Car Exhausts

blu3cat
blu3cat Posts: 1,016
edited May 2009 in Commuting chat
One thing that struck me as I was stuck in a queue of traffic yesterday lunchtime going through the West End of London.

Why are car exhausts on the left hand side of cars, pumps out all of the fumes straight into cyclists pedestrians etc.

I've seen a few with the exhausts in the middle, but these are less common.

Why not put the exhausts on the right hand side?
"Bed is for sleepy people.
Let's get a kebab and go to a disco."

FCN = 3 - 5
Colnago World Cup 2

Comments

  • spen666
    spen666 Posts: 17,709
    blu3cat wrote:
    One thing that struck me as I was stuck in a queue of traffic yesterday lunchtime going through the West End of London.

    Why are car exhausts on the left hand side of cars, pumps out all of the fumes straight into cyclists pedestrians etc.

    I've seen a few with the exhausts in the middle, but these are less common.

    Why not put the exhausts on the right hand side?

    Because the majority of the world drives on the right- so exhausts would ( if on right) be blowing cr*p onto pedestrians in most of world
    Want to know the Spen666 behind the posts?
    Then read MY BLOG @ http://www.pebennett.com

    Twittering @spen_666
  • gtvlusso
    gtvlusso Posts: 5,112
    Because most cars in the world are built for the left hand drive market - not the "limited" right hand drive market we have....hence the position of the tail pipe is better for continental driving.

    Have to route exhaust through all the clutch, brake, steering and throttle cable assemblies under the drivers feet otherwise....suppose this could be a technical reason why??!?!?!?!?! defeats the left hand drive thing above too!
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    Proper Land Rovers (Series I, II, IIA etc) have the exhaust sticking out of the right hand side just behind the rear wheel. Everybody should buy a SII LR. Or a Lotus Cortina. The world would be a happier place.
  • snooks
    snooks Posts: 1,521
    OK then...Why are motorbike exhausts aimed upwards towards my face when I'm behind them at lights???? (cos they have filled the ASL box and I can't get a look in)

    Tell me that one then :)
    FCN:5, 8 & 9
    If I'm not riding I'm shooting http://grahamsnook.com
    THE Game
    Watch out for HGVs
  • gtvlusso
    gtvlusso Posts: 5,112
    snooks wrote:
    OK then...Why are motorbike exhausts aimed upwards towards my face when I'm behind them at lights???? (cos they have filled the ASL box and I can't get a look in)

    Tell me that one then :)

    Motorbikes lean over at angles to corner - the higher the exhaust is - the more lean angle/clearance can be attained. hence some bikes have underseat pipes or short stubby race pipes.

    On an old GPZ, low flat exhaust, I used to be able to get the exhaust on the ground regularly when cornering at speed. ON a newer GSXR - never had a can touch down - and it was a better handling, high angled exhaust bike!
  • blu3cat
    blu3cat Posts: 1,016
    Motorbikes lean over at angles to corner - the higher the exhaust is - the more lean angle/clearance can be attained. hence some bikes have underseat pipes or short stubby race pipes

    Makes sense, but oh, if only they put an angled nozzle pointing down on th end, so when the person in front of me with a motorbike pulls away I don't get a warm puff of exhaust in the face.
    "Bed is for sleepy people.
    Let's get a kebab and go to a disco."

    FCN = 3 - 5
    Colnago World Cup 2
  • prj45
    prj45 Posts: 2,208
    Why do cars have to have exhausts at all?

    Why can't they pack all the stuff up into a little cube that you take out and dispose of responsibly?
  • Mikelyons
    Mikelyons Posts: 154
    gtvlusso wrote:
    Because most cars in the world are built for the left hand drive market - not the "limited" right hand drive market we have
    !

    It's not that limited.
    Japan is RHD & major exporter
    India, Australia, Indonesia are also RHD too

    Mike
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    LHD/RHD is split about 50/50.

    and for the tech answer it all comes down to packaging combined with the engine design and sound/emission rules.

    you will see more cars now with two pipes one each side.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • spen666
    spen666 Posts: 17,709
    snooks wrote:
    OK then...Why are motorbike exhausts aimed upwards towards my face when I'm behind them at lights???? (cos they have filled the ASL box and I can't get a look in)

    Tell me that one then :)
    That's easy - its cos all motorcyclists HATE you

    :twisted:
    Want to know the Spen666 behind the posts?
    Then read MY BLOG @ http://www.pebennett.com

    Twittering @spen_666
  • spen666
    spen666 Posts: 17,709
    Mikelyons wrote:
    gtvlusso wrote:
    Because most cars in the world are built for the left hand drive market - not the "limited" right hand drive market we have
    !

    It's not that limited.
    Japan is RHD & major exporter
    India, Australia, Indonesia are also RHD too

    Mike

    Erm lets see

    cars sold in Japan, India, Australia and Indonesia, compared with USA, Canada, China, Rest of the world...

    Hmm, I think the countried that drive on the right may account for possibley more car sales
    Want to know the Spen666 behind the posts?
    Then read MY BLOG @ http://www.pebennett.com

    Twittering @spen_666
  • gtvlusso
    gtvlusso Posts: 5,112
    spen666 wrote:
    Mikelyons wrote:
    gtvlusso wrote:
    Because most cars in the world are built for the left hand drive market - not the "limited" right hand drive market we have
    !

    It's not that limited.
    Japan is RHD & major exporter
    India, Australia, Indonesia are also RHD too

    Mike

    Erm lets see

    cars sold in Japan, India, Australia and Indonesia, compared with USA, Canada, China, Rest of the world...

    Hmm, I think the countried that drive on the right may account for possibley more car sales

    +1 for ass handing!
  • blu3cat
    blu3cat Posts: 1,016
    That's easy - its cos all motorcyclists HATE you

    Sighs at the realisation that ALL road users do in fact hate me.
    :cry:
    "Bed is for sleepy people.
    Let's get a kebab and go to a disco."

    FCN = 3 - 5
    Colnago World Cup 2
  • big-hitter
    big-hitter Posts: 254
    nicklouse wrote:
    you will see more cars now with two pipes one each side.

    that kind of exhuast is only on V6's or bigger. but gerneraly big 4X4 are V6s and you can really see there exhuast coz there so high up. espeacily those X5's
    Tree's are not soft. FACT
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    nicklouse wrote:
    LHD/RHD is split about 50/50.

    and for the tech answer it all comes down to packaging combined with the engine design and sound/emission rules.

    you will see more cars now with two pipes one each side.

    Its closer to 3:1 according to Wikipedia (which must be right... :? )

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_hand_drive
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    I have two/four half n half each side - loving my ecco friendly 4.5 lt v8 :D
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,439
    big-hitter wrote:
    nicklouse wrote:
    you will see more cars now with two pipes one each side.

    that kind of exhuast is only on V6's or bigger. but gerneraly big 4X4 are V6s and you can really see there exhuast coz there so high up. espeacily those X5's

    New Civics have one on each side. I think the trend is filtering down. Actually so does the Dihatsu Copen I think!
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
    Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
    Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
  • blu3cat
    blu3cat Posts: 1,016
    prawny wrote:
    big-hitter wrote:
    nicklouse wrote:
    you will see more cars now with two pipes one each side.

    that kind of exhuast is only on V6's or bigger. but gerneraly big 4X4 are V6s and you can really see there exhuast coz there so high up. espeacily those X5's

    New Civics have one on each side. I think the trend is filtering down. Actually so does the Dihatsu Copen I think!

    aha, guaranteed to p*ss of roadies in all countries - cunning.
    "Bed is for sleepy people.
    Let's get a kebab and go to a disco."

    FCN = 3 - 5
    Colnago World Cup 2
  • DavidTQ
    DavidTQ Posts: 943
    The exhausts on all cars are made with the british cyclists in mind, regardless of how many other countries they are supplied to, its the british market that matters... The side an exhaust is placed upon is such an important decision that the entire political system takes its cues from the matter. The entire worlds politics were changed forever by the invention of the motor car and the decision on what side to run the exhaust. Left or Right? sound familiar? Its no surprise to find that the communism capitalism divide came to be cast in the "left" or "right" moulds at the same time as pioneering automotive designers first tried to settle this problem.

    A brief description of the political ideals that motivate the routing of exhausts on cars:-

    Exhausts on the left are designed that way as cyclists on that side are more likely to be travelling at a slower pace and so needing less oxygen than the fast cyclists overtaking the cars on the right :twisted:, this is based on the communist principle of "distributing according to needs. hence the term "left wing". The cyclist on the Left wing is the one who will receive less clean oxygen, as they "need" less. Please note it is unexpected for any driver to ever see a cyclist in the mirrors they will not use, or for them to ever look further ahead than the nearest set of red lights (brake lights or traffic lights will suffice) he will first see a cyclist by his wing on either side!

    The exhaust on the right are designed to please the majority of cyclists who will be on the left side of the car this is all about the capitalist principle of catering to the largest possible market share. hence "right wing" The few disaffected cyclists receiving polluted air will be passing the driver on his right wing.

    The cars with two exhausts are more anarchic designed to make sure that cyclists overtaking them on either have to pay for embarrassing the drivers of these "powerfull" cars by overtaking them :lol: These are more focused on pleasing the drivers who of course sit on the right at the far end from overtaking cyclists, this is where the politcal term "far--right" comes from. This is also where the 2 fingered salute comes from forget all that archers at agencourt nonsense, its actually a symbol of having two exhausts - eveyone else can "F-Off" Very typical of far right views.

    Centre Exit exhausts are rare indeed, these are based on pleaasing all cyclists equally and bourgoise "other car drivers" can take all the hassle, naturally this rare exhaust system simply fit in with the rest of the "wing" definitions and came to be known as the "far left" the anti theseis of the "far right" two exhaust system.

    And that represents some fine misrepresentation of politics and automotive designs :D