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Where can't we take our RHD vehicle? Where can't we take our RHD vehicle?
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Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Ellen Delis,
Lagunas Ojos del Campo,
Antofalla, Catamarca



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  #1  
Old 18 Feb 2014
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Where can't we take our RHD vehicle?
Hi all,

A lurker here who has been reading various threads. One thing I was surprised to read was that right hand drive is banned in a few countries with various levels of strictness and enforcement. Some exempt temporarily imported vehicles. Is there a list of these countries on here? It is a little tedious trying to compile it all by hand. So far, I have:

El Salvador
Nicaragua if the border guards care
Chile
Bolivia
Vietnam

Thanks,
James
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  #2  
Old 19 Feb 2014
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Gambia requires (or did) a carnet for RHD but not LHD after an influx of RHDs on the plymouth dakar
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Old 19 Feb 2014
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Ghana was a real pain to get into without a Carnet in our RHD Defender 90, took us over 4 hours to persuade the police chief to let us in, this was 11 years ago now, so not sure if things are better/worse currently. Our friend in a LHD German TLC got straight in with no Carnet.
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Old 19 Feb 2014
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Azerbaijan apparently applies the same 72 hour to get to Baku port rule to RHD cars that it applies to motorcycles, drivers of LHD can get temporary import for the length of their visa if they argue their case.
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Old 19 Feb 2014
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Oman, Saudi Arabia. No way to drive RHD in those countries as far as I know.

I was once refused entry to Uzbekistan in my RHD vehicle, but a little negotiation and persistence got me through. On three subsequent visits nothing was mentioned.

Got into Azerbaijan with RHD vehicle, was given 72 hours, didn't realise LHD cars could stay longer!
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Old 19 Feb 2014
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Nigeria and Cameroon are worth noting. It is entirely legal to drive a RHD in transit as a tourist, but not to import it permanently. So expect a lot of excited policemen to stop you thinking they will be getting a big bribe. No problems at the borders, they know, but not all policemen do, so you need some patience to explain your just transiting and its all legal.

Saudi = definite No. Had to go on the back of a truck driven by Ali Barber.
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Old 19 Feb 2014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roamingyak.org View Post
... driven by Ali Barber.
Was he the head of a band of forty hairdressers?
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Old 19 Feb 2014
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Was he the head of a band of forty hairdressers?
:-) ;-) It was a very close shave! ;-p
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Old 19 Feb 2014
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Originally Posted by danielsprague View Post
Got into Azerbaijan with RHD vehicle, was given 72 hours, didn't realise LHD cars could stay longer!
Friends entered with their German registered LHD Landcruiser and after a discussion were given a 30 day permit to match their visas.
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Old 20 Feb 2014
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jeez, I'm astonished, never knew there was so many places it was an issue, bigots!! don't they know the left is the correct side to drive on!!
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Old 20 Feb 2014
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Originally Posted by moggy 1968 View Post
jeez, I'm astonished, never knew there was so many places it was an issue, bigots!! don't they know the left is the correct side to drive on!!

... and that's when the fight started.
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Old 20 Feb 2014
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This getting to be a pretty long list. Wow.

I drive our RHD a lot here in Tucson. Once I was I was in the left lane at one of our fair city's traffic lights, and a heavily tattooed kid in a highly modified Honda Civic pulled up to my right. He did a double take when he noticed the steering wheel was on the right, took his cigarette out of his mouth and asked if that was original. When I said yes, he grinned and said, "Man, that is TIGHT!". The light turned green, and he probably hit 60 by the time he reached the other side of the intersection.
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Old 20 Feb 2014
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I like driving RHD in LHD drive countries - makes it much easier to ask for directions when (frequently) lost!
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Old 20 Feb 2014
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Originally Posted by danielsprague View Post
I like driving RHD in LHD drive countries - makes it much easier to ask for directions when (frequently) lost!
But it can be a pain in the neck at toll-booths. You need a passenger in the left-hand seat to pay the toll - otherwise you have to unfasten the seat belt and climb across to be able to pay
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Old 21 Feb 2014
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Originally Posted by Bermuda Rover View Post
But it can be a pain in the neck at toll-booths. You need a passenger in the left-hand seat to pay the toll - otherwise you have to unfasten the seat belt and climb across to be able to pay
Having watched a lovely young lady driving a LHD 66 Mustang attempt to enter the carpark at my office, I have to agree with that. She had to put it Park or Neutral, slide over, roll down the window, swipe her pass, then reverse the whole exercise rapidly before the gate came down.

Somewhere I have a video of a RHD classic Mini reversing through a toll booth in the USA/Canada. That option is unlikely to make you many friends though.
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