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Transition between Left Hand Drive to Right Hand Drive

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zzm9980
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Post by zzm9980 » Mon, 10 Jun 2013 4:17 pm

Hidy Ho wrote: Never drove a manual shift car so don't know how hard it's to shift with a left hand. I think the clutch pedal and the shifting gears are still in same place though.
It's not a problem. The only problem is getting stuck behind idiot drives who idle their way up or randomly stop on the very steep spiral ramps into car parks. Make sure you're well versed in hand-brake starts. Luckily I drove a manual in San Francisco for 8 yrs, so I've had plenty of practice.

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Post by zzm9980 » Mon, 10 Jun 2013 4:20 pm

Oh, and don't forget that Singapore is LHD, except when it's not! There are random small roads and lanes scattered about that switch you to RHD. Raffles Link does this, which connects Raffles Blvd and Raffles Ave (Esplanade to Suntec) Btw, did we mention all of the shit named Raffles? :)

Lots of multistory carparks (Parking Garage in American English) do this too.

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Post by the lynx » Mon, 10 Jun 2013 4:20 pm

zzm9980 wrote:
Hidy Ho wrote:It's the turns that gets me and if there are any roundabouts (which I haven't seen in SG), then I'm doomed!!!
There is one about 300m west of Parkway Parade where Marine Parade Road meets Amber Rd (Haig Rd).

That's one more minor annoyance for the OP: Roads in Singapore like to change names. A lot. Why Haig Rd must turn into Amber Rd for about 200m before it ends is beyond me. Or, Sims Way -> Mountbaten Rd -> East Coast Rd -> Upper East Coast Rd. It's all the same damn road. Why is one section "Upper" anyway? It doesn't go up a hill, and it isn't any farther north than the section immediately to its west without the title. Why the hate? The first time I was looking for it, I stupidly assumed when I was on East Coast Rd, Upper East Coast Rd must be to the North.
Wait till you drive around Bukit Timah. The number of small roads branching off with the same names as the main road will drive you mad.

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Post by nakatago » Mon, 10 Jun 2013 4:25 pm

the lynx wrote:
zzm9980 wrote:
Hidy Ho wrote:It's the turns that gets me and if there are any roundabouts (which I haven't seen in SG), then I'm doomed!!!
There is one about 300m west of Parkway Parade where Marine Parade Road meets Amber Rd (Haig Rd).

That's one more minor annoyance for the OP: Roads in Singapore like to change names. A lot. Why Haig Rd must turn into Amber Rd for about 200m before it ends is beyond me. Or, Sims Way -> Mountbaten Rd -> East Coast Rd -> Upper East Coast Rd. It's all the same damn road. Why is one section "Upper" anyway? It doesn't go up a hill, and it isn't any farther north than the section immediately to its west without the title. Why the hate? The first time I was looking for it, I stupidly assumed when I was on East Coast Rd, Upper East Coast Rd must be to the North.
Wait till you drive around Bukit Timah. The number of small roads branching off with the same names as the main road will drive you mad.
Holland Road too...

...before it becomes Ulu Pandan Road.
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."

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Post by ecureilx » Mon, 10 Jun 2013 4:26 pm

zzm9980 wrote:
Hidy Ho wrote:It's the turns that gets me and if there are any roundabouts (which I haven't seen in SG), then I'm doomed!!!
There is one about 300m west of Parkway Parade where Marine Parade Road meets Amber Rd (Haig Rd).

That's one more minor annoyance for the OP: Roads in Singapore like to change names. A lot. Why Haig Rd must turn into Amber Rd for about 200m before it ends is beyond me. Or, Sims Way -> Mountbaten Rd -> East Coast Rd -> Upper East Coast Rd. It's all the same damn road. Why is one section "Upper" anyway? It doesn't go up a hill, and it isn't any farther north than the section immediately to its west without the title. Why the hate? The first time I was looking for it, I stupidly assumed when I was on East Coast Rd, Upper East Coast Rd must be to the North.
Newton Circus ?? oh, they added lights there ..

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Post by bgd » Mon, 10 Jun 2013 4:38 pm

Hidy Ho wrote:It's the turns that gets me and if there are any roundabouts (which I haven't seen in SG), then I'm doomed!!!
Newton Circus and the west end of Marine Parade spring to mind.

But don't worry, local drivers seem not to understand them either so you'll be in good company.

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Post by Hidy Ho » Mon, 10 Jun 2013 5:35 pm

Honestly ... a chance of me owning or driving a car in SG is very remote. I'm perfectly happy with buses and MRT for now. Maybe a scooter later.

It's more likely that I will own and drive a car in Thailand which is also LHD (which I find strange as the country was never supposedly colonized).

My understanding is LHD is mainly due to British "influence" ...

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 10 Jun 2013 5:36 pm

There is Picadilly Circus Roundabout as well as Serangoon Gardens Way Roundabout as well
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by JR8 » Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:34 pm

Hidy Ho wrote:It's the turns that gets me and if there are any roundabouts (which I haven't seen in SG), then I'm doomed!!!
I've driven through a couple of 2-way roundabouts in the UK. Yes nuts. Two way traffic around, and then an additional mini-roundabout at each entry/exit road.

Pretty daunting until you get vaguely used to it...

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Post by x9200 » Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:20 pm

bgd wrote:
Hidy Ho wrote:It's the turns that gets me and if there are any roundabouts (which I haven't seen in SG), then I'm doomed!!!
Newton Circus and the west end of Marine Parade spring to mind.

But don't worry, local drivers seem not to understand them either so you'll be in good company.
There are dozens of roundabouts around. I am surprised someone managed to escape them. There are few in NUS area, a few at NTU, some other to the West i.e. AYE flyover Pioneer Rd, and next one few exits further towards the border checkpoint, another big one at the beginning of WC highway.

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Post by Hidy Ho » Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:28 pm

x9200 wrote: There are dozens of roundabouts around. I am surprised someone managed to escape them. There are few in NUS area, a few at NTU, some other to the West i.e. AYE flyover Pioneer Rd, and next one few exits further towards the border checkpoint, another big one at the beginning of WC highway.
Honestly, I don't get out much. I walk to work and only other place I go frequently is a pool hall via 67 bus or taxi. Other than that, it's very rare I go anywhere else and if I do get out, it's always near MRT station.

I probably spend more time at Changi terminal 2 than anywhere else since if I have any downtime, I'm on a flight to BKK (where I feel more at home than at SG).

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Post by bgd » Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:36 pm

Hidy Ho wrote: Honestly, I don't get out much. I walk to work and only other place I go frequently is a pool hall via 67 bus or taxi. Other than that, it's very rare I go anywhere else and if I do get out, it's always near MRT station.

I probably spend more time at Changi terminal 2 than anywhere else since if I have any downtime, I'm on a flight to BKK (where I feel more at home than at SG).
Problem solved then. You don't need a car. :D

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Post by Hidy Ho » Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:42 pm

Right .. at least not in SG anyway unless my living style changes.

I don't miss not having a car or driving it. I do miss my car when having to drive a rental though.

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Post by PNGMK » Tue, 11 Jun 2013 2:23 pm

The UK is going to switch to RHD under EU rules soon. Apparently the trucks will switch one week before the cars.

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Post by ecureilx » Tue, 11 Jun 2013 2:45 pm

PNGMK wrote:The UK is going to switch to RHD under EU rules soon. Apparently the trucks will switch one week before the cars.
Did you mean UK will switch to LHD ?? as somebody who hails from a former Crown Colony .. I guess it's not gonna happen ..

what art though smokin ??

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