Lefties With a 6MT

TongMan

Any lefties out there who owns or drives a manual transmission car on the regular? A buddy of mine, who is left handed stated that he has the hardest time driving a manual transmission car here in the USA. I just wanted to know how many of you guys are out there and how difficult it is for you to drive a manual transmission.

Doug&Michelle

I'm a lefty and I've never had a problem with manuals.

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LunaZ

I think it would be harder to drive a right hand drive manual.

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pedZ

I'm a lefty and no issues.

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DWS44

I've always wondered what that would be like!

theDreamer

It is not as hard as you think.
1-6/R is the same so after the first 2 shifts you are use to the feel, the hard part for me was the turn signals and steering column controls are usually flipped. So I go for the turn signal and turn on the windshield wipers.

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9Zs_Ed

AND, fortunately for me (and the car) the pedals aren't reversed!!!

I was in England for several weeks years ago. My biggest problem was going to the car on the wrong side and opening the wrong door. Then I had to look like I was going in the glove box for something, before walking around to the other side, in case someone was watching.

vividracing

The most difficult things are the turn signals/wipers (they're swapped) and getting used to judging distances. Also, passing cars is awkward since you can't see around the left side of the car. Totally worth it if you enjoy attention, though. 1st gear being far away, and having 5th/6th close is weird, but not as bad as the turn signal situation. Every time I've driven RHD, the windshield was really clean after a few miles lol

Oh, and drive thrus suck too. Going through backwards is your best bet.

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theDreamer

That is why you always take someone with you, then you do not have to do anything in the drive thrus.

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HKYStormFront

your friend must do serious drugs. i'm a southpaw and i've never had any issues at all... what issues could you have? there's not a lot to it... it's not like you have to sign your name on a dotted line, just rowing through a few gates in a transmission

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semtex

And to flip things around, there are plenty more righties who shift with their left hands in such places as the UK and Japan, presumably without any major difficulty. Your friend probably just can't drive stick very well, period. The lefty thing is just an excuse.

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Trilitheum

I think being left handed I prefer to have my left hand on the wheel, feels like I have more fine control over the steering, and I have had the experience of driving for several weeks in the UK using my left hand to shift.

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alcheng

Don't think there is any problem, just a matter of time getting used to it. Lots of places the drivers have to shift with left hand, so what the heck, lol.

Also, left hand should have no problem controlling a stick, think about which hand do you use to control the stick when you play arcade? Left hand.

ZInferno0248

I'm a lefty...
Never had any problems driving a manual. I also prefer keeping my left hand on the steering wheel, feels more precise.

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TerribleONE

Lefty here.. No Problems

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