The ones I installed used a belt from the factory wheel over to the add on wheel and a master/slave cylinder to actuate the brakes and a bicycle brake cable to operate the accelerator. I first got involved with the hardware through a customer who needed a vehicle to teach the disabled how to drive with hand controls and the instructor needed to be able to take full control from the passenger seat. After installing that first unit the supplier referred postal carriers, etc to me. I made a quick search just now and saw similar units
but I donāt recall the source for those I installed. The equipment I dealt with was extremely well made and although several holes were drilled into the floor if the unit was removed there would be no obvious indication of the removal.
A lot of times if someone doesnāt get the exact answer they want, theyāll get huffy and act offended. Sadly, we cannot guess what the answer is they are looking for all the time- especially if theyāre like Susanne and donāt really ask a question to begin with.
She posted a product sheād bought(possibly spam) then I guess she was expecting us to know that she wanted to know what vehicle she should get for HER job without actually asking for advice, then got offended when we didnāt give her the advice she wasnāt asking us to give her.
I have been rural carrier for over 5 years and have been using a Honda CRV. I used seat belt extenders and drove sitting in the middle almost in the passenger side but I am short and petite. The CRV works great however mine is on its last leg. I am buying a Honda Element tomorrow. Will let you know how that goes.
Its definitely possible and it happens every day. I drive a 2006 chevy impala. It has a bench seat and I drive it from the right side using controls on the left to deliver out of the passenger window
Postal rural carriers are ātrained professionalsā and are taught to drive this way. They are covered by Postal bylaws to be allowed to deliver this way. How is it reckless? If you only had a left hand and left foot you would have to drive that way. Handicapped people that have no legs drive with gas and brake pedal shifters on the wheel. Do you always keep both hands on the wheel?
I saw one carrier once that had what looked like a metal seat on a slide and all heād have to do is slide himself over to the passenger side to deliver the mail, then swing back again to drive. Ford has the police units so maybe GM can fill one of their empty plants with some right hand drive units. Must be a little market for them.
Actually, RCAās have a separate union from CCAās and are considered āactual postal workersā. The USPS manages our paychecks like any other employer, we are offered insurance plans and are given an EMA each time we run a route. Our union protects us in the event of an accident. The box truck drivers that bring bulk mail from the plant to the rural offices are independent contracts.
As a Rural Carrier in Kentucky, I drive a Ford sport Trac. Itās compact enough to reach every thing from the passenger seat and roomy enough to fit everything required for the job. Also, it has a bed cover to keep parcels dry from the weather conditions.
And to those who say itās āunsafeā or āunfeasibleā to drive this way, youāve obviously never delivered as a rural carrier LOL! We do it every single day!
The most vehement opinions about a job come from people who know nothing about doing it. People in rural areas are used to dealing with mail and newspaper carriers and the way they drive, tractors and hay wagons on the road and in a lot of areas Amish or Mennonite buggies.
The biggest problem they have is with the impatience of ācity folkā who drive through their area.
Iām a fulltime Rural Carrier and drive a 2002 GMC Sierra 1500. I removed the console and my husband made a seat insert so that it is now a bench seat. I drive from the middle and honestly, the only reckless drivers I see are the idiots that think if they have a wreck with me they are somehow going to get rich. The post office does not insure our vehicles. We do. Just to be clear state min is all thatās required so, in plain southern english, aināt nobody gone get rich! Also, if the non postal person causes the wreck they are still responsible by law. The post office is out for themselves and have no problem getting rid of a carrier for any reason they see fit so we are very diligent about safety. I have a family that I love and want to get home to. There are so many people that just donāt care and have no idea of the dangerous nature of our job but yet they think itās a good idea to come up behind us flying so fast it almost sucks the paint off the side of the truck without any concern for my life! Just a last little thing to add to my rant, the way we drive is perfectly legal for us because we are TRAINED PROFESSIONALS. Also, my state offers laws to protect mail carriers, even though no one still really pays attention to us.
(idk about other states, however Iām sure there are similar laws in place if you take the time to find them)
I canāt imagine trying to deliver mail from a left hand control car. Itās been way too long to recall the total cost but I have installed right hand drive kits on a few vehicles which can be removed and installed on another similar vehicle and the original vehicle wonāt be wrecked once the junk is removed although there would be some holes in the floor and under the dash. But itās obvious that quite a few people are able to handle that situation safely for years so more power to them.
I recently saw a story about a place importing right hand drive vehicles from Japan . At the asking prices you could actually buy two so you would have a back up vehicle . The city just bought 2 small right hand trucks for the water meter readers to use so they donāt have to step out into traffic . After a short learning curve both of the readers say they like the concept.
Yeah. I dunno if itās still happening but in the old days when someone wanted a JDM-only import, theyād bring it over quasi-legally (youāre allowed to bring them over, just not drive them), then cut them in half and weld the front half to the back half of the American version, then register it under the American vin. Not exactly legal, but I donāt remember hearing of anyone getting caught.
A guy in my car club got into that with a CRX SiR, which was not available here. He found one of the Frankencars a few states over and bought it sight unseen, then drove it back. Handled like crap 'cause the welding job was poor, and it was a total wiring nightmare for everything behind the front seats. Always struck me as a really stupid idea.
