Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Tesla gives UK owners grabbing stick after forcing them to get left-hand-drive

electrek.co

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 127 posts

Re: Tesla gives UK owners grabbing stick after forcing them to get left-hand-drive

#11

Post by inglor_cz »

TaylorAlexander wrote: post #6

I didn’t realize it was legal to drive left hand drive cars in the UK. Isn’t that generally less safe? I’m really surprised a company this large would end support for the right hand drive configuration.

In Czechia, where we drive on the right, I occassionally meet British-side cars. Rarely, but yes. (Corrected.)

I suspect that already the fact that you drove on the other side for your whole life must mess with you. I certainly wouldn't dream of trying to drive in the UK, but I am the elusive below-average driver anyway.

Re: Tesla gives UK owners grabbing stick after forcing them to get left-hand-drive

#12

Post by utybo »

TaylorAlexander wrote: post #6

I didn’t realize it was legal to drive left hand drive cars in the UK. Isn’t that generally less safe? I’m really surprised a company this large would end support for the right hand drive configuration.

I'm pretty sure you need that to be legal to let tourists get to the UK by car.

Re: Tesla gives UK owners grabbing stick after forcing them to get left-hand-drive

#13

Post by Mashimo »

TaylorAlexander wrote: post #6

I didn’t realize it was legal to drive left hand drive cars in the UK. Isn’t that generally less safe? I’m really surprised a company this large would end support for the right hand drive configuration.

> I didn’t realize it was legal to drive left hand drive cars in the UK.

There is a tunnel from UK to France, would be weird if only British cars would be allowed to use it :P

Re: Tesla gives UK owners grabbing stick after forcing them to get left-hand-drive

#14

Post by yurishimo »

TaylorAlexander wrote: post #6

I didn’t realize it was legal to drive left hand drive cars in the UK. Isn’t that generally less safe? I’m really surprised a company this large would end support for the right hand drive configuration.

Safety is tricky but I think in some situations, it definitely is more dangerous.

Most countries will allow cars from the opposite driving side but you’ll pay for it with your insurance premiums.

I’m also baffled they haven’t switched one plant to make right hand drive cars at least part time yet. I know the list of countries is small, but most of them are fairly wealthy. If they have so much profit margin, it should have been possible to retool a few interior pieces after a decade.

Re: Tesla gives UK owners grabbing stick after forcing them to get left-hand-drive

#15

Post by d1sxeyes »

inglor_cz wrote: post #11
TaylorAlexander wrote: post #6

I didn’t realize it was legal to drive left hand drive cars in the UK. Isn’t that generally less safe? I’m really surprised a company this large would end support for the right hand drive configuration.

In Czechia, where we drive on the right, I occassionally meet British-side cars. Rarely, but yes. (Corrected.) I suspect that already the fact that you drove on the other side for your whole life must mess with you. I certainly wouldn't dream of trying to drive in the UK, but I am the elusive below-average driver anyway.

It’s less disturbing than you might think, especially if it’s an automatic. The worst bit is when you’re trying to overtake, or when you’re trying to parallel park (coming as someone who learned in left-hand drive cars in the UK, but has since moved to the EU where right-hand drive is the standard).

Re: Tesla gives UK owners grabbing stick after forcing them to get left-hand-drive

#16

Post by _joel »

TaylorAlexander wrote: post #6

I didn’t realize it was legal to drive left hand drive cars in the UK. Isn’t that generally less safe? I’m really surprised a company this large would end support for the right hand drive configuration.

Import market and EU residents ariving in their car by ferry/chunnel say hello

Re: Tesla gives UK owners grabbing stick after forcing them to get left-hand-drive

#17

Post by pavlov »

TaylorAlexander wrote: post #6

I didn’t realize it was legal to drive left hand drive cars in the UK. Isn’t that generally less safe? I’m really surprised a company this large would end support for the right hand drive configuration.

The Model S and Model X account for something like 4% of Tesla’s sales today. They are very niche models.

With cost-cutting and margin improvement driving everything at Tesla now, it makes sense they’d discontinue the expensive special configurations of the niche models.

Re: Tesla gives UK owners grabbing stick after forcing them to get left-hand-drive

#18

Post by mcintyre1994 »

TaylorAlexander wrote: post #6

I didn’t realize it was legal to drive left hand drive cars in the UK. Isn’t that generally less safe? I’m really surprised a company this large would end support for the right hand drive configuration.

I guess it’d be legal to drive them for Europeans who drive here (via ferry or channel tunnel). We used to drive both ways quite often when we lived in/had family in Germany etc, and would keep using our car there. The bigger part of that is probably commercial lorries etc. doing deliveries both ways. I’m surprised if it’s legal to sell a left hand drive in the UK though.

Re: Tesla gives UK owners grabbing stick after forcing them to get left-hand-drive

#20

Post by Denvercoder9 »

Mashimo wrote: post #13
TaylorAlexander wrote: post #6

I didn’t realize it was legal to drive left hand drive cars in the UK. Isn’t that generally less safe? I’m really surprised a company this large would end support for the right hand drive configuration.

> I didn’t realize it was legal to drive left hand drive cars in the UK. There is a tunnel from UK to France, would be weird if only British cars would be allowed to use it :P

That's a train tunnel.
Post reply on HN