indicator stalk left or right ?

HashSlinging

I find this a real pain my car has it on the left, same as my van, my wifes corrolla has it on the right. im constantly switching on the wipers !

DukeDredd

It's not true that RHD cars made in Japan have the indicator on the right, though. Mine was made in Japan and has it on the left.

What type of car do you have and what year? Just because it's a Jap make doesn't neccessarily mean it was built in Japan...

james1234

On the left.
that's my preference, being a lefty !

prospect

Ernie Ball has an MR2 '00 if i remember rightly, but i didn't think it was a jap import.
My jap import Eunos has the switch on the right. (and its an automatic, so it doesnt really matter).

MercMad

I dodnt think there is any consistency between LHD and RHD either. Some , not all, are mirrored opposites but some arent !

It doesn't bother me either way, I jumnp from one to the othet, take a quick look and I've never wiped the screen by accident !

I believe it is probably safer to have it on the same side as the gear lever that way the othert hand never loosens its grip of the wheel or needs to move much. I prefer it that way !

Also bothe the Mercs, in fact ALL Mercs, utilise one stalk for wipers AND indicators so the situation is redundant anyways !

The Vectra/Astra use the same system as the Mercs where a quick flick gives three flashes, but its in the same direction as normal so if someone cant get that sorted they shouldn't be driving at all !

Ernie Ball

DukeDredd wrote:

What type of car do you have and what year? Just because it's a Jap make doesn't neccessarily mean it was built in Japan...

It's an 01 Toyota MR2. All MR2s are made in Japan.

dawballz

peasant wrote:

There seems to be no absolute norm for RHD cars. Some have the indicator switch left of the steering wheel, some have it on the right.

Personally I think it should always be on the RIGHT, as your right hand is mostly idle driving the car, giving you a far better chance to indicate at the appropriate times, whereas your left might be busy shifting gear/ releasing handbrake etc.

My current car has the indicator on the right and I get really annoyed when I'm driving something else with the indicator on the ergonomically wrong side.

Which do you prefer?

But most people are right handed, and when you indicate, you are turning somewhere. Hence, right handed people will need the right hand to control the wheel while turning.

Indicator on the left imo.

I didn't read the whole thread yet, so maybe this was suggested already.

_Kaiser_

I have a 99 Mistubishi Mirage (Colt) import and it has the indicators on the right, wipers on the left.

Drives me mad cause I'm left handed and being an automatic, theres none of this shift up, shift down messin.. soo much handier in traffic - ie: Dublin!

Outta curiosity.. is it possible to have it converted so the indicators would be on the left? And would it be expensive?

DubTony

Kaiser2000 wrote:

I have a 99 Mistubishi Mirage (Colt) import and it has the indicators on the right, wipers on the left.

Drives me mad cause I'm left handed and being an automatic, theres none of this shift up, shift down messin.. soo much handier in traffic - ie: Dublin!

Outta curiosity.. is it possible to have it converted so the indicators would be on the left? And would it be expensive?

I knew a guy a few years ago who had only one arm (the right). The only modification on his Volvo was a metal bar that connected to the indicator stalk and arced over the steering column. Neat job. Maybe you could get one made.

AMurphy

Kaiser2000 wrote:

....

Outta curiosity.. is it possible to have it converted so the indicators would be on the left? And would it be expensive?

Anything is possible if you put enough effort into it.


Depending on the car & design, it may be possible to swing it over. however it is also possible in doing so the text on the knobs would face the floor and the auto centering for the ind may not function, until the wheel is also 180 deg over.
Plus flipping over the wiring may take a lot of effort also.
Ignition key may have to move also, that usually onthe RHS. on all cars... excelt the very old and the very new, where it could be anywhere and be a pull or push button. Funny how ideas go around in circles, and when I rewired the ignition key to a light switch and a door bell button, folks though I was crackers.

bazz26

Well my current car (Avensis) has the indicator stalk on the left, that car is built in Britain. My father had a 2000 Corolla saloon and the indicator stalk was also on the left and that car was built in Japan. The pre 1997 Corolla had them on the right hand side.

I am left handed and to be honest find it handier (exuse the pun) that the indicator stalk is on the left. The last car I drove a car with the indicator stalk on the right it took me about a day to get used to it.