Indicators, have the Japanese got it right ?

[firthy22]

Sorry for the pun in the title

I don't know why imports have the lights/indicators on the right and Europe has them on the left but after driving both, I prefer the Jap way with indicators on the right.

Particularly, when driving around town, I find I can gear change and indicate at the same time which is a bonus with lots of turns. I notice it when driving the wifes car and always seem to want to indicate just at the same time as I'm changing down through the gears.

Just a small point, I know, but a definite bonus for import cars.

 

[PORTHOS]

Funny you should say that, I noticed it the other day driving my mums Vauxhall Monterey (which is actually an ISUZU) it has the indicator stalk on the right.

A lot of European cars are left hand drive as they drive on the right side of the road, which might be why the indicator stalk is on the left so you can change gear with your right hand in the manner you mention.

Perhaps this is something that European manufactures don't bother to swap around for countries that drive on the left... Just a guess!

Either way, The Japanese drive on the Left like we do, unless they have had too much sake (wine)!
It's definitely more ergonomic though to have the indicator on the right in a right hand drive car and visa versa.

 

[salsaboy]

Much much better this way..have to tell GF indicators are on right everythime she drives it..



Mike K-g

 

[Gordyitrdc5]

Correct me if a wrong but am sure when japan use to make & export cars for the uk market, before they had factorys in europe & the uk they were always on the right side as they are on imports weren't they?

 

[donkeykong]

I think it like this, sitting on the right you have to shift with your left hand which means you keep your right hand on the wheel duh
So on the left its the other way around.

 

[micchung]

from wikipedia:

In most cases, by industry convention, the signal stalk is on the outboard side of the column: the left side in a left-hand drive car, or the right side in a right-hand drive car. The North American regulations on vehicle controls—Canada and U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 101—do not specify a mandatory location for the turn signal control, requiring only that it be visible and operable by the belted-in driver, and that it be labelled with a specific symbol if it is not located on the left side of the steering column.[sup][36][/sup][sup][37][/sup] The international ECE Regulations do not include analogous specifications.[sup][38][/sup]

Turn indicator stalk or turn signal lever is the control lever which operates the turn signal or indicator lights on the front, sides and rear of the vehicle. It is usually operated by lifting or lowering the lever, the direction being commensurate with the clockwise or anticlockwise direction in which the steering wheel is about to be turned.
In left hand drive vehicles the turn indicator stalks are located on the left of the steering column.
In right-hand-drive (RHD) motor vehicles, the indicator stalk is located on either the left or right of the steering column, depending manufacturer. European RHD cars generally have the stalk on the left (often using the same component as LHD cars), while Asia-Pacific RHD cars generally have the stalk on the right (mirroring the configuration of a LHD vehicle). Some manufacturers such as Subaru still have variation in the model line up as to where the turn indicator stalk is located

 

[alan-lee]

Yeah they got it right!