Which hand do you primarily steer with?

[rbattelle]

After years of driving manual transmissions, I drive almost exclusively with my left hand. In fact, I'm pretty bad at steering with my right hand.



Ryan

 

[EKlem]

I learned to drive boats before I had my license and the right hand is for the throttle in them just like it is for the stick in a truck.

 

[GFritsch]

Left hand = steering

Right hand = shifting

 

[PToombs]

Man! Everybody shifts with their right hand! Go figure! :-laf

It's allegedly safer to drive with both hands on the wheel!

 

[Greenleaf]

That's funny. If you want your CDL (in Ohio) you know you have to drive with both hands. Can't take a hand off the wheel unless you are performing a manuver. (shifting would be a manuver) The State Highway Partrol Officer will ride with you during your test. He'll know.

 

[MMeier]

Man! Everybody shifts with their right hand! Go figure! :-laf

It's allegedly safer to drive with both hands on the wheel!

Most of the time I use my right hand to shift, sometimes I use my left... like when I'm jotting down notes on a drop point or something while talking on the phone! At those times, I usually steer with my left knee!

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

Most of the time I use my right hand to shift, sometimes I use my left... like when I'm jotting down notes on a drop point or something while talking on the phone! At those times, I usually steer with my left knee!

Sounds familiar. I had a guy honk and laugh at me the other day on the freeway. I had one phone in my left hand held to my left ear, another phone on my right shoulder to my right ear, writing notes with my right hand and driving with my left knee. Typical day.

 

[Blu-meanie]

I saw a woman doing around 70 coming into town with her arm over the seat once. When she slowed down to a "safe" 60, I got next to her and found she was holding a bottle for her baby in the back seat, and her left hand had a phone up to her ear. Oh, and the traffic was stopped up ahead. Good trick. Not recommended.

 

[AMink]

Left hand, elbow on top of door/bottom of window. I wore the grain of the door panel off on my old truck!

 

[GeneA]

What Greenleaf said. I just took a cdl drive test the other day and almost flunked by leaving my right hand off the wheel. Years of habit is hard to break.

 

[Digger-Bear]

Might also have something to do with being left or right handed... .

 

[OKish]

steer with my left hand, arm rest has become flat and elbow is bruised. i need a new arm rest.

 

[The patriot]

Another steer left, shift right here.

 

[TORQUE THIS]

Left steer... the right hand has to be free for coffee, radio remote, flippin people off... :-laf

 

[rbattelle]

I'm genuinely surprised the poll is so lopsided toward the left hand.



It seems like nearly everyone I see is steering with the right hand. Of course, they're also all driving automatics.



I wonder how it varies by age group. I would assume younger people who never knew a manual transmission to be more likely to steer with the right hand (unless they're left-handed).



Ryan

 

[Rotty]

Drove manuals all of my life.

Left steer, right shift..... Unless,... ... ... ...

dealing with cell phone, radio, food, flipping somebody off or Then it could be right steer, either knee drive, "look ma no hands"...

 

[nickleinonen]

i most of the time drive with both hands on the wheel. if i am on the hwy, it will be either left or right hands. . if i am playing around, both hands are always on the wheel other than when shifting [although the right hand i find is quicker for me to palm the wheel to react to an oversteer situation]

 

[HOBrian]

I am right handed and the only thing that my left hand is good for is driving. I too was driving boats before cars and with two of the last three cars being manual, my left side is more dominate when it comes to driving.