# left or right hand drive



## Bryansdad (Aug 24, 2010)

we are looking to purchase our first motorhome.We intend to spend most of our time in continental europe and would welcome some advice.should we purchase left or right hand drive or does it matter ,all comments welcome .


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## pandalf (Oct 29, 2006)

If you plan to spend a significant portion of time on the continent, then you might as well go for LHD. There will be a far wider choice of LHD vans available (although few British vans will be offered in LHD). LHD vans are usually cheaper to buy in this country, but you could also find yourself addressing a smaller market when it is time to sell the van on. In my experience, it's not a big problem driving an LHD van over here, although it can be tricky trying some manouvres when alone in the van. But you will face exactly the same challenges when driving an RHD van on the continent.


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## jenniedream (Jul 19, 2009)

My OH is often on the continent working and I take our MH over sometimes wioth grandchildren. I found our RHD difficult on tolls and I had to keep struggling across the passenger seat. Worse when a grand child tried to put the money in cos they invariably dropped it. But no different driving on continental roads. Now we have a LHD and it makes tolls easy and the plus side is I can really nestle up to the side of narrow lanes and know exactly how many inches to spare to miss hedgerows etc. The only thing is I like a right hand handbrake but I also drive a Mercedes Artego wagon and that has a handbrake on the left so I guess it's me.
Have a go driving a LHD you will soon get used to it.


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

Have tried both and find it makes little difference in UK or mainland.
LHD may be cheaper to buy in the UK so of course get a lower price when you are selling.
More important is to get a layout and engine to suit your style of travel.
HP makes the biggest difference!


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## SNandJA (Aug 22, 2008)

I drive mostly in Europe with our LHD which we bought in UK secondhand. It was a good price relative to equivalent RHD but we knew we would spend more time abroad than in UK.
PROS It makes it much easier to drive abroad.
They don't hold the price quite as well as RHD in the UK so you can get a better deal.. but then they don't have the same resale value.

CONS The only real issue is the fairly rare junctions you find in UK where a road joins another road at an acute angle. If you can picture the angle you get on a motorway slip road before it turns parallel, then this is what I mean. It is difficult to see the traffic coming from the right at such a junction. It isn't a problem in UK joining a motorway because by the time you turn parallel to the road you are joining and start to accelerate you can see the traffic on the motorway through your offside mirror. But it is an issue when you have a junction. The passenger can help here but if you were alone it would be almost impossible to see.

I find I use the UK "offside" mirror on the right side of the van which is split with a large mirror on top and a smaller one underneath to help find the centre white line in the UK. I use the smaller mirror to pick up the side of the van and the white line.


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## bazajacq (May 26, 2009)

morning , we have just changed our mh this week , we bought a lhd dethhleff, as we spend a lot of time in europe, we could nt see a problem , use to drive rhd in europe so whats the differants in a lhd in the uk , drove it home on thursday about 35 miles was more concerned about the size, as its a metre and a half longer than our old one and a A class which i have never driven before , than it being a left hooker , will find out on weds when we head off to germany , bazajacq


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I don-t think it makes much difference. Mine is RHD but I spend most time on the continent. I do have several mirrors, tidily done and painted to match, on the left to help me see and they cope with most situations very well, Alan.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Ours is rhd and we spend most of our time on the continent. As we often end up down narrow roads rhd gives you the advantage of being able to get within an inch of the wall or hedge when passing vehicles coming the other way. Normal driving is a piece of cake, even on your own. Toll road booths and petrol stations the passenger has to pay So even better!


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## Bob45 (Jan 22, 2007)

It was our intention to spend more time in Europe then UK so a LHD seemed the logical choice, bought in Germany before the euro appreciated against the pound. It is easy to drive over there and I don't find any problems here except for the occasional left turn at junctions.
I would go for a LHD again.

Bob


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

Left hooker best way to go.

Andy


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Hi

We have LHD and as has been said the odd junction can be awkward in the UK. I have two big blind spot mirrors looking at varying degrees of wideness, and you can get a reversing camera type set up to look where you can't see.

I would rather have a degree of awkwardness in the UK where I'm most familiar with the roads, laws etc.

In a car and sitting on the wrong side I find the biggest problem is when overtaking on single carraigeway. But in a camper, and on holiday, that doesn't really happen much!

I have seen a gizmo that truckers use at toll booths, kind of like a fly swat with a lid, so you can put money or a card under the lid and reach across to the payment booth. I can't find it at the mo though 

An interesting link as to the why RHD/LHD

http://users.telenet.be/worldstandards/driving on the left.htm


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## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

I have had numerous LHD and RHD my present is RHD and I am now looking for a new one which will be LHD as like you the vast majority of my use is Europe, Not only are the easier over there but if you get a British made the Hab door are on the wrong side when pulling in or setting up so you find that a bit off putting at times, But as for driving differences I have found none, Ok they are not worth as much in Uk but why not sell abroad ?. I have done it twice and not a problem.


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## rugbyken (Jan 16, 2006)

i have left hooker don't find any problem's at all over here , as i have a front lounge when i am angled at a left hand corner over here i can see out of the lounge window , and of course over there much easier.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

If most of the driving will be on 'The Continent' then the obvious choice is LHD.

Apart from Motorways in UK most of the driving is on relatively congested roads and speeds are not as high as Europe.

I find most 'D' roads in France you can happily keep up with the traffic travelling at 90kmph. A LHD here I personally find is an asset and as someone mentioned the 'hab' door is safely on the kirbside.

Horses for courses.

Ray.


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## FoweyBoy (Dec 7, 2006)

I have a RHD motorhome and find no problem in UK or abroad.

BUT I have a dominant left eye (uncorrected squint), which means my peripheral vision on the right is poor. This is not a problem in UK as after decades of driving I am used to moving my head to look right as required.

Abroad you tend to use the left mirror a lot, particularly when overtaking, and my normal left peripheral vision makes it easy to use the left mirror, which is of course some distance away on the other side of the passenger seat. We usually travel as two, and the passenger helps at junctions and toll booths.

In my case I concluded that RHD best suits my vision defect in UK or abroad. 

A special case I know, but I am sure not unique to MHF members.


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## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

*go lhd*

We spend a lot of time abroad and recently broke down in N.W. Spain in our RHD van because of the exhaust. The part couldn't be delivered for 10 days and in the end the pipes were welded. This took 6 days of hanging around with a dog in a city and no van. Remember that exhausts, and various other bits that do wear down ,run on the opposite side in Europe and can be very difficult to get on the continent. My advice would be to buy LHD


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Several posters have concentrated, quite rightly, on the rear-view aspects. 

Whether LHD or RHD, if driving anything bigger than a small van conversion, on both UK and Continental roads, it is essential to have good parabolic mirrors, not those 3" stick-on ones.

Once one has those mirrors, the 'driveability' question is almost solved.

Try taking a test drive in one of each, with and without parabolic mirrors correctly positioned and I think that part of your question will be answered.

Then it is a Q of what is the difference in habitation.

Consider:-

Where is the Habitation Door?

Has it got an oven? Many 'Continentals' don't, until their recent RHD models

Etc. Etc.

Hope this helps

Geoff


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## AndrewandShirley (Oct 13, 2007)

We always go for LHD.

There is a small blind spot when truning left at certain junctions but a mirror can resolve this.

We like to use LHD's as one advantage we find in England is that we can get really close to the LHS in narrow roads, thus prevent damage to the van by brick walls or oncoing veh. Very hand in Devon last month!

Never had any prob apart from that.

One issue is finding the right LHD van as we like some UK specs but they only do them in RHD.


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## dct67 (Sep 23, 2007)

The only reason I can think to go RHD is if you're planning a move to NZ or Australia - they don't like LHD down under.

So I'm sitting in my RHD van outside Rome - just in case I get to take it home!

Seriously though, there isn't much in it - as others have mentioned, the downsides are turning right and tolls - both of which are solved by having a passenger. So buy on layout and price.

David


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