# Where is the clutch when you drive on the left? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305 "2006-04-26T16:40:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305/1 "2006-04-26T16:40:27Z")
When you drive on the left hand side of the road (in England for example) the driver sits on the right. Are the pedals in the same order as when you sit on the left? From left to right: Clutch, break, gas? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305/2 "2006-04-26T16:43:34Z")
Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305/3 "2006-04-26T16:44:43Z")
(But I thought you only had two pedals in the US 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305/4 "2006-04-26T16:46:54Z")
For the most part everything is the same except the shifter. But I never had much trouble getting used to it within a few minutes, the shift pattern is the same. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305/5 "2006-04-26T16:57:17Z")
> [@Edward The Head](#): > > For the most part everything is the same except the shifter. But I never had much trouble getting used to it within a few minutes, the shift pattern is the same. Thanks for the quick replies. Oh, and to make sure I understand what you are saying, the shifter is now on the left, correct? That is what I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305/6 "2006-04-26T16:59:47Z")
Yep, the gearstick (or shifter, if you prefer) and handbrake (parking brake, emergency brake, whatever) are on the left. 'Course, in Europe, the steering wheel is behind you, and the seat hangs from the roof, but you soon get used to it. What? ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305/7 "2006-04-26T17:36:33Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Yep, the gearstick (or shifter, if you prefer) and handbrake (parking brake, emergency brake, whatever) are on the left. > > 'Course, in Europe, the steering wheel is behind you, and the seat hangs from the roof, but you soon get used to it. > > What? Pardon me, but I think you vehicle has overturned. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305/8 "2006-04-26T18:44:58Z")
> [@flight](#): > > When you drive on the left hand side of the road (in England for example) the driver sits on the right. Are the pedals in the same order as when you sit on the left? From left to right: Clutch, break, gas? Actually you have this wrong. It is clutch **brake** gas from left to right. ::: Ducks and flees::: ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305/9 "2006-04-26T18:51:12Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Actually you have this wrong. > It is clutch **brake** gas from left to right. > > ::: Ducks and flees::: Errrr…clutch brake **accelerator** ::: Hides at the bottom of an abandoned mine ::: ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305/10 "2006-04-26T18:54:43Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Errrr…clutch brake **accelerator** > > ::: Hides at the bottom of an abandoned mine ::: Or, for female drivers, stall stop lurch. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305/11 "2006-04-26T18:57:19Z")
> [@flight](#): > > Thanks for the quick replies. Oh, and to make sure I understand what you are saying, the shifter is now on the left, correct? That is what I thought. No, it’s in the middle, same as U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305/12 "2006-04-26T18:57:28Z")
I find that one thing that takes a bit of getting used to when driving a car with the “opposite” controls is the rear-view mirror. I am so used to glancing to the left to see the mirror, that it takes time to to get used to looking to the right. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-clutch-when-you-drive-on-the-left/354305/13 "2006-04-26T19:11:18Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > No, it’s in the middle, same as U.S. :eek: you are evil. 😃