Offside/Nearside/Passenger side

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

Hi there,

I've noticed that recently there has again been confusion about the definition of what side of the car is being discussed in any given thread.
This has been going on for years on here & I'd like to provide what is "in the trade" the accepted description:-

Viewed from the driver's seat the left side of the vehicle is LEFT
Viewed from the driver's seat the right side of the vehicle is RIGHT

Nothing simpler than that, is there.

Cheers
John

[RogerFrench]

Dead Right. If anyone cares, the terms Near- and Off-side are taken from Horse Riding.
A horse is always mounted from the left, or Near side.

Contrary to popular supposition, it has nothing to do with the side nearest the Kerb, or Curb if you prefer.

[UAB807F]

Interesting comment about the origin of "near side/off side", I'd always gone with the kerb side explanation, I wonder how long it's been in use ?

Left and Right make more sense though, we never refer to a "Off Side Drive" car do we, it's either LHD or RHD.

Brian

[hatman]

What's wrong with 'port and starboard'?

[billwill]

What's wrong with 'port and starboard'?

If you're green, it makes you red with embarrassment when you get it wrong.

[AHM]

The only problems I have encountered were when one person was at the front looking back.

Unfortunately for the motor trade Left and right are defined relative to the person. Unlike Port and Starboard or Offside and nearside which are defined relative to the object.

I hadn't noticed the problem on this forum, and I'm not in the motor trade. If its OK I'll stick with offside and nearside or whatever gets the point across.... possibly even a different language.

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

The only problems I have encountered were when one person was at the front looking back.

Unfortunately for the motor trade Left and right are defined relative to the person. Unlike Port and Starboard or Offside and nearside which are defined relative to the object.

I hadn't noticed the problem on this forum, and I'm not in the motor trade. If its OK I'll stick with offside and nearside or whatever gets the point across.... possibly even a different language.

You do what you like mate.

[AHM]

You do what you like mate.

bedzie, dziekuje

[pharriso]

I hadn't noticed the problem on this forum, and I'm not in the motor trade. If its OK I'll stick with offside and nearside or whatever gets the point across.... possibly even a different language.

That's the problem... It does not get the point across! Near side is different between left hand driving & right hand drive countries, there was a post recently when someone stated near side without mentioning their location.

[AHM]

I spoke to someone on the phone, who was standing at the front of the car looking at their engine - She said it is on the right hand side. I didn't ask if she was adopting the universally accepted left and right or the Motor Industry Norm Left and Right - It wouldn't have been productive!

That is the problem with Left and Right - Different for each person

Life is only complicated if you make it so!

[RogerFrench]

That's the problem... It does not get the point across! Near side is different between left hand driving & right hand drive countries, there was a post recently when someone stated near side without mentioning their location.

No, near side is NOT different country to country. It is ALWAYS the left side! Even here in the USA, near-side is the left side.
See my post above, and the equestrian connection.

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

I spoke to someone on the phone, who was standing at the front of the car looking at their engine - She said it is on the right hand side. I didn't ask if she was adopting the universally accepted left and right or the Motor Industry Norm Left and Right - It wouldn't have been productive!

That is the problem with Left and Right - Different for each person

Life is only complicated if you make it so!

That really is a load of bollox

[Steve G]

Wasn't the nearside of a horse named that way as you didn't want to be mounting it in the road though? I'm sure once upon a time before there were even tracks for horse riders people got on a horse any side they pleased. Soldiers marched on the left side of the road so their right arms would draw their swords into the road. Jousters passed each other on the left for a similar reason. The reason the French and therefore the US drive on the wrong side of the road is because Napoleon was left handed.

If you like that one I'll tell you why the size of the booster rockets on the Space Shuttle were based on the width of two horse's arses, 2,000 years ago. I imagine you lot have heard this before though!

I propose a new system, one that is based on something that is the same the world over. The clock. 12 is the front, 3 is the right or offside, 6 is the rear, 9 is the left or nearside. Wheels could even be described by their position on a clock face, so 1, 5, 7 & 11 o' clock. If someone says 'Aah but what if the car is going backwards' or 'I am upside down hanging from a tree' etc. etc. you can just punch them in the face/go all keyboard warrior on them.

[AHM]

That really is a load of bollox

May I suggest that you try to get out more.

The reason the French and therefore the US drive on the wrong side of the road is because Napoleon was left handed.

Although the war mongering Frenchman may have influenced parts of Europe, I am reliably informed (by the internet) that Pennsylvania passed a keep right law in 1792 - A little early for Napoleon. more recently the Germans seem to have persuaded other parts of Europe to switch to the right.

[Bud English]

...and if you think that's confusing, here in the US we have to deal with the "Left Coast" and there's one on each side of the country. (The previous comment was not paid for nor endorses either of the groups of semi-professional morons now inhabiting what we laughingly call our country's capitol. Damn, when the NSA reads this I'll be pestered by those tricky black helicopters again and probably have to move).