Nearside/offside?

[rustybath]

Maybe someone from over the pond can answer this? In the UK we call the left hand side of the car, that is nearest to the sidewalk, the "Nearside" and the right side, "Offside"
What is it called in the US??
Thanks awfully.

[Clanad]

The left side would be just that, (perhaps roadside or street side, but unusual) but the right side would be the curb (kerb?) side since we drive on the right and park on the right...

[ianess]

Side nearest the kerb is the nearside, side nearest the centre of the road is the offside.

Whether you drive on the left or the right is irrelevant.

[Clanad]

Except the question was "What is it called in the U.S.", no?

[ugly_bob]

I thought the qusetion was - what are the equivalent terms in america?
So, offside is on the left of the car in US, but called roadside or streetside, and nearside (right of car) called kerbside (curb?), but they tend to use left/rightside rather than other terminology

[MeMichele&I]

Speaking as an American, I usually just say "driver side" and "passenger side".
Honestly, until today, I never heard "near /off" terminology used for cars! I ride horses, and up 'til now, have only heard "near side" in reference to the left (or mounting) side of the horse; and "off" as the right side (opposite from the mounting side).
Using "near/off" for cars would confuse me, because I have it so ingrained that "near" is always the left side. (You know, like the markings on the rabbits in "Watership Down"! The "Off Hind Mark", etc. <G>)