The Camaro Club (UK)

Thought I would share my initial thoughts on driving a LHD car for the first time.
This was prompted by Alice Cooper's comments on Top Gear as he was confused by the RHD car provided!

Anyway I was about 12 years old and had been driving our assorted ex Military Champs (my Dad had 3) and Land Rovers (we had another 3)around the farm for a couple of years- we used to do a "rumble" which basically meant taking off up the mountain until everyone got stuck.

A friend of my father's brought his WW2 Willys Jeep- which of course was LHD- the owner badly wanted to try my Austin Champ- so he offered it to me to try out. I declined saying that I really couldn't manage the pedals in reverse. What do you mean he asked- I said that I would find it very difficult to operate an accelerator on the left and the clutch on the right! I assumed that the clutch would have to be alongside the gearbox in order to operate the pedal pivot mechanism!

Of course all was revealed when he showed me the Jeep- and it consistently out drove the Champs and L/Rs in "the who gets bogged last wins Rumbles"!!

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Kind Regards
TopCat
Secretary
Classic Camaro Club
Member of The Association of American Car Clubs UK
Email :tboles@strathnoon.co.uk Websites: http://www.classiccamaroclubuk.com and:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdhLJtR_ZY4

My first LHD experience was in a friends G20 van, in the narrow roads around Marlow.
I don't who was more nervous, me or the oncoming traffic.
Reversing it into a narrow parking space was all sorts of mental arithmetic at the time!

my first experience of left hooking was in a 79 camaro, wasn't too bad as the oncoming traffic kept flashing their lights at me.....the real problem was getting back into a right hand drive car as i kept bouncing up the kerb !

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I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE......



I'M JUST TOO DAMNED TIRED TO BOTHER CHASING YOU !

Hi

I was loaned a "courtesy car" that was LHD. It was a Z28! I was advised to hug the curb and take it steady. All went well but I did get the odd stare as I think the white line was closer than normal!!!!!

That couple of days went better than expected and I had no surprises except the bhp and right hand bends felt really odd!?!

Seems strange looking back.

I think my first experience was about 5 years ago, waiting to pick up a friend in Hollywood. My other friend had a Chevy HHR and we were waiting outside, so my friend thought i should go for a spin around the block. Wasn't too bad actually, it was interesting driving on the right side of the road in the left side of the car, kind of easy with an auto and no cars about. What was more scary was this year when i was in Seattle and a friend wanted to show off his 350z. He took me for a spin, then parked up on a side street, got out and said your turn. He then explained how his wife didn't drive fast, so he wanted to see what the car was like for a passenger when it was going fast. So he directed me through daytime traffic onto a highway, and encouraged me hit 100+ while we were joining the highway. Being a manual it was definitely interesting to combine lack of road, traffic and car familiarity whilst being on the other side of the car and shifting with your right hand. Fun, but it wakes you up for sure!

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My first time in a left hooker was the day i bought my '70 Challenger from Skid Parish in 1995. It was in Surrey in a place called Trostan (sp?) and the roads were so narrow there were passing places as 2 vehicles couldn't pass at the same time. I was absolutely cacking it until i reached the main roads.

Has anybody done that thing where you go to pay for fuel and then go to the right hand side of the car by mistake, realise somebody's watching you and so pretend to be checking the tyres before getting in the correct door or is that just me?

Yep sure have! I drive LHD and RHD - Manual and Auto so have to "put the correct head on" in the morning.

After having the Iroc as a daily driver for 7 years, on the first few days of getting my Jag I found myself getting in the rear nearside passenger seat a few times...

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“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

Hi Guys. At least four of us with hands up then, been there done that

First ride was in a smokey/bandit trans am my cousins boyfriend owned i must have been about 14 yrs old

First drive in a lhd motor was very boring it was a ford I think it was an Orion ???
From fairford airbase it came in for a service.
It looked like a boxy mk1 booted focus and I will always remember the glow in the dark boot release handle for when you may get kidnapped an forced into the trunk !!!

First proper drive in my very 1st owned lhd was back in 1999 it was a 1971 dodge charger and drove it back from marlow the 1st couple of mins were a bit hairy around the twistys but after than just Beemed from ear to ear !!!

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Some days it just isn't worth chewing through the restraints !!!!