Writerpedia discussion

Hello everyone. I'm currently working on my sequel toBrushstrokes of a Gadfly , and need help with a detail.

One of my characters, Lottie, loves her vintage British Mini, and I was wondering if in 1993, cars from England were allowed to be driven on the roads in New York back then due to the location of the steering wheel on the opposite side.

I've been living in Europe so long I forgot what the laws were. Europeans are allowed to drive American cars over here, so I thought I'd better make sure it was also the same over there. Any input will be greatly appreciated!

I'm sorry I can't say for sure, but maybe I can help a little anyway. I think, that possibly if you had a left hand drive car, you could drive it. That might vary by state but I don't think that is the real issue.

It is importing a car yourself that I know a little more about and that is the real question to answer I think. Importing european cars individually to the US (grey market it is called) is a troublesome but possible task. Around 1993 they started to make it more difficult. In the early to mid-80s it was somewhat easier. Drive side is only one issue. Issues of safety equipment and emissions controls etc., sometime idiotically when the European standard is actually superior to US.

Now, none of that may be a problem for you because you are talking about a VINTAGE Mini. I think for vintage cars there are different rules. I think (again not positive but I might do a bit of research) that vintage cars are much easier to import and at the very least only have to adhere to standards in place at the time of manufacture.

Also, I have seen vintage MGs, Jags and Morgans on the road with right side drive. They might have had special licences and that wasn't recent, but I'm pretty sure once you get one imported you can license and drive it although most people convert them to Left side drive if they are going to drive them regularly in traffic.

Wow, thank you for taking the time to explain this.
Okay, it might be safer and a lot easier on everybody if I have my character convert her Mini for American roads. I shall follow the "KISS" method, Keep It Simple Stupid. (I being the stupid one as I have a poor head for mechanics and the legal techincalities involved with things like this.)


This damsel thanks you Paul! : )

KISS makes sense, on the other hand I think you have a fair bit of leeway on this one. Really, only people who have actually been involved in importing vehicles are really going to know what is possible for sure, and I'm pretty sure that importing vintage vehicles with left hand drive is possible. Here is a link to New York's DMV page on vintage and historic plates historical plates Cars with such plates are not to be used for daily use. It's not explicit here for NY but in most states it means also that such cars have more wiggle room for equipment etc. .

So, I would suggest having it depend on the Character you are writing and how the car plays into the plot. Insisting on driving a right-hand-drive vehicle would seriously confirm an eccentric with a stubborn disposition. Or having another character convince her to convert the car to Left-Hand-Drive. On the other hand if she is more practical, converting to Left-Hand-Drive would be normal. They did import minis to the US and the parts to convert exist. It's not simple but not terribly complicated either.

It's not a major part of my plot at all, so I can do with her having it converted, (she comes from a wealthy family, so cash is no object,) although she is a bit of a flamboyant character, and would love to keep her Mini with British drive, but she uses it almost everyday, so it might break a few rules....hmm.

For my sanity's sake, I could have her convert it, I have this paranoid "tick" about getting as much of the actual / historical details correct in case one day someone will read the novel and say "whoops, you got that wrong," even if it is a fictional story. Paranoid! It's a hangover from all my non-fiction work. LOL!

It might make a difference if the Mini is brought over for use in the country or if it's permanently imported. First option should be allowed without much of a hassle.

With the right hand drive, that shouldn't be a problem. All US Post Office delivery vehicles are right hand drive, to make it easier putting the mail in boxes.

The problem can be pay parking garages. I use to live in London and drove over to Germany regularly. Going into a pay garage meant stopping at the entry gate and stretching all the way across and out the left window to get the ticket, and doing similar contortions when leaving. It might make a fun scene though.

Hi David,

Hmm, the car is permanently imported, but if the Post Office allows for right-hand drive, I guess Lottie can wrangle a permit of some kind for her Mini! Never noticed that about the mail vans, I grew up in a tiny town where everyone had a post box! LOL! In Ireland, I didn't notice anything odd about the vans (left drive, etc,) because the mailmen still had to get out and push everthing in a door letterbox. Now I'm in Portugal, and they run around on bikes and scooters!

Oh yes, the parking garages, I nearly forgot about that! Hmm, lets not forget toll roads and bridges, there could be a few great scenes there too! Thanks David!