For those that drive European cars, does having the indicator stalk on the left feel absurd or is it something you get accustomed to very quickly?
Had no idea that some cars had the stalk on the left until recently, and I've only ever driven cars where the indicators are on the right.
Cars with Indicator Stalk on The Left - Do You Get Accustomed Quickly?
I just swap my arms over, so there's no need to get accustomed….
You get used to it very quickly.
Which side the petrol inlet is…I still look at the little symbol on the dashboard every now and then.
As long as it's not a BMW indicator stalk, bro i understand why BMW drivers don't indicate, how the bloody hell do you manage to screw it up and make the damn thing springy? You indicate and then can't turn the damn thing off, next thing you know you end up indicating the other side.
Every. Single. Time. They have fixed this in most G series vehicles.
I don't have a left indicator car but anyone able to tell me whether you find it slightly annoying you do not have your left hand free for other things? Like
drinking? Obvious using left hand because of cup holder location.
resting on centre console.
It is first world problem, but it have held me back getting a European car. Probably less of a problem now that I don't drive as much.
but anyone able to tell me whether you find it slightly annoying you do not have your left hand free for other things?
Yes, all of those things, but most of all shifting in a manual becomes a pain
The most annoying part is I used to hold my wife's hand during my drives that's not possible as much particularly in city driving as you need to indicate more often.
But as you mentioned those little perks feels deprived at times
I'm now ok with LHS turn stalk but dammed if I can get used to RHS one for Park, Reverse and Drive with foot brake to engage in my Mercedes C200, its just strange.
Surprised nobody has brought this up, but in a manual, I've always found it easier to have the indicator on the right so I can use my right hand for indicating and left hand for shifting.
Obviously in right hand drive markets, you indicate with your left hand and shift with your right, so it makes no sense that they flip the shifter, but not the indicator.
With it being on the left, you have to indicate and shift with your left hand, which I've always found to be less intuitive.
I didnt find this to be an issue with LHD manual cars… just indicate earlier!
be that as it may, in the future like Tesla you will just be able to assign it to two buttons on the wheel
also it comes down to how to acclimatise to differences
i've heard of people rejecting cars for indicators on left, footbrake, center dash, no auto wipers, no auto mirrors, no auto headlights
i get it though, its your money, the car should fit you, you shouldnt have to accomodate the car
My first few cars were all European. For the last five years I've had a Japanese car. After not driving Euro for so long, last week I drove one and did not make an error once with the indicator. You will get used to it quickly, you just need to be conscious that it's on the left for a while. After a few days it will become second nature.
I don’t understand why car makers can’t flip them around to the correct side (indicator opposite side to the gearstick). It couldn’t be that hard to design a component to be reversible/swappable. They make so many changes for LHD vs RHD it’s cost next to nothin to create a stalk module that worked properly on both.
why
lazy :)
True, they know they can get away with it because ‘we’ don’t insist on having left/right conversion done properly.
I can only assume cost in holding inventory of 2 different type. Guess our market is not worth the cost. Their attitude is take it or leave it. I choose the latter.
Had no idea that some cars had the stalk on the left until recently
Walt until you discover that Mercedes have the indicator on the left and that the right stalk is how you change gears (on an automatic)
Yes frustrating at first and illogical. But like most things in life you will get used to it quickly. If you still keep driving the vehicle with stick on right, it might take longer :)
Why single out "European" cars? Jeep has it on the left.
Virtually all models with LHD as their primary market have them on the left.
theres more euro cars here than american
chances are people here have driven more euro cars than yankee trash
It's a quick learn, I have a few cars with it on the left and a couple on the right. As a few have said it's the rushed moments you forget but that's really it. I find less people want to borrow my vehicle's when I say it's reversed, so that's a win.
My VW has it on the left
Wifes car has it on the right
I drive both frequently and occasionally throw on the windscreen wipers
Yes
I have a Sunday car right indicator, daily left both manual. At least have have auto wipers and auto lights, otherwise it looks like just stolen it and/or driving a unlicensed.
The left-indicator is why I pretty much look for Euro cars, hahah
I find that the mechanics of holding the steering wheel with left-hand,
and still using indicator, is better and a smoother experience,
leaving the right-hand free for <whatever>
A few years ago, I even created this Forum topic,
just to see if there were any non-Euro cars that had a left-hand indicator
Any Japanese-Branded Cars With Left-Hand Indicator Switch ?
— https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/379783
PS:
I drove a Ssangyong earlier this year,
which had a left-hand indicator
My personal car has blinker on the right and work car has it on the left. I rarely hit the wrong one, and only in the work car as I drive it much less.