plus, a lot of car models don't make it here cause they couldn't be arsed making left hand drive cars.

The Uk are are closest neighbours but frankly they are a tiny country compared to mainland Europe or the USA so I don't think we should be lagging behind the rest by following a country nearby....

Run_to_da_hills

Could you imagine the chaos on change over date :eek:

People cannot even drive on the correct side of the road never mind trying to explain to them how to drive on the oposite side

Fintan Stack

+1

It would be much easier if we drove on the right when (not if) I get a dodge charger.

As for VRT well I was raped by them for importing my car from England and I'm not wasting words on how stupid it is:mad::mad::mad:

pyramuid man

Sounds like a good idea but, would be impossible to implement.

ART6

If we change over to driving on the right then the toll system on the M50 won't work since the cameras that are supposed to record the rears of cars will then see only the fronts etc, leading to total confusion in the charging system -- Oh, wait...:D

I would think the cost of a change over would be horrendous -- all the signs to be repositioned, traffic lights all to be moved, road marking to be burned off and repainted, thousands of older cars and trucks still with right hand drive, and all the buses etc that would have to be changed over. Imagine our government trying to manage anything like that:eek:

Berty

Its not going to work unless Northern Ireland also change at the same time.

So many things would have to be changed due to technological advances over the years.

Toll booths and EVERY SINGLE headlight lamp in EVERY single vehicle in the country until we all start getting LHD cars.

Bus's will be on the wrong side for alighting passengers also bus stops.

Traffic lights. Road signage. The list really goes on and on.

AND it was not because we were part of Britain as such. Its really down to the fact that people were right handed and to fight would have to approach each other on the left hand side whilst holding the weapon in their right hand.

Try do a search for Dagen H

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagen_H

an langer

I think Sweden did it back in the 60s. Yeah Imagine our dumb as f**k government trying anything like that haha Maybe we could ask the swedes to pop over on behalf of the government for this one... i'm not sure what it would cost but they managed the speed signs all right back whenever we used miles....wait we still use miles, 80 kilometres what's that? oh yeah around 50 miles i think ahmmmm ;-)

Heroditas

an langer wrote: »

i'm not sure what it would cost but they managed the speed signs all right back whenever we used miles....

Oh good grief! There's a world of difference between changing signs from mph to kmph and getting people to drive on the other side of the road.

an langer

Yes!

cascade35

Plenty of farmers and boy racers down this way all ready driving on the wrong side.
What a challenge for the tossers in power! I think they are doing enough damage as it is without turning the whole country into the biggest scrapyard in Europe.
Imagine all the head on collisions,minor tips etc, If it happens im buying a recovery truck.

zilog_jones

an langer wrote: »

All our cars are made in France, Italy, Germany, USA, Sweden....

A lot of our cars are built in Japan and the UK (most Nissans and Hondas sold here, many Toyotas), some are built in India (Suzuki Alto) and maybe Malaysia too (weren't some Lancers sold here built there?). Hino trucks are still assembled in Dublin.

it's costing us a fortune to buy the modified left hand drive versions...

Our cars are right hand drive :rolleyes: And the reason why they're more expensive compared to other Eurozone countries is because of VAT and VRT, not because of the location of the steering wheel.

Time to open up fair competition and cut out illegal VRT and make it even cheaper by driving right hand side, like, well 90% of the rest of the world.

66% of the world

Plus, a lot of car models don't make it here cause they couldn't be arsed making left hand drive cars.

A lot? A minority, more like. Off the top of my head I can think of the old Renault Twingo, all Lancias since the mid-90s and most Eastern European cars. No great loss. Many LHD-only sportscars are sold here anyway (e.g. Fiat Barchetta IIRC).

The Uk are are closest neighbours but frankly they are a tiny country compared to mainland Europe or the USA so I don't think we should be lagging behind the rest by following a country nearby

Most North American vehicles are saleproof here because of our largely different requirements and expectations. The UK is the world's sixth largest economy (third in the EU), hardly "tiny".

It would cost millions if not billions to convert our country's roads for LHD vehicles. It cost Japan $150 million to convert Okinawa back to RHD in 1978 (it was LHD during US occupation) - an area 3% the size of Ireland. Sweden did it in 1967 but it made a lot more sense for them at that time:
- A lot of cars owned there were LHD
- There weren't many cars around anyway (compared to now)
- All neighbouring countries were LHD (think of the mess there would be at NI border crossings unless they changed over too)
- Most cars sold at the time had standard size round sealed beam headlamps, so swapping them for LHD equivalents was easy. Most cars sold in the past 30 years have non-standard model-specific headlamps, so replacements are comparatively costly and in some cases hard to source (or impossible in the case of some Japanese imports).
- There were few or no motorways

Lauder

This is possibly the stupidest suggestion I have read on boards in a while.

We do not drive on the left because we were part of the UK, we drive on the left for a multitude of reasons. Why don't you look up the historical reasoning behind this choice, before you brandish foolish claims.


Secondly, when Sweden 'changed-over' there were very few cars on the road in comparison with today. It would be a logistical nightmare, baring on the impossible. Essentially every motorway, dual carriage-way, and national road junction would have to be rebuilt, road-signs and markings changed, public transport fleet changed, and believe it or not even out trains and trams (Luas track junctions would need to be rebuilt), as they drive on the left as well.

On a safe driving point, it is also statistically safer to have your right hand on the steering wheel in the case of blowouts, accidents etc.. (unless of course you are left handed).

The logic behind your argument that we drive 'modified left-hand drive cars' is utter rubbish, we buy right hand drive cars, made as right hand drive cars. Also, the reason our cars are more expensive than in Europe is the fact we are taxed more heavily than nearly all other EU states. (bar Denmark)

Thankfully, this 'change-over' will never happen in this country, nor will it happen in the UK, and I for one am glad of that! Having to change over from MPH to KMPH was costly enough, and most agree it was pointless and a waste of money just to keep Brussels happy.

Berty

Also imagine driving a LHD and approaching a left hand bend. You would not able to see oncoming obstacles!

ATM Vice Versa driving a LHD in a right hand country on holidays!

slimjimmc

Berty wrote: »

Also imagine driving a LHD and approaching a left hand bend. You would not able to see oncoming obstacles!

ATM Vice Versa driving a LHD in a right hand country on holidays!

In a change-over situation you'll also be driving on the other side of the road so in effect going around a LH bend in a LHD car on its correct side would give no less or more visibility than going around a RH bend in a RHD car on its correct side.

There's no need to switch to LHD, can't see any significant benefit or necessity since we don't share borders with any LHD country.

kleefarr

S**t, does that mean I now have to buy a left hand drive car?

Doesn't get my vote.

bazz26

The cost of changing over our infrastructure to LHD would outweight any small benefits from doing so.

And what will people do with their RHD cars, are they expected to get rid of them in favour of a LHD or have they to fork out for a LHD conversion? The Government are hardly going to pay for it considering they can barely keep the country afloat as it is.

Car manufacturers don't really care which side of the road we drive on as our car market is so small it would make minimum difference.

Another thing who will and how will drivers be educated on how to drive on the other side of the road?

This country has more important issues to deal with at the moment such as huge national debt and mass unemployment.

DubTony

Didn't Samoa change from LHD to RHD recently? I believe it caused all sorts of chaos, and was done simply to encourage purchases of second hand cars from Australia and New Zealand, instead of American gas guzzlers.

netwhizkid

At least those feckers driving slow in the righthand lane would be in the correct lane for a change!

It could never work, look at the massive cost to change ever road sign and layouts etc. Give the fact that your average Irish person has a limited grasp of driving to begin with and there would soon be carnage add to that even if the ROI made the change NI would still cling on for fear off getting cast off from the motherland. We already have two different speed & distance measuring systems on the Island, why go LHD?

mikemac

At least we'd have cool scalextric style crossings at the border

AugustusMaximus

Right handed people naturally turn to the left in the case of an emergency or accident. This is because a right handed person would be putting there strong side out to the problem. Right handed people for instance when entering an unknown room are much more likely to turn left than right. Most people feel more comfortable turning left in a car and on a bike.

Why am I saying this ?

In countries where you drive on the left, you'll drive into the hard shoulder or ditch in the case of an accident, unlike in countries where you drive on the right, you'll drive into oncoming traffic.

The thought of having to keep your left hand on the steering wheel (weak hand) and my right on the gearstick doesn't appeal to me much either.

Tech3

I think the OP hasn't also thought about the motorway network which is due to be completed by the end of next year. Were going to have a rather extensive motorway network for such a small country it would have to downgraded to dual carriageway standard if we switched to the RHD. The curves and sightlines are designed for LHD HQDC only therefore it would be a stupid suggestion. Also driving over the border to NI would be confusing.

Dark-Mavis

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

Right handed people naturally turn to the left in the case of an emergency or accident. This is because a right handed person would be putting there strong side out to the problem. Right handed people for instance when entering an unknown room are much more likely to turn left than right. Most people feel more comfortable turning left in a car and on a bike.

Never noticed that until now, love left hand bends on the bike.

See very little benefit to swapping over unless you like American muscle cars or want an old M3!

AugustusMaximus

In addition, in right handed people, their right eyes are better than their left eyes.

Driving on the left would be safer in this respect as it is your right eye which would be primarily monitoring oncoming traffic unlike your left eye which would be more used to monitor distance from the curb and distance from car in front is conjunction with your right eye.

galwaytt

Berty wrote: »

Also imagine driving a LHD and approaching a left hand bend. You would not able to see oncoming obstacles!

ATM Vice Versa driving a LHD in a right hand country on holidays!

...what's the difference between that and driving a RHD approaching a RHD bend ? Half the country here already managing o.k. (P, SK, LT, LV, UK, ESP) plates............which makes you wonder about the likes of the attached.......

...ATM you're doing just as we do, then, the driver to the centre.

galwaytt

sorry, here's that attachment.

The issue as I see it is: a Romanian registered 3-series...in RHD...? mmmm....

and there's a mid/late '90's A4 with Polish plates in RHD around here too......

Richiecats

It is true Finland I think were the last European country to make the change over and this was done over night, where the army changed all the signs, (don't think they had tolls, road-a-bouts and other major road junctions to worry about) But hey it's a tiny country in car terms, do you think everybody would stay of the roads for a week and how much would it all cost in these credit crunch time, just to save a few Euro on a new car.

It madness I tell you, think about it really :eek:

Tipsy Mac

It will not make cars any cheaper as long as VRT is around.

Guy:Incognito

an langer wrote: »

cut out illegal VRT

Just as well it's not illegal so, no need to cut it.:)

pcardin

Richiecats wrote: »

It is true Finland I think were the last European country to make the change over and this was done over night, where the army changed all the signs, (don't think they had tolls, road-a-bouts and other major road junctions to worry about) But hey it's a tiny country in car terms, do you think everybody would stay of the roads for a week and how much would it all cost in these credit crunch time, just to save a few Euro on a new car.

It madness I tell you, think about it really :eek:

that was Sweden and it was back on 60ties. wouldn't be possible now.

DubTony

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

In addition, in right handed people, their right eyes are better than their left eyes.

Driving on the left would be safer in this respect as it is your right eye which would be primarily monitoring oncoming traffic unlike your left eye which would be more used to monitor distance from the curb and distance from car in front is conjunction with your right eye.

I think you're making stuff up.

More than two thirds of the worlds population drive on the right. Are we somehow smarter than them?

Years ago I heard that the reason we drive on the left hand side of the road goes back to before cars were invented. A gentleman on a horse or buggy would tip his hat to oncoming "traffic", and it was proper and correct to do this with the right hand.

This article however, states something different. Interesting stuff all the same.

Dai John

I remember Sweden changing over to the right....a long time ago. As the regards of cost to produce r.h.d. vehicles..a lot of our cars come from the far east where they drive on the left so Jap imports would be hit.Toyota, nissan etc. In Roman times the left was used it was Napoleon who changed it to the right to leave a legacy to remember him by. He was a mean b. kept his hand on his wallet in all the pictures.

BanyaIreland

But if we do that then we won't be able to buy anymore UK Imports.........:D

Ich Bien Ein Springfielder

Theta

This is a stupid suggestion.

The fact our cars are RHD has very little impact on there price and its silly to suggest otherwise. The cars are still going to be made for the UK and other countries so its not like the auto makers are going out of there way for us. The main reason cars are more expensive here is the tax and if IRC Ireland has the cheapest cars in Europe pre tax.

zuroph

I've taken this idea on board, and am sick to death of waiting for the government to implement changes. They are a disgrace in every decision they've ever made.

So, with that in mind, I'm starting to drive on the right hand side of the road from tomorrow on. I know we already have the support of Jim McDaid, an experienced RH road driver, but we need more politicians on board. I appeal to all boardsies to join me in my quest. If enough of us drive on the right from tomorrow, they'll have to sit up and take notice.

god speed.

HydeRoad

Another esteemed politician, Donie Cassidy I think it was, had a great suggestion.

That we PHASE it in...

Think about that one...

Dai John

Judging by the accidents and what I see every day a lot of people are on the wrong side of the road anyway

zuroph

So, day one down, and boy I didn't realise there was so many boardsies on the road! Everyone was flashing their lights and beeping their horns in support! as soon as they saw me, they'd flash and beep and swerve over to the right hand side of the road too, I must have converted over 500 drivers to right hand drivers today, imagine if more of us did it!

fryup

is driving on the left is to do with the british ??

but the japanese drive on the left don't they?? and they were never colonised by the british

Del2005

fryup wrote: »

is driving on the left is to do with the british ??

but the japanese drive on the left don't they?? and they were never colonised by the british

The Romans drove on the left. If you do a google there are several reasons why countries drive on the right or left and none are to do with the British.

Seth Brundle

The border crossings would be fun!

T-Square

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Could you imagine the chaos on change over date :eek:

People cannot even drive on the correct side of the road never mind trying to explain to them how to drive on the oposite side

The Swedish (or was it Norwegians?) did it in one day.

I'm sure the Irish tards would make a complete balls of it

Simon201

Del2005 wrote: »

several reasons why countries drive on the right or left and none are to do with the British.

Yes the whole driving on whichever side of the road thing has always interested me and the reasons for driving on the left are pretty much as one of the earlier posts - swords etc being in the majority of peoples right hands etc. But then I read that the reason that there is all those countries that drive on the opposite side to the UK was because some of those countries were perhaps previously colonised, and wanted to do something to go against the British.

On another note isn't there some province in Canada where you have to change sides when you drive into it, or maybe there was at some point in time?

Cabaal

zuroph wrote: »

So, day one down, and boy I didn't realise there was so many boardsies on the road! Everyone was flashing their lights and beeping their horns in support! as soon as they saw me, they'd flash and beep and swerve over to the right hand side of the road too, I must have converted over 500 drivers to right hand drivers today, imagine if more of us did it!

Don't forget to give us an update for day two

Seth Brundle

They changed over in Samoa recently:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8240992.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/5732906/Samoa-provokes-fury-by-switching-sides-of-the-road.html

Map of RHD & LHD Countries

Marlow

kbannon wrote: »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/5732906/Samoa-provokes-fury-by-switching-sides-of-the-road.html

Very little research has been done into which side of the road is safer to drive on, but data suggests that accident rates are lower in countries which drive on the left.

They haven't included Ireland in that data

/M

SuperGrover

Marlow wrote: »

They haven't included Ireland in that data

/M

Haven't they?

Oh, wait, sorry, I see what you did there. Brilliant.

Blazer

what's the big fúckin deal??
Irish people are still gonna drive in the middle of the road :mad:

Penn

As has been said, it would be totally impossible to implement. When would it come into force. Would people be on the roads, then suddenly at midnight, you have to switch to the other side of the road? Everyone would have to learn to drive again as we'd need the steering wheel on the other side, which also means everyone would need new cars. All road markings, signs etc would have to be changed almost instantly.

Not to mention how many road deaths would be caused in the first few months/years due to one of the most fundamental road rules being completely changed.

Seriously, this idea is crazy and could never, never work