Sigh...Why does the DOT have to ban "Right Hand Drive" Vehicles?

[Taverner]

I want a Toyota Alphard Hybrid. They're really neat. 42MPG Minivan.

They only sell them in Japan. Japan drives on the Left side of the road.

You can modify any vehicle (well almost any vehicle) for US road use, as long as it is left-hand drive. The Toyota Alphard Hybrid is not.

But it's a neat neat neato car.

Sigh...

[Wapsie B]

1. I don't know whether these vehicles are right or left-hand drive

but one of the Drs I know from India tells of cars getting over 80 mpg. These are 4-5 passenger cars but I forget who makes them. He says 40 mpg over there wouldn't get a look from anyone. Of course gas is more expensive over there too.

[Taverner]

2. Re-heally?

80mpg is very nice :) I think India is right hand drive, being an ex English colony - but then again Singapore and Canada are left hand drive and they were too...

[Wapsie B]

3. Yes according to him.

He was just there a month ago. When he got back we got to talking about cars and thats when he talked about there being lots of motorcycles over there and really high-mileage cars.

[MadHound]

4. Your doctor is talking about Bajaj cars and scooters!

I've got a Bajaj scooter and absolutely love it. 145cc engine, tops out at 55-60 mph, gets about 100mpg. Bajaj is the top selling scooter maker in the world. Their cars would be great around a city, they're three wheel beats, top out at 40mph, and yes, they get 80mpg, and can haul a little over a half ton.

This is my little bike, I actually had to get a license and plate for the little guy.

<img src="" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

It is saving me a ton of money, I've got a twenty six mile commute one way, and thus it saves me two gallons of gas every time I ride. Trouble is that it is now too snowy and cold, but here in a couple of months I'll be back out and about on my little bike. You can find out more here <http://www.bajajusa.com>

[bullwinkle428]

5. I've seen some of the postal carriers here in rural Iowa

delivering mail using right-hand drive Subaru Legacy station wagons. I guess they stopped making them in 1999...I dug up some info on them.

http://www.cars101.com/postlsub.html

[bullwinkle428]

6. There are tons of vehicles sold outside of the North American

market that are much more fuel efficient than those sold here, for a variety of reasons. I'm salivating over the prospect of Honda bringing over their European-spec diesel powered Accord which gets over 50 mpg on the highway!!!

[Taverner]

7. Toyota has a whole line of Hybrids

Toyota has a whole line of Hybrid versions of their non-hybrid line. The Estima and Alphards are basically versions of the Sienna, they also have a Hybrid 2 seater that beats the insight at 75 MPG, and a Hybrid version of the Tacoma that has all the torque and power, but gets 40 MPG.

They also have a concept car that is a chargeable Hybrid that can get 250 MPG and has solar cells on the roof and hood.

The Japanese understand the days of fossil fuel are limited.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

8. i have seen several right hand drive cars in the US

so I am not so sure about the status of a 'ban'. How could these people be driving them???

subjectProdigal

[Taverner]

9. I'm not sure

But I called several Auto shops that specialize in customizing imports for US highway use, and they sall said RHD is not legal in the US.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

11. well, I guess we will just call those folks lucky

I was next to a right hand drive Beemer just the other day shooting down the connector in Atlanta. He passed right by a cop without much of a glance at all. Maybe the cop doesn't know they are illegal? Or maybe he just didn't care...

subjectProdigal

[gollygee]

10. We have a RHD car

and it's legally registered and insured.

We had a police officer pull us over once just to take a look at it. He didn't seem to think there was problem with it.