tommyznr wrote:
BigToe wrote:
Even for automatic transmission vehicles, all of the other controls such as HVAC, Radio, Navigation, and accessories, including in car hydration... are all right hand operations while the left hand remains on the steering wheel.
One might argue that those are mostly non-driving comfort controls.
Controls on the left side of my steering wheel include brights, 4WD control, trailer brake control, turn signals, wipers. cruise control. All driving controls.........I use my right hand for comfort, left hand for driving.
Mr Levine's article is pure opinion without much critical thinking. Of course stick shift and semi drivers will have a different opinion based purely on having to shift the transmission.
Mike Levine's article may very well reflect his opinion, but to say that it is devoid of critical thinking is a bit harsh. In fact, in the article, he cites where he has led a seminar on trailer safety and asked a group of Airstream trailer owners about the location of their trailer brake controls, and none were on the left.
So rather than just talking about his own experience, he has also introduced the collective experience of others who were similarly situated, and then went on to describe specific towing circumstances, in detail, including actual locations and weather, where he has operated the trailer brake control while driving.
How is this not critical thinking?
Stick Shift, Hazard lights (for vehicle manufacturers that have adjusted their North American designs to conform to European law on where the hazard switch is placed) windshield wipers (for Ford trucks at least)... these are all right hand mid operational driving controls.
And to the extent that turning down the volume of a radio for safety to be able to hear the surroundings in town (like a bicyclist yelling stop, your trailer wiped me out when you turned), or reaching for a navigation button mid trip to adjust the map view or zoom in on the exit... these operations are reasonable expected to be done by the right hand while driving as well.
Hence, the left hand becomes accustomed to being the principal appendage responsible for steering, regardless if the use of the right hand is for operational or for comfort control. To remove the left hand from the steering wheel to operate a brake control, puts the secondary hand on the wheel... a hand that for some, might not be as accustomed to single handed control of the wheel.
