Is it possible to ban right-hand drive in Russia or can owners of cars with a similar configuration still breathe easy? Such concern among motorists is justified, because if a ban is imposed on vehicles with such a design solution, it will be impossible to use them. What should the owners of such cars do and will right-hand drive be banned?
In Western and Asian countries there is no problem with steering wheel placement as such. There are no “right” or “wrong” cars. For example, Sweden released for domestic market cars with both steering positions.
Statistics regarding Vehicle suggests that right-hand drive in Russia is not so common. The percentage of cars with this feature in relation to the total traffic flow is very small. In the western part of the country, such cars are quite rare; most of the owners are right-hand drive " iron horses" is concentrated in the east.
Cars with the steering wheel on the right are in demand Japanese manufacturer, due to their efficiency, reliability, maneuverability, and, most importantly, the low cost of aggregate connecting units, parts and components. They are unpretentious in maintenance and care. Also, the prevalence of these vehicles in the eastern part of the country has led to the emergence of specialized driving schools, in which instructors teach people how to drive a right-hand drive car.
Why is such a ban even possible in our vast country and what justifies the danger of right-hand drive cars? On this moment There are two opinions on this matter:
- They want to ban vehicles for the simple reason that traffic police officers are concerned about the problem of road safety, since right-hand drive cars do not provide the necessary visibility on right-hand traffic roads. This is especially true for sections of the roadway where overtaking is possible.
- Some supporters of right-hand drive cars believe that with the help of the media, rumors are being inflated that vehicles with the steering wheel on the right are more dangerous for right-hand traffic, in order to encourage citizens to purchase vehicles from the domestic automobile industry.
Could a ban be introduced on right-hand drive cars?
Many people believe that the opinion that vehicles with a peculiar steering wheel position are dangerous is unfounded, and therefore driving in them should not be prohibited. Indeed, in road accident statistics, a larger percentage of accidents occur in ordinary cars.
The topic of banning right-hand drive cars in the Russian Federation was the subject of conversation back in 2008. At that time, officials were just beginning discussions on this matter, but did not dare to introduce a restriction, firstly, so as not to incur disfavor among citizens who own a car with the steering wheel on the right, and secondly, there was no logical and legislative justification for this.
Currently, there is only one document that can shed light on whether right-hand drive vehicles will be banned - this is the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union. Conclusions drawn on its basis:
- The restriction prohibiting the movement of such vehicles on the territory of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Belarus has been in effect since the adoption of the document.
- The ban on right-hand drive in Russia is imposed only on vehicles of categories M2 and M3.
The above vehicle categories can be deciphered as follows:
- M2 – vehicles designed to transport passengers with a number of seats of 8 or more, and weighing no more than 5 tons.
- M3 – vehicles intended for the transport of passengers, with 8 or more seats, and weighing over 5 tons.
At the moment, a collection of signatures has been organized on the site of the “Russian Public Initiative”, with a proposal to abolish right-hand drive cars. By general rule, consideration of appeals by the authorities is carried out when 100 thousand signatures are collected.
Answering the question about whether right-hand drive will soon be banned in Russia or not, we can say that this will not affect owners of passenger vehicles and those involved in cargo transportation. However, it should be remembered that the authorities can amend the Customs Regulations, including based on requests from citizens. It may well happen that a ban on right-hand drive cars in the future may become another innovation and an unpleasant surprise for a narrow circle of car enthusiasts who prefer right-hand drive to left-hand drive.
Good afternoon, dear reader.
In this article we will talk about a document called “Temporary procedure for importing into the territory Russian Federation used right-hand drive cars by residents of the Far Eastern District for their own needs." This document was signed on November 21, 2018 and becomes effective after 5 days, that is, November 26, 2018.
The peculiarity of the temporary order is that residents of the Far East will have the opportunity to import a car that is not equipped with an emergency call system. Let's take a closer look at this document:
Import of cars with panic button
To begin with, I would like to remind you that on January 1, 2017, changes to the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union "" came into force. Their essence was that all vehicles put into circulation must be equipped with a system or device for calling emergency services:
13.1. Vehicles in circulation of category M1, included in the scope of application of UN Regulations No. 94 and 95, and category N1, included in the scope of application of UN Regulation No. 95, are equipped with an emergency call system; other vehicles of categories M1 and N1 are in circulation, vehicles of categories M2, M3, N2, N3 are equipped with a device for calling in-vehicle emergency services.
That is, for a car that does not have panic button, it is impossible to obtain a PTS. This clause applies to both new cars and used cars that are imported from abroad.
The document being considered today allows the import of cars without the “sos” button.
Validity period of the document
The document is valid for 1 year, that is, from November 26, 2018, until November 25, 2019:
1. This Procedure is valid for 1 (one) year from the date of its adoption.
What cars can be imported?
2. This Procedure applies to used vehicles with right-hand drive, imported into the territory of the Russian Federation for their own needs by persons who have permanent registration in the Far Eastern federal district or those moving to a permanent place of residence in the Far Eastern Federal District (hereinafter referred to as the Applicants), carrying out customs clearance using the passenger customs declaration and paying customs and other payments.
3. Based on this Procedure, the Applicant may import 1 (one) vehicle of category M 1 or N 1 within 1 (one) year
The vehicle must meet the following conditions:
- right-hand drive;
- second-hand;
- category .
1. You can only import a right-hand drive car.
For example, it will not be possible to import a German left-hand drive car into Russia without emergency call equipment.
2. You can only import a used car; the temporary procedure does not apply to new cars.
3. The procedure applies to passenger cars and trucks IN.
How many cars can I import?
Point 3 above says that you can only import one car. If you want to purchase right-hand drive cars with a reserve, then you can import an additional copy for your spouse, parents, etc.
Who can import a car?
Point 2 is discussed above, which states that only a person who has a residence permit in the Far Eastern Federal District or is moving to this district for permanent residence can import a car.
That is, you must have a residence permit in one of the following regions:
Note. Actual place of residence in in this case doesn't matter. The main thing is registration in the Far Eastern Federal District.
Where to go through customs?
The temporary order does not contain restrictions on this issue. Those. You can import a car into Russia anywhere. The main thing is that the owner has registration in the Far Eastern Federal District.
How is the import of a car processed?
4. When assessing the conformity of a vehicle imported on the basis of this Procedure, information about the absence of in-vehicle emergency call equipment in the vehicle and the basis for the absence of the specified equipment is entered into the vehicle design safety certificate. The details of this Order (number and date) are indicated as the basis.
6. The vehicle passport for a vehicle imported on the basis of this Procedure shall contain information about the absence of in-vehicle emergency call equipment in the vehicle in accordance with the information specified in the vehicle design safety certificate.
When preparing documents for an imported car, 2 features must be taken into account:
1. A note indicating the absence of in-vehicle emergency call equipment is included in the vehicle design safety certificate.
2. PTS is issued on the basis of a design safety certificate and a note about the absence of a panic button is also included in it.
I also suggest that you study the full text of the new document yourself:
In conclusion, I would like to note that this document allows you to import a right-hand drive car into the Russian Federation using a simplified scheme. And this could be beneficial for residents of the Far East.
Good luck on the roads!
On the website of the public initiative, they began collecting signatures for the abolition of right-hand drive on the territory of the Russian Federation. The anonymous author of petition No. 61F32318 proposes to ban the purchase and use of vehicles equipped with right-hand drive.
“Prohibit the operation of right-hand drive cars on the roads of the Russian Federation. Prohibit the purchase of right-hand drive cars. In the event that a car enthusiast bought this car— oblige to convert to left-hand drive. The exception is citizens who arrived in the Russian Federation from countries where, according to traffic rules, it is customary right-hand traffic, is currently visiting for a certain period of time,” the petition says.
The author of the initiative wished to remain anonymous. He argued his proposal by the fact that most accidents occur with right-hand drive cars, which means that a ban on their use would significantly reduce the number of accidents on the roads, but this was not confirmed by statistical data.
Experts say that most often accidents occur due to the following reasons: bad condition roadway, children caught on the roadway or near the road, traffic violation by the drivers themselves.
More than 1,500 road accidents were registered in the Khabarovsk Territory in 2016. But Khabarovsk traffic police officers do not record which steering wheel position cars have more often in accidents.
Car enthusiasts on numerous forums have already expressed their opinions on this petition.
“The stupid lies about the danger of right-hand drive are especially tiring. Vladivostok, with the largest number of cars per capita, is not included in any rating for road accidents. But the most dangerous regions of Russia are precisely those where there is a high percentage of TAZs and carts from Europe.” (user top77art, website yaplakal.com).
They have already tried to fight “right-hand drive” in Russia at the legislative level. More than once, residents of Primorye attended rallies in defense of the “correct” cars. In 2008, when protective duties on foreign cars were introduced, Vladivostok residents who came out to protest were dispersed by specially invited Moscow riot police.
Khabarovsk experts speak out against this initiative and consider it unviable.
» More than 70% of cars in the Far East are right-hand drive. Each family has 2-3 cars - Japanese. Can you imagine what will happen here if such a law is adopted? I guess, that required quantity they won’t get votes,” said Gennady Sidorenko, a representative of the driving school of the All-Russian Society of Motorists in Khabarovsk.
Today, 525 votes have been collected on the website “for” the abolition of right-hand drive, and 2032 “against”.
Let us remind you that the proposals on the website of the Russian Public Initiative are under the control of the government. If within a year the petition is supported by 100,000 people, it will be sent for consideration to an expert working group at the federal, regional or municipal level. The deadline for making a decision on the initiative is no more than 2 months from the date of referral.
Maria Polyakova
Good afternoon, dear reader.
This article will talk about the ban on right-hand drive in Russia in 2019.
Below we will consider the technical regulations of the Customs Union on the safety of wheeled vehicles. It is this document that imposes restrictions on the release into circulation of vehicles with right-hand drive.
If you wish, you can read the full text of the document, but keep in mind that its volume is several hundred pages:
Distribution of right-hand drive cars in Russia
A possible ban on right-hand drive is primarily of interest to readers living in the Far East. It is there that the largest number of right-hand drive cars imported from Japan are used. And their owners want the latest information on this issue.
The problem does not greatly affect residents of the European part of Russia, because... The number of right-hand drive cars here is relatively small. However, in the Far East the situation is completely different. Used Japanese right-hand drive cars occupy more than half of the market there, and many of the readers own 2-3 Japanese cars and are very happy with them.
Note. Right-hand drive is so common in eastern Russia that there are even driving schools and private driving instructors specializing in Japanese cars.
In general, it is not surprising that the problem of right-hand drive cars in the Far East is very acute.
Features of prohibiting right-hand drive
So, let's look at the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union "On the safety of wheeled vehicles." For right-hand drive vehicles, paragraph 19 of Chapter IV applies:
19. It is prohibited to put into circulation vehicles with right-hand drive of categories M 2 and M 3.
In the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Kazakhstan, the release into circulation of vehicles with right-hand drive that belong to other categories is prohibited.
Let's start with the second paragraph, since it is the one that is easier to understand. It prohibits the release of any right-hand drive vehicles into circulation on the territory of Belarus and Kazakhstan.
As for the territory of Russia, it is discussed in the first paragraph, that is, the ban on right-hand drive applies only to cars of the categories M 2 and M 3.
Cars
In the currently valid technical regulations, all passenger cars of category B belong to category M 1. Thus, The ban on right-hand drive does not apply to private passenger cars in 2019. As with all other passenger cars.
Buses
Let's consider the categories of vehicles for which the use of right-hand drive is prohibited from January 1, 2015. These are cars of categories M 2 and M 3, i.e. passenger buses with a capacity of more than 8 people. According to the usual classification, such vehicles belong to.
Please note that we are talking about all cars with more than 8 passenger seats. For example, there are crossovers that have 4 rows of seats and belong to category D. The ban also applies to such right-hand drive cars.
Let's sum it up the results of this article:
- The technical regulations of the customs union “On the safety of wheeled vehicles”, which came into force on January 1, 2015, are discussed above. This document is valid and imposes restrictions on the operation of right-hand drive vehicles.
- Since 2015, right-hand drive is prohibited only for cars with 8 or more passenger seats. Passenger cars of category B are not affected by the ban on right-hand drive in 2019.
If the technical regulations undergo changes in the future, the corresponding article or series of articles will definitely appear on the site. I recommend subscribing to the site news so as not to miss information related to the use of passenger cars mobiles right hand drive:
And finally, I suggest you watch a funny video about the first batch of left-hand drive cars arriving in Primorye:
For 20 years I have been driving a right-hand drive car not out of necessity, but out of conscious choice, because... I have a choice.
20 years before this, I didn’t even know right-hand drive. Since my early childhood I've been involved in karting, buggies, and my father's Volga. I am naturally right-handed. For me, right-hand drive is as natural as a pencil in my right hand. The insane stupidity of the re-legislators to prohibit right-hand drive! Headlights - yes, but can be easily fixed with black stickers.
Of two identical cars for ours right-hand roads In any case, I will choose right-hand drive. Thanks to this, I am alive three times! Good luck to you too!
The whole family drives on the right hand drive. For my father, his right-hand drive car is his No. 1 breadwinner, so if right-hand drive cars are banned, it will be a collapse. I myself am going to buy a car with a RIGHT-HAND drive, in my city where I live, it will look, at a minimum, like a standout from the gray mass against the background of left-handed cans, Solaris, Rio, Rough 4, Accords and Lanos
Japanese cars, which were imported in the years 90-2000, were very good. There can be no two opinions here. Even considering the fact that many of these cars were “designer” cars, or broken and made. The quality of the "Japanese" produced for the domestic market is simply excellent.
BUT... at the moment (it’s already 2016) this fleet of previously imported right-hand drive cars is gradually becoming obsolete. And even Japanese quality does not withstand either time or our roads. I myself live in Novosibirsk and see how the percentage of right-hand drive cars on the roads is decreasing year after year. Many cars (those that were damaged) are gradually rotting. Yes, and cars break down, some of which are already more than 20 years old or will soon be, despite the well-established opinion of car enthusiasts that the “Japanese” do not break down, more and more often.
I myself have many friends and acquaintances who drive right-hand drive cars. But gradually, who gets rid of them. And whoever cuts it out changes key after key, trying to hide the defects of their cars and exchange for what seems acceptable to them.
I think there is no need to ban right-hand drive cars. In a few years they will become obsolete on their own. Already, their percentage on the roads, compared to what it was a few years ago, has decreased significantly.
As for me, I switched to Duster 1.5 years ago. My father also exchanged his little car at the Avtomir salon for a new Suzuki with left-hand drive. And thank God that all this happened before the crisis. Now the dollar has also begun to gradually decline against the ruble. Gradually, people will exchange old cars for new ones. And of course, there will be people driving old right-hand drive cars for a few more years. And some will preserve rarities for decades. There is no need to disturb people. Life will take its own course.
In Russia it will be banned completely and irrevocably. As a result, the supply of vehicles in the car markets has increased Japanese auto industry- owners of right-hand drive cars, one after another, began to rid their garages of cars atypical for Russian highways. Drivers from neighboring countries - Kazakhstan, Belarus - followed their example and were afraid to ignore the technical regulations. Rumors said that it would be impossible to remove or register right-hand drive cars.
How true are the rumors and what do the new rules of the Customs Union tell us?
So, let's figure out whether right-hand drive is really completely prohibited, or are there still some nuances in this matter? The technical regulations will help us resolve such an exciting and significant issue, which stipulates that:
- the ban on right-hand drive vehicles applies to countries such as Belarus and Kazakhstan;
- in the Russian Federation it is prohibited to use vehicles in which the steering wheel is located with right side, only in categories M2 and M3.
In principle, with the first position of the regulations, everything is more or less clear and accessible. If you are the owner of a right-hand drive car and plan to drive it through the vast expanses of Belarus or Kazakhstan, then you need to be prepared for the occurrence of problems that can bring you a number of troubles. In principle, internal legislation in Kazakhstan has long prohibited right-hand drive cars, and therefore it is quite obvious that operating such a vehicle means breaking the law.
On the ban on non-standard steering wheels in Russia
As for the ban on right-hand drive in Russia, some adjustments need to be made to this statement in order to make it as reliable as possible. It just so happens that, in accordance with the provisions of the technical regulations, a taboo is imposed on vehicles with a right-hand steering wheel position, which belong to the M2 category. In other words, on the territory of the Russian Federation it is impossible to use vehicles containing more than eight seats, excluding the driver’s seat, and whose weight does not exceed 5 tons.
The ban on right-hand drive is also relevant for vehicles of category M3, if the vehicles exceed the 5-ton weight mark. From this information it follows that the “outlaw” category includes only buses intended for passenger transportation, that in the previous gradation of categories belonged to vehicle group D. In principle, such a ban looks quite justified and even logical if you look at it from the point of view, because it is obvious that a passenger should get off the bus directly at roadway dangerous and fraught with serious consequences.
The problem is in the regions
Drivers from cities located in the European part of the Russian Federation, such as Moscow or St. Petersburg, for example, are practically not concerned about the question of whether right-hand drive will be banned or the law will leave it alone. This is due to the fact that in this half of the state the number of vehicles with a non-standard steering wheel arrangement is very small.
In turn, car owners from Siberia, the Far East and Kamchatka are very concerned about the looming threat of a ban, since this will significantly affect the well-being of their wallets. Residents of the Far East are in great demand for used cars made in Japan. The popularity of these vehicles is explained by their efficiency, excellent maneuverability and ease of selection of broken or worn-out spare parts, which, among other things, also have a full price.
So that you can fully imagine how the roads of the eastern region of Russia are filled with cars with right-hand drive, it is worth mentioning that in this part of the country there are special driving schools in which professional instructors teach future drivers how to drive cars that have a non-standard location helm Many families in this region have several used Japanese cars, because these vehicles fill most of the car market.
Where to look for the truth?
Taking into account all of the above, we can come to a completely logical conclusion that for residents of the Far Eastern regions of Russia, the use of vehicles with a non-standard steering wheel arrangement will not become a problem at all and they can continue to cross the expanses of their homeland in their economical and cozy cars. Even owners of minivans, in which the number of passenger seats does not exceed 8, can breathe a sigh of relief.
To sell or not to sell, that is the question
In principle, the problem of right-hand drive has more or less cleared up, technical regulations have come into force and owners of cars with an unconventionally located steering wheel can sleep peacefully. However, the decision made technical regulations The Customs Union contains separate parts concerning the Russian side. Thus, there is a proposal to hold meetings to discuss and make changes to current regulations, and once a year update the standards specified in it.
That is, simply put, this means that the Russian side retains the right to make its own amendments to the content of the regulations in the next three years.
Unfortunately, no one can predict what these changes will be and whether they will endanger right-hand drive vehicle owners. It is quite possible that before 2018 a ban on the import of such passenger cars will be adopted. As for the decision regarding the sale of an existing vehicle with an unconventional steering wheel arrangement, each driver will have to act at his own peril and risk, guided only by intuition.
