Across the USA, most people drive left-hand-drive cars on the right half of the road. However, many people don’t realize that there are also new Jeep Wranglers designed with right-hand drive (RHD) available for purchase in U.S. If you find this revelation incredibly out of place, you aren’t alone.
Predictably, Jeep has a good reason for launching the RHD models. The Wranglers were first designed for rural mail deliverers who are required to deal with both severe climatic conditions and mailboxes that are more easily accessible from the passenger side of the vehicle (hence right-hand drive). Since the deliveries can be several kilometers apart, postal employees deliver mail directly from the vehicle.
A lot of questions have been raised as to whether people will really need these kinds of vehicles. Just like the self-driving vehicle technology, RHD vehicles elicit both negative and positive criticism. Just like every technology that is new or unusual to many people, RHD jeeps will face challenges before their benefits become apparent.
Advantages of RHD Jeeps
Right hand driven Jeep Wranglers have proven to be advantageous to some drivers. For instance, they have proven to be easy to park. They are also great conversation starters because their unique design.
RHD vehicles also make it safer for drivers to exit the vehicle when street parking because the steering is on the curb. Additionally, it is possible to access most of the mailboxes from the driver’s seat, unlike (LHD) vehicles. Lastly, RHD vehicles have also proved to be a deterrent for car thieves.
Disadvantages of Right-Hand Drive Jeeps
Despite the many advantages associated with these types of vehicles, right-hand Jeeps and vehicles have their shortcomings too. For starters, picking a ticket from a computerized parking garage can be tricky since the driver is on the “wrong” side. You’ll need to scoot across the vehicle, grab the ticket and scramble back in time to pull forward before the garage door closes on you. RHD vehicle owners have also disclosed that the use of driving through drive-thru fast food restaurants can be challenging.
Another undoing of the RHD vehicles is that passengers alight from the cars on the traffic side when the vehicle stops at the curb. Toll booth stations also pose similar problems like the parking garages, with the only difference being that impatient drivers will be honking at you.
Many drivers behind the wheels of RHD vehicles also agree that driving in slow traffic on a two-lane highway can be real torture. Overtaking another driver is hard since it’s difficult to see oncoming traffic unless you are driving on the left-hand side.
Should You Buy a Right-Hand Jeep?
The debate on whether or not an RHD vehicle is right for you depends on your unique needs and desires. However, it should be known that the level of comfort and ease for a driver will be dependent on his or her abilities to conform to new ways of maneuvering traffic. Generally, there is very little change in driving a right-hand drive vehicle apart from a few controls being shifted around.
There are two scenarios in which a driver of an RHD vehicle must exercise extra caution. They include:
- Left turns at busy road intersections: It may be quite tricky for the RHD driver to notice vehicles approaching from the opposite direction. In such instances, the driver must avoid pulling into the intersection. It is important to note that traffic rules apply for both RHD and LHD drivers.
- Driving on a two-lane road: With RHD vehicles, drivers find it difficult to see approaching vehicles. As a smart driver, such a case is resolved by just being patient and backing off. By being far behind the car in front of you, you will also find that your view of the road ahead will be better.
In short: Always refrain from taking risks in a RHD vehicle that you wouldn’t take while driving an LHD one.