7db wrote:A great example of the autonomous system at work is that first trip in a LHD car --
You pull away and immediately you are overwhelmed by information -- often in a foreign language and the challenges of getting out of an airport car-hire place and navigating to your destination with impatient local drivers.
Your ear hears the revs rising and sends your left hand down to the gear-stick. It find the door handle and remembers what to do. You then interrupt your thoughts to realise that you need your right hand in this car so you send that down to the gear lever around the same time that your thinking system catches up with the situation.
In short you find yourself suddenly with no hands on the wheel, the door open and the engine bouncing off the rev-limiter.
[code][/code]true blue wrote:I've driven on the Continent before, but at the end of the month will be driving a left-hand-drive hire car for the first time (in Lyon, if anyone cares).
While I expect that the usual control-familiarising cockpit drill will cover the basics, I wondered if anyone had any nuggets of hard-learnt experience for everything being back to front and having to change gear with the wrong hand.
I assume the pedals are in the same layout, but it's just occurred to me that I'm not actually certain!
sussex2 wrote:[code][/code]true blue wrote:I've driven on the Continent before, but at the end of the month will be driving a left-hand-drive hire car for the first time (in Lyon, if anyone cares).
While I expect that the usual control-familiarising cockpit drill will cover the basics, I wondered if anyone had any nuggets of hard-learnt experience for everything being back to front and having to change gear with the wrong hand.
I assume the pedals are in the same layout, but it's just occurred to me that I'm not actually certain!
The pedals are exactly where you would expect to find them and in the same order.
Give yourself time is my advice and in particular learn what these two signs mean:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Zeichen_306.svg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Zeich ... O_1980.svg
I've no wish to insult your intelligence but have found that even supposedly 'seasoned' UK drivers are often completely unaware of their importance; and their importance is paramount.
A brace of alcohol testers (which may or may not be supplied by a hire company) would be useful and can be had for as little as a quid each.
If you are intending to go into skiing areas ensure that a hire car is fitted with winter tyres and or snow chains.
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