RHD War Stories

[David Lee Mericle <ok3wire@domain.elided>]

I was stationed in the Philippines with the U.S. Navy in the mid-70s
flying a carrier aircraft large enough to carry two cars (Toyota Crown
and Mazda RX2) and could drive the following  combinations in a single
day

LHD '65 Ford Country Sedan in left side driving PII
RHD '71 Mazda RX2 in left side driving PI
LHD -Various Navy vehicles in Japan - on base (Atsugi) left side and off
base, right side of the road
RHD - squadron Toyota Crown on base, left side, and off base - right
side of the road
Kawasaki F11, center drive, on both sides of the road.  Sometimes not on
the road.

Final RHD story - Cruising at ~ 110 mph down I15 on the lower left coast
in a RHD Ferrari 365GT2+2, bummed because I had just sand blasted a new
paint job and windshield in a sand storm north of Palm Springs, and
pulled over by the CHP.  The trooper with that casual but determined
stroll approached the left side of the car and looked in with his ticket
book at the ready.  Noticed right away that my petite blonde wife not
only did not have a steering wheel in front of her but was reclining in
the seat (not feeling well - for a number of reasons).  Immediately
figgered out that he needed to deal with the guy with a steering wheel
in front of him.  Wrote me up for 85mph (speed limit at the time was a
quaint 55mph) which was less than a misdemeanor but more than driver
school and proves that the CHP has a bit of a sense of humor.

Dave Mericle
Leucadia, CA  BEACH-N-RIDES

------------------------------