Pain in my back...

[veeruk]

It probably has to do a lot with what your body is used to. I, like yourself, have driven in left hand drive cars (I learned to drive in them in Belgium) from when I was 18 till 23. Then, when I got in the UK, I swapped to RHD cars. It was good fun, banging my hand against the door as my right hand still wanted to change gear. As you are driving a RHD car in a LHD environment, you might be tense as you are double concentrating. As Mac said, you might be sitting twisted to get a better view of the road around you. I noticed when I drive my DAF here that my left foot is tense because it has nothing to do lol. Do you get a pain in your back on longer trips only or short ones too? Maybe you should get one of these massage seat covers for the right hooker. You never know if it helps.

[howard]

Hmm, the only thing I can think of is that the siting of the pedals on a RHD car might be more awkward owing to the intrusion of wheel arches (well, certainly on the 33's etc). Maybe they are simply more offset?

I get on fine with all DAF's to be honest, but other cars I have driven with offset pedals irk me something rotten (Audi, Vauxhall Carlton etc) - this could of course be that they have clutch pedals. Stupid things....

I've done plenty of long journeys in 33's (c.300 miles a go) and haven't experienced too much in the way of discomfort. Could be the ample padding I have, of course!

[starider]

Hi John, sorry mate,it's just stress and old age!!! starider

[dillyman]

On a related subject, John, I read recently that you are more likely to be killed in a head on crash than I am! Why is this? It seems that in an emergency the natural automatic instant reaction is to swerve to the left due to the right arm moving sharply up to protect the face. In Great Britain this results in a visit to the hedgerow on the left. Elsewhere where one drives on the right this results in a head on confrontation with the fellow going the other way. You might, of course, miss him if he likewise swerves to the left. I have heard of this happening in the U.K. once. Being Englishmen, both car drivers stopped, vacated their vehicles, marched up to one another, shook hands and without a word spoken returned to their respective cars and departed the scene!

Best regards. Marcus H.

[daf44]

hi there.

i have been thinking about this and may have come up with something. please let me know what you think.

When you sit in a seat as a passenger your legs are straight with your back against the rear of the seat.

When I am driving my daf (RHD) it seems to me that my legs are slightly offset to the LEFT to press the pedals.

When I am driving LHD cars my legs seem to be slightly offset towards the RIGHT to press the pedals.

Could it be that the different angle you legs are at is causing the back pain as it is not what you are used to.
My back is messed up anyway so I am in constant pain anyway and cannot notice a difference.

let me know what you think about this.

Paul44

[daf44]

hi john.

yes. the wheel arch on the dafs does seem to push the pedals that little bit further.
you will just have to put up with it by the look of things.

another one of the joys of daf driving. ;D

paul44.



ps. I thought ex wives caused pain about 6 inches lower.