Why do people say left hand down instead of left? We all know which way to turn the wheel to make the car go left, and it's the same in reverse. And if I'm reversing looking over my shoulder, one hand isn't on the wheel so the phrase makes no sense!
Because it avoids any uncertainty between driver's left and guider's left, if they're facing different ways, or one is looking at the other in a mirror.
There are these things called mirrors that don't require you to look over your shoulder.
I take it you have never steered a boat with a tiller
Even better: the little TV camera built into the rear of some modern cars which outputs a display to the car's computer screen.
That was line in "The Navy Lark", a radio comedy programme from the 1950s.
Why on earth would you think it was guider's left? If you're helping someone move a car, it's obviously the car you're thinking about!
Neither of those give you a full 180 degree+ view.
Why would that matter? Unless the person operating the boat didn't know how to steer a boat, you're just telling them to move the boat left.
Which was never meant to be taken seriously!
They don't.
What, it's the opposite if you want the car to go left when going in reverse? ;-)
It does when you understand it's function.
It's an instruction from someone who has a good idea which way the wheels need to be when (often / typically) manoeuvring the car in close quarters (like going up onto a vehicle lift) where there isn't much room for error.
So, an experienced mechanic guiding someone not familiar with driving vehicles up onto a ramp might say 'left hand down a bit' under the assumption the driver is holding the wheel at 10 to 2 or similar. They may well also guide an experienced driver the same way because they would except / understand the terms without question.
Cheers, T i m
My new car has one of those. It comes in very handy to make sure I don't run over the damn cat. For an animal supposed to be cleanly he loves to roll in the driveway dirt.
really?
My father was a concert pianist. He was being given a lift by another pianist. Dad knew the way and was giving verbal instructions. Every time he said left or right he noticed a definite hesitation on the part of the driver. Then he had an idea and, instead of "turn left" he said "turn bass" and instead of "right", "treble". He said it worked a treat!
On Sat, 12 Jun 2021 10:37:40 -0600, rbowman posted for all of us to digest...
Whadda yu mean mirrors? Whaddar day?
I thought it came from that radio series 'The Navy Lark' with Kenneth Williams, Bill Pertwee and others. In it, HMS Troutbridge is crewed by a bunch of incompetents, and instead of giving orders to the helmsman such as 'steer 240 degrees', it was always 'left hand down a bit'.
But it may go back much further than that.
I thought it was invented by the BBC for the Navy Lark. However it actually makes moor since on a bike or in an aircraft where you lean into a turn. Brian
I always remember the overDundee cake...
Not if you're attempting a reverse turn with a trailer or caravan. I have a story about that but I won't bore you with the details other than to say that some of the onlookers were stunned into quiet applause. HGV drivers? Pah! Kid's stuff!
Kenneth Williams was Round the Horn, etc.
Most famous on TNL was Leslie Phillips, Stephen Murray and Jon Pertwee. With other later well knows like Ronnie Barker having bit parts.
One of the few radio sitcoms that didn't later make it to TV. For obvious reasons. ;-)
It's still on R4 X.
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