Ty
Elio Addict
Well, you don't want the door opening to be on the same side as the gas cap! 
Actually, I think someone above nailed the reasoning. It's twofold - 1. Americans are used to getting in on the left to drive. Even when I was in Okinawa Japan for 3 years, there were several times when I opened the passenger door to get in to drive. Shifting with the left hand was easy to learn though. I didn't make a wrong turn till I got back to the States. I turned left onto a road and drove for about a half mile before an oncoming car made me get over to the right lane. Thank goodness it was a straight, clear road. 2. The drive thru culture... how many people have you seen who couldn't manage to get close enough to an ATM to use it without opening their door? Curbs and sidewalks may be higher than the Elio door can clear. Getting out on the traffic side won't be as bad as a full-width car. In fact, the door, fully open, barely sticks out further than the wheels. You'd be able to get out, walk around the back without ever being more in traffic than your front left wheel!
I just thought of a possible 3rd reason... But I'm not sure as my experience in this area is limited. All of the houses that I looked at before buying my current house had garages that had the door to the house either on the left side or the back left. When getting out after a commute (I have to park in the driveway since my truck and garages don't fit together well), if you were getting out from a right door, you'd have to cross over every time to get to the house door. From the left side of the vehicle, you just go directly to the door and don't have to squeeze between the car and house to cross over. But, like I said, I don't know how many houses are set up that way...
Actually, I think someone above nailed the reasoning. It's twofold - 1. Americans are used to getting in on the left to drive. Even when I was in Okinawa Japan for 3 years, there were several times when I opened the passenger door to get in to drive. Shifting with the left hand was easy to learn though. I didn't make a wrong turn till I got back to the States. I turned left onto a road and drove for about a half mile before an oncoming car made me get over to the right lane. Thank goodness it was a straight, clear road. 2. The drive thru culture... how many people have you seen who couldn't manage to get close enough to an ATM to use it without opening their door? Curbs and sidewalks may be higher than the Elio door can clear. Getting out on the traffic side won't be as bad as a full-width car. In fact, the door, fully open, barely sticks out further than the wheels. You'd be able to get out, walk around the back without ever being more in traffic than your front left wheel!
I just thought of a possible 3rd reason... But I'm not sure as my experience in this area is limited. All of the houses that I looked at before buying my current house had garages that had the door to the house either on the left side or the back left. When getting out after a commute (I have to park in the driveway since my truck and garages don't fit together well), if you were getting out from a right door, you'd have to cross over every time to get to the house door. From the left side of the vehicle, you just go directly to the door and don't have to squeeze between the car and house to cross over. But, like I said, I don't know how many houses are set up that way...
