Left Hooker for 1st time?

My mate Ivan used to drive a roadsweeper and he told me how to keep it on the white line in Europe, he told me to mark a dot on the screen using my left knees as a pointer :laughing:

He had a choice with 2 steering wheels though.

The first time I drove one was at Norman Lewis, but when I got one regular I drove it without the radio on for the first two days while I worked it all out.

i now prefer left hookers and only ■■■■ up in the UK

If its any consolation fella, my 1st euro job was driving for the Krauts so LHD, I could do it then but can’t now :open_mouth: :open_mouth: :open_mouth: :open_mouth:
Spent so much time in RHD abroad that the brain refuses to compute. Also the Mevrouw who is also a driver and passed her test on LHD in Holland
now struggles after driving RHD :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Found it exactly the same as the OP.Quite happy doing Continental work with RHD.Had to move a LHD tractor unit for someone on an ind. estate over here once,and had to really think about what I was doing.Some people seem to take to it like ducks to water.Some take a while.I ran with an Irishman for a few trips,and he’d be in either a RHD Volvo or a LHD DAF.Just as good in either. :imp: Gitbag :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

Hi all,
Sure I read somewhere, that Sweden? Changed overnight :open_mouth: from driving on the left to the right.how the hell did that work!!!the last three years I have driven my left ■■■■■■ peterbilt In the uk with no probs.just gotta be a bit careful joining roundabouts.when I go abroad then it’s just a matter of overtaking using the mirrors on my side :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: .
Regards Andrew.

pete 359:
Hi all,
Sure I read somewhere, that Sweden? Changed overnight :open_mouth: from driving on the left to the right.how the hell did that work!!!
Regards Andrew.

Alot of planning and alot of information. Sweden had LHD cars &trucks driving left hand traffic before the change.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagen_H

Some videos in swedish about the day.
youtube.com/watch?v=pVR85jpTcn8
youtube.com/watch?v=ysnBYBNhHuc

I have only driven a LHD truck once, that was on a driving assessment at stobarts, as that’s what they mainly use for the euro work , i bumped a kerb with the front o/s wheel approaching a set of lights in RH filter lane of a dc, gone are the days of theres your truck and keys & paperwork/fuel -ferry cards, give us a ring when you are tipped or if you have any problems

I probably driven more miles in a LHD truck than a RHD I find when doing LHD in this country I nick more of the centre and I tend to slow down about - natural caution I call it !

tommy t:
I have only driven a LHD truck once, that was on a driving assessment at stobarts, as that’s what they mainly use for the euro work , i bumped a kerb with the front o/s wheel approaching a set of lights in RH filter lane of a dc, gone are the days of theres your truck and keys & paperwork/fuel -ferry cards, give us a ring when you are tipped or if you have any problems

yup thats how it was for me …theres your truck lhd maggie drawbar ,your paperwork ,yourferry booking time .brokers we use ,any probs ask another driver lol…1985 lockerbie. jimmy

“Have you driven a left hand drive before?”
‘No, but it can’t be much different to driving a right hand drive over the water’
“good point, here’s the keys”

Strangely enough, when I was doing a few drops with a tilt around London, I found a left ■■■■■■ alot easier!

I’d take a cack-hander over a RHD any day of the week.

Derf:
“Have you driven a left hand drive before?”
‘No, but it can’t be much different to driving a right hand drive over the water’
“good point, here’s the keys”

Quote from an exchange between an ex-boss and myself.

“Do you know the rules on double manning?”

“I don’t even know the rules on single manning”

:wink:

limeyphil:
i blame the government.
we won the war. so european vehicles should be right hand drive.

I changed from Left Hand Drive to right Hand drive
Will i get Bonus points now :question:

Might sound daft but I’ve always found a bonneted left ■■■■■■ (i.e. American) easier to get used to than a European cabover. Don’t know why, maybe because you can see the “nose” in front as a guide?? For LHD on UK roads it’s a matter of getting your mirrors set right and just getting used to following the line of the kerb/verge rather than the white line. After a while you can judge the distance from the white line the same as if you were in a RHD. Just need a bit of forward planning at angled junctions etc.

Harry Monk:

Derf:
“Have you driven a left hand drive before?”
‘No, but it can’t be much different to driving a right hand drive over the water’
“good point, here’s the keys”

Quote from an exchange between an ex-boss and myself.

“Do you know the rules on double manning?”

“I don’t even know the rules on single manning”

:wink:

Wouldn’t be at all suprised if it was the same ex- boss that my direct quote was from…

Don’t suppose her office was an extention to the bungalow where she lived not a million miles from Sandwich?

Alice?

Harry Monk:
Alice?

Alison

Hiya… LHD must be the best… all the roadsweeper drivers use the lhd even when not sweeping.
i.ve only moved lhd trucks to and from the auctions and like them, i’ve had a couple of mustangs and
scared the daylights out of passangers (they keep pressing the brake pedel when there’s not one to press)
I’ve had a motorhome that i loved and it was spot on over the water.
John

Hi,

The tips I was given were:

  1. Use the Kerb side mirror to see where you are in relation to the White line in the middle of the road.

  2. Hold back and be careful of positioning at roundabouts, as Andrew mentioned.

  3. Same as two for junctions.

Guess the biggest thing to get used to is almost driving in the hedge!

Regards

Ryan

took me a month to get used to mine
when i was at Brits

and that was without having to worry about changing gear :frowning:

I had my 1st try in a lefty with Brits aswell, took a drawbar from the yard in Stoke to load in Crewe, went over with an experienced driver. I tended to drift right when i 1st set off, eventually found my bearings & if given the choice now i’d be happier with a LHD.

I love driving rhd in Europe. It feels weird for about 5 mins, then you get used to it.
Just position yourself right at T-junctions etc… Hope this helps! :wink: