Do they have extra control mechanisms on the right side of their vehicles? Or are they just flyin' by the seats of their pants? It doesn't look safe!
2006-06-26 11:22:52 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Safety
I delivered the mail out of my own car for 6 years. I did not have anything special done to my car. I sat in the middle of the car and drove with my left foot. It seems difficult the first day (just like learning to drive again), but after that, it seemed normal. Some carriers do drive vehicles designed for them to be on the opposite side of the car. It all depends on the carrier.
2006-06-26 15:58:27 · answer #1 · answered by jjangermayer 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rural mail carrier vehicles and even Urban mail carrier vehicles are 'Right Hand Drive' that means that the steering wheel and gas pedal and brakes and all the instruments are on the Right side.
They have to take a special test to be able to safely operate a Right hand Dive car. The reason we have this set up is because otherwise when delivering mail on both sides of a road, during the passage down one side the driver if he was in a conventional Left hand drive car would be having to point his vehicle against traffic and be basically on the wrong side of the road going the wrong way to be able to load the mailboxes. By having Right hand Drive, this does not happen, he simply turns around and goes with the flow of traffic, but can still put the mail in the box.
By the way, in most countries other than the USA (because we just like to be different) all cars are Right Hand Drive, and so to make it easy they actually drive on the opposite side of the road, ie where our oncoming traffic is. And they are perfectly safe, they actually have less traffic accidents than we do with our driving because unlike us who have to cut across lanes of oncoming traffic, to make turns, they don't...!!!
2006-06-26 11:37:27 · answer #2 · answered by Pete 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Post Office teaches you how to drive on the passenger side, the mail sit in the driver seat and the driver is in the passenger seat driving with the left leg and hand, you press the gas pedal SLOWLY and keep you foot over the brake. It can't be done with a stick shift. It is tricky at first then it becomes a breeze after a while.
2006-06-26 13:20:04 · answer #3 · answered by WildMind 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Alot of them just hop in the passenger side and "toe n go" the pedals and drive with their left hand. I personaly think everyone that gets their license should be required to do so if their feet can reach the pedals from the passenger side. I have even practiceed this myself in a parking lot. Think about it what if you were in a car with someone and they passed out at the wheel sure you can steer but you cant stop the car or get it moving if your in a dangerous situation so your basically a sitting duck. Everyone should also be required to know how to drive a stick. Someones life may one day depend on you having to drive a car with a stick, what r u gonna do besides stall out alot and take all day to get to the hospital or wherever you need to be????
2006-06-26 14:57:36 · answer #4 · answered by puresplprix 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
in a lot of places all over the world they drive sitting in the other side of the car, the only difference is that here they don't drive on the other side of the road. it is not that hard it is just like driving but sitting in the passenger seat they still have all the same stuffvand are trained so they get used to driving in that possession. it is not hard as you think it is
2006-06-26 12:19:36 · answer #5 · answered by Coconuts 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The post office carriers have been delivering mail this way since before I was born. That's 65 years. There have been relatively few accidents.
No, they don't have extra controls. They are required to practice before accepting the route.
2006-06-26 11:27:03 · answer #6 · answered by Blue 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they use their other foot to press the pedals
they just use a normal vehicle and they sort of sit in the middle-or at least so that they can reach the pedals
i dont think its too safe i would never be able to do it but somehow they manage
2006-06-26 11:26:18 · answer #7 · answered by um yea hi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They drive with a big mirror in the passenger seat. No, really they do.
2006-06-26 11:33:02 · answer #8 · answered by Pelican 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They steer from the steering wheel like everyone else, but they have a gas and brake pedal on their side like a driver instructor's car.
2006-06-26 11:30:02 · answer #9 · answered by hydromom 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they got the controls on the oppisit side its sort of like the drivers ed cars
2006-06-26 11:28:33 · answer #10 · answered by ilikecheezeburgers 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋