Where Is Near Side On A Car

Okay, let's have a little chat about cars. You know, those metal boxes we use to get from Point A to Point B. We all have one, or we know someone who does. And we all have our little quirks and habits when it comes to them.

But there's one thing that's always bugged me. A little mystery that lurks in plain sight. It's something we deal with every single day, yet it feels like a secret handshake nobody told us about.

I’m talking about the near side of a car. Yes, the near side.

Now, before you start picturing some secret, alien anatomy of a vehicle, let's break it down. It’s not a part. It’s not a function. It's a direction. A perspective.

Think about it. We talk about the front of the car, the back of the car. We know where the engine is. We can point to the driver's side and the passenger's side. Easy peasy, right?

But then, out of nowhere, someone drops the bomb: "Oh, just check the fluid on the near side." And suddenly, your brain does a little stutter-step.

Near side? Where is that again? Is it the side closest to me? Or the side closest to the curb? Is it always the same side?

My personal theory is that "near side" was invented by car mechanics who were tired of people saying "the side with the thingy." They needed something official, something that sounded vaguely technical, even if it was just a fancy way of saying something simple.

And let's be honest, most of us, when faced with this cryptic phrase, resort to the universal language of car-owner confusion. We squint. We tilt our heads. We might even do a little hesitant point.

"So, the near side... is that like... this side?" you might ask, gesturing vaguely towards the driver's door. Or maybe you’re pointing to the passenger side, because surely that's the one nearest to your helpful neighbor.

The truth, of course, is rather simple. And this is where my "unpopular opinion" comes in. I think the term "near side" is utterly, wonderfully, and hilariously redundant.

Why? Because, my friends, for the vast majority of us, the near side is simply the passenger side.

Think about it from the driver's perspective. When you're sitting in the driver's seat, what side of the car is usually closer to the curb or the sidewalk? That's right. The passenger side.

So, if you're on the street, and you’re looking at the car, the near side is the one you're less likely to be driving on, the one that's usually closer to safety, to a building, to civilization.

But here’s the kicker. The really fun part. Nobody ever calls it the "passenger side" when they mean the curb side. They always use the mysterious "near side."

It’s like there’s a secret society of car wizards who speak this ancient tongue. And we, the mere mortals, are left to decipher their coded messages.

I’ve seen it happen so many times. A friend is helping you with a minor car issue. You’re standing there, looking at your vehicle, trying to be helpful.

"Can you just check the tire pressure on the near side?" they’ll ask, with a completely straight face.

And you, wanting to impress them with your car knowledge (or at least not look like a complete novice), will nod knowingly. Then, you’ll walk around the car, deliberately looking at both sides, before finally landing on the correct one.

You’ll mutter something like, "Ah, yes. The near side. Of course." As if you’ve just solved a complex mathematical equation.

Meanwhile, internally, you’re screaming, "I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHICH TIRE TO CHECK!"

It’s the same with parking. When you’re parallel parking, and you’re trying to get close to the curb, the instructor might say, "Bring the near side in closer."

And again, your brain goes into overdrive. Which side? The one I can see? The one the instructor can see? The one that's about to become very, very intimately acquainted with the concrete?

My argument is simple: let’s just call it what it is! It's the passenger side. It's the side that's usually facing the sidewalk. It’s the side that’s… well, near the curb.

Imagine a world where mechanics say, "Hey, could you top up the windscreen washer fluid on the passenger side?" Or, "We need to rotate the tires on the curb-facing side."

It just flows better, doesn’t it? It's less of a linguistic hurdle. It’s more direct. It's less likely to cause a minor existential crisis when you’re trying to check your oil in a rush.

I suspect the term "near side" has its roots in older vehicles, or perhaps in specific regions where one side of the road is habitually closer to the pavement. Or maybe it’s just a bit of old-school automotive jargon that’s stubbornly refused to die.

But for the everyday driver, the person who just wants to know if they’ve got enough air in their tires, it’s a bit of a nuisance. It's like being given a cryptic clue when you just need a simple answer.

So, next time you hear "near side," I encourage you to embrace the confusion with a smile. Know that you’re not alone in your mild bewilderment. And perhaps, just perhaps, you can start subtly campaigning for a more straightforward nomenclature.

Maybe we can introduce a new term: the "duh, it's the passenger side" side. Or, my personal favorite, the "the side that isn't the driver's" side.

Until then, we’ll all keep doing our little head tilts and our hesitant points. We’ll decipher the "near side" mystery one fluid check, one tire pressure reading, one parking maneuver at a time. And we’ll do it with a knowing wink, because we're all in on the joke, even if we don't always get the punchline.

So, to all the mechanics and car experts out there who use the term "near side" with such casual authority: we appreciate your knowledge. We really do. But could you, for the love of all that is simple and clear, just tell us which side it is? Pretty please? With a cherry on top? And maybe a spare tire?