Seriously? The Gas Cap Has A Real Unmodifiable Reason To Be On The Wrong Side?

[goofyone]

I have just returned from my summer vacation in Turkey. I hired a stick shift car there and guess what? They drive on the wrong ( ) side of the road, like you do in USA. Not a problem.

I used to live in Germany, same issue. Back then I used to own a right hand drive automatic and a left hand drive stick shift and used to swap between them without hassle. I have driven cars in USA many times in the past, when I used to be required to visit twice a year due to my work commitments. I once hired a car and they offered me a stick shift at a reduced rate because I was a Brit and no-one else wanted to hire it, presumably they thought I was used to them, and I was.

As far as I'm concerned, using the other hand to change gear isn't a big problem. It feels a little odd to begin with, but you very quickly get used to it. Because you sit in the middle of an Elio, it should feel less strange than with a four wheeler.

Only issue I had last week was my wife trying to get in the driver's door ahead of me when she had no intention of driving! Mind you, she often goes to the front door of the house ahead of me and stands in the way when she knows she doesn't have a key on her....

Just like wheaters I have traveled and had to drive on the wrong side quite a few times in my visits to the UK, Ireland, Australia, and even Japan. Just as he said it feels odd when you first start out but after a short bit you get used to it and becomes normal. For me the trickiest bit has been parallel parking from the wrong side however even that goes fine when you take your time.

As an American many times rental agencies try to offer me an automatic car, at a much higher rate, however I nearly always opt for a manual when I travel overseas as that is what I drive most days at home anyway. The funny thing to me is watching the rental car people when I first climb into the car and drive off which usually ends up with me laughing as the rental agency workers look a bit disappointed that the American hopped in and drove away in the manual without any issues.

I can understand wheaters wife heading for the wrong side of the car as this has happened to me a number of times and I have even had the chance to chuckle at some Irish friends doing this when they have visited me in the states.

 

[eddie66]

Just like wheaters I have traveled and had to drive on the wrong side quite a few times in my visits to the UK, Ireland, Australia, and even Japan. Just as he said it feels odd when you first start out but after a short bit you get used to it and becomes normal. For me the trickiest bit has been parallel parking from the wrong side however even that goes fine when you take your time.

As an American many times rental agencies try to offer me an automatic car, at a much higher rate, however I nearly always opt for a manual when I travel overseas as that is what I drive most days at home anyway. The funny thing to me is watching the rental car people when I first climb into the car and drive off which usually ends up with me laughing as the rental agency workers look a bit disappointed that the American hopped in and drove away in the manual without any issues.

I can understand wheaters wife heading for the wrong side of the car as this has happened to me a number of times and I have even had the chance to chuckle at some Irish friends doing this when they have visited me in the states.

I had a similar experience once when I went the wrong way down a one way street. Only difference was there was no right side.

 

[Dusty921]

Just like wheaters I have traveled and had to drive on the wrong side quite a few times in my visits to the UK, Ireland, Australia, and even Japan. Just as he said it feels odd when you first start out but after a short bit you get used to it and becomes normal. For me the trickiest bit has been parallel parking from the wrong side however even that goes fine when you take your time.

As an American many times rental agencies try to offer me an automatic car, at a much higher rate, however I nearly always opt for a manual when I travel overseas as that is what I drive most days at home anyway. The funny thing to me is watching the rental car people when I first climb into the car and drive off which usually ends up with me laughing as the rental agency workers look a bit disappointed that the American hopped in and drove away in the manual without any issues.

I can understand wheaters wife heading for the wrong side of the car as this has happened to me a number of times and I have even had the chance to chuckle at some Irish friends doing this when they have visited me in the states.

Alright, I take back my jab at the British. I too have driven in Europe and the British Isles.
I really don't have any problem with driving on the wrong side of the road with a steering wheel mounted on the wrong side of the car and a shifter for the wrong hand.
My observation is however, that it may be a bit difficult to mount a 5 speed shifter on the drivers door, or for that matter on the column. Anybody who has owned a car with a steering column shifter, (by the way almost always a 3 speed hence the term '3 on the tree') and has to fix one that locked up will certainly agree that the floor shifter is a more serviceable, sensible alternative. Why do you think we got rid of them in the first place.
Please don't take my feeble attempts at humor with too much seriousness, I just enjoy stirring the pot.

 

[CheeseheadEarl]

Dusty, I used to own a couple 3 on the trees. The big difference is newer shifters are cable controlled. Those old linkages were solid, and depended on a body to frame mount that didn't sag or flex too much. That caused a lot of trouble in rusty older cars.

 

[Dusty921]

Dusty, I used to own a couple 3 on the trees. The big difference is newer shifters are cable controlled. Those old linkages were solid, and depended on a body to frame mount that didn't sag or flex too much. That caused a lot of trouble in rusty older cars.

Earl,
Yea, me too, started with a 54 Chevy, it just wore out and would get caught in between gears, so I carried a screw driver under the front seat for emergency adjustments. Had a Ford that rusted as Fords do, and had to bend the linkage several times until I sold it.
Just trying to simplify the discussion. P4 has it where I think it should be, shifter, cable, routing etc. would be way easier and cheaper to produce than steering column mount. IMHO.

 

[skygazer6033]

I've driven cars with column mounted 4 speed but never heard of a 5 speed column shift.

 

[JEBar]

back in the early 60's my sister and I rode to school with a next door neighbor who drove a Fiat with a 5 speed on the column .... the thing that I remember the most about it, it seemed like he had to do an awful lot of shifting

Jim

 

[aknaten]

The door and hinges over the filler cap has to cost something. Eliminate the cost of the door and put the filler under the trunk lid at the far end of the Elio. That way it's on neither side but in the middle like the typical motorcycle. Park on either side of the pump. I assume the cap is non-venting. The VW Bug had it's filler under the front hood, prevented gas being stolen.

 

[skygazer6033]

Good idea but I don't think the safety guys will buy it.

 

[CheeseheadEarl]

I did kinda goof on my first post mentioning the column. What I was envisioning was a normal shifter mounted to the right side of the dashboard.