Safe Speed Forums

In those days the pedals were ABCD. Or I suppose more conventionally DCBA. Dipswitch, Clutch, Brake and Accelerator.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
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My Honda and Mrs Gatsobait's Rover have a similar system. The conventional pull-on pull-off stalk to switch high beam on and off, and a three position rotating switch on the end off the same stalk that goes for off, sides and dipped. In fact, so similar are they that both stalks look like they came out of the same parts bin. Well, almost, they're the other way round, but look otherwise identical. It's almost as easy to go from off to sides to dipped as it is to turn main beam on and off. The only problem is that when Mrs Gatsobait and I swap cars we do sometimes end up flashing people when the windscreen gets dirty.

On the subject of using the lights, I have to say that I don't bother with side lights much. Mine has real side lights on the front corners, and fairly bright they are too. But for some bizarre reason I get the dim headlight variety on at the same time. It doesn't make sense to me to have a a small bright light on next to a large dim one, and I think it looks like I've got two partially blown bulbs and haven't bothered to change them, which might tempt some plod to tug me and waste both our times. So if it's dark enough for lighting I go straight to dipped headlights, and as it's habit now I usually do the same in the Rover.

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Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler - Einstein

The law is already in place, just do not have the police to enforce it

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Steve

That brings back memories. My first car had the same arrangement.

Maybe car isn't a good description though - it was a Reliant Regal Supervan III (as per Only Fools and Horses).

Aaahh yes. I'd never driven a Jap car until I went to Cyprus. It took me ages to get used to the reversed controls. You could tell the new guys a mile off, they were the ones who washed their windscreens at you when they passed you or wanted to warn you of soemthing

On a general point, with regard to side lights / headlights in daytime conditions of poor visibility...

- A vehicle with sidelights only, the outline and the lights appear from the background (mist, whatever) at about the same time.

- A vehicle showing dipped headlights, you see the lights LONG before you see the outline.

Ergo, with dipped headlights you can be seen from considerably further way.

Just watch out next time it's misty - you can see the effect very clearly for yourself.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Exactly what I mean. Weird though, isn't it? The Japanese drive on the same side of the road we do so I can't figure out why the controls aren't exactly the same instead of being mirror image identical parts.

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Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler - Einstein

Because, IMO, the Japanese have it right.

The light controls (indicators, dip, etc.) should be on the outside; on the opposite side to the gear lever. Europeans and Americans put the light stalk on the left, the outside for LHD, and when they produce a RHD version the position of those stalks is retained. I suspect that most UK companies either pander to their (usually American) masters or to their main export market, and so also put their light controls on the left; the logical side for LHD.

OTOH, the Japanese are true to themselves. They design their cars for their home market. If the Japanese drove on the right, I suspect that their cars would have light stalks on the left. However, they don't; they drive on the left just like us, and so their light stalks are on the right, so that you can change gear and dip your headlights or use your indicators at the same time should the need arise.

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Will

The 'Gizzit' car, a Nissan something-or-other I had when I first arrived had another unusual (IMO) feature - the ignition key could not be removed until you pressed a button under the housing. This completely flumoxed me at the end of my first journey as I sat swealtering and cursing as I struggled with the bloody thing. Then some old sweat came along, pushed the button and out it came
I never figured out why it had this feature, does Japan suffer from 'through the window' car key thefts or incidents caused by ignistion keys vibraing to the off position then falling out?

I'm not sure how true this is any more. I have a Japanese-built Japanese car which has the indicators on the left and the wipers on the right, and I suspect that the vast majority of Nissans, Toyotas, Hondas etc. sold in Europe are now the same.

AIUI it's only Korean-made cars that still have the indicators on the right for the British market.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

I hadn't thought of that, but now you point it out it sounds like a better arrangement. Okay, I'll rephrase it - why couldn't Rover have used the same parts as Honda? Perhaps they actually make (or expected to make) more LHDs, so the set up was with that in mind and for the RHD cars everything just got shunted 3 feet to the right.

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Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler - Einstein

It all depends if the car is designed for left or right hand drive market.
Most (not all) japanese cars are for right hand drive markets. Apart from US specific moduls like the Eclipse. The signs are...

1) Filler cap on the left so your drivers door dosn't open onto the fuel pump (though in japan most filler pipes are overhead)
2) Indicater stalk right hand operated so you can indicate and change gear at the same time.
3) Exhaust on the right (away from the kerb)
4) front of the engine on the passengers side so the brake master cylinder is on the right (front wheel drive only)
5) SUVs have the door hinges on the right so it is easier to unload to the kerb

BTW in Japan fog lights are illegal.... Hence the add-ons hanging off the bumper on grey imports.

Not all of these apply but it is a good indication as to which market the car was originaly designed for.

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Speed camera policy Kills

AFAIK, older british cars also have items such as indicators on the right hand side, and have put them on the left to harmonise wih Europe and the US. I'm not that surprised that Japanese cars are starting to do the same.

when I had my Prelude, the 2 main stalks were exactly opposite to those on the Peugeot and a few people had apparently random windscreen washing/headlight flashing until I got used to the Peugeot. (I had the Prelude 1st).

All models of Subaru that I know of (Liberty and Impreza past and present) have the filler on the right and the exhaust on the left.

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Ross

Yes I'm a hoon, but only on the track!!!!

Does not always work. Especialy if the models are mostly for export.

But the principal still applies.

I have been involved in the Automotive Original Equipment design and development for tha past 20 years. Its surprising sometimes why things are designed the way they are.. There is always a reason.

Australia is the most popular destination for second hand Japanese cars, followed by the Middle East and the UK

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Speed camera policy Kills