Hi there.

I was just wondering why some countries drive on the opposite side of the road to others.

America had cars first (at least the first mass produced ones), so I take it they were the 'standard bearers' for highway codes etc.

SO, who was the first country to decide to drive on the opposite side of the road from them, and what was the reasoning behind this now illogical decision.

I understand that there may not have been any thought given to the future ease of world travel etc. And I'm not looking for a scapegoat, just the answer to my question.

I remember hearing once (and this is totally unsubstantiated and I can't remember the source) that historically knights always rode on the left hand side of the road.

This was because the majority of knights were right handed, so you want to keep any potential enemy on the right hand side of your horse so you can smack him with your sword if needs be. Consequently, as transport evolved, we stuck to the tradition of being on the left hand side of the road.

Consequently, our former colonial friends wouldn't have had this experience, and may have even swapped over to the other side purely to be different.

This may all be total twaddle, however.

Can anyone shed any more light on this?

I found this (http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/driving%20on%20the%20left.htm) completely unsubstantiated explanation - but it seems as good as any other.

Its not as simple as which countries had cars first - we had roads long long before we had cars, and there were 'highway codes' which set out side one ought to travel on.

A useful link on the subject (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_of_the_road)

Originally posted by Edd
I found this (http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/driving%20on%20the%20left.htm) completely unsubstantiated explanation - but it seems as good as any other.

Its not as simple as which countries had cars first - we had roads long long before we had cars, and there were 'highway codes' which set out side one ought to travel on.

Excellent stuff - very interesting reasoning behind it all.

Thanks all!

When I was in the Czech republic in march I found out that they drove on our side of the road until the Nazis made them change to the same as Germany and most of the rest of Europe. Although to give them their due, the Hiltler invented Motorways, so they did have one good idea.

Whether it's true or not, I heard that it was Napoelon who decreed that his army should march on the right (so anyone coming the other way would have to move out of the way).

The Irish,having taken the Euro are now going to change to driving on the right. This will be a gradual change starting on Monday with lorries,Tuesday cars will change,Wednesday bicycles and so on. :loopy:

There has always been a 'gentlemen's agreement' in Britain with regards highway etiquette, based on logic.

Sticking to the left when approaching oncoming travellers meant that you could greet each other with open right hands and hence show your hand to be empty of weapons.

Due to the difficulty of mounting a horse whilst carrying a sword by the left leg - as worn by all right handers - it became the norm to mount the horse from the left side, lifting the unobstructed right leg over the horse. As it would be logically easier to carry out the mount from the higher kerb, verge or mounting block on the left side of the horse this became the 'near side' and normal traffic dictated that you stick to this side - the left - of the road.

We are doing it the right way, the others are the wrong ones.

Do not know the answer but apparently we are switching over to driving on the other side of the road to conform with europe as mentioned for the Irish. In our case this is being done in stages so first to start driving on the other side of the road will be lorries and buses.

Dragon

I had this argument with an American once - he said "well we had cars first".

I said we had roads before America was discovered.

He shut up.

I think all our past colonies drive on the same side as us

S Africa-- Australia etc not sure on India never haviing been there.
I'm sure there are others but may be wrrong
hazel

Driving on the left is not exclusively a legacy of the British Empire, there are a number of other countries with no past connection with us who also drive on the left e.g. Japan and Thailand spring to mind.

Read the link in Edd's post. It's everything you needed to know :thumbsup:

Originally posted by Hopman
Whether it's true or not, I heard that it was Napoelon who decreed that his army should march on the right (so anyone coming the other way would have to move out of the way). It is, coz he was left handed. It goes in pair with the reason for driving on the left which is the 'natural' side to drive (even though I'm left handed I admit there aren't as many of us)

Driving on the left is, for me, more natural, as it leads to things being clockwise. Which I like.

In america (i never drove over there) I found even escalators are the un-natural opposite way to ours, and was for ever being faced with oncoming pedestrian traffic.

Entrance and exit doors are the opposite way too. Does my head in.

yeh for the lefties !!!!!

i hate trying to use scissors as it hurts my fingers. and peeling potatoes is a nightmare :(

i think that in roman times, medieval times etc most roads were single tracks just over cart width(time team strikes again), which meant there wasn't a right or wrong side. however serfs etc had to give way to the gentry to pass so the bit regarding the swords could well be true.
the wearing of weapons has had a similar impact throughout modern culture, handshaking, dancing etc.

I found sommut really frustrating, we're all saying, yeh, the left hand side is the way forward, but why do (most) britons PERSIST on walking on the right hand side of a pavement.

I'm constantly confronted with people walking on the right hand side and keep on giving 'em dirty looks. For those who've been to Birmingham, there is a raised pavement from New Street to the Palasades Shopping Centre with several signs above it remind people to 'Keep Left'.

we were instructed at school to keep right when walking up stairs or along corridors.

As far as im aware, all knights where right handed because if you where a leftie you where considered in league with the devil!

A tradition we should bring back I think :D

But this might explain why we drive on the left.

I would give my right arm to be ambidextrous

Originally posted by serapis


I would give my right arm to be ambidextrous

I am ambidextrous- and let me tell you it's more of a curse than a blessing.

Look at it this way:

I write with my right hand
I throw with my left hand
I play badminton with my left hand
I play tennis with my right hand
I play pool/snooker with my left hand
... Cricket and golf with my right hand
... But rounders / baseball with my left.
I shoot right my right hand and use a right handed mouse.
However, I operate most hand-held devices (phones etc) with my left hand
I used to be left footed when I was a kid, but am right footed now (changed when I was about 12).

Apparently, if I work at it I could become proficient with both hands at everything, but I honestly haven't the time.

i'm a bit the same as ADC_28

i write with my left hand and i'm left footed

i can play tennis etc with my right hand

i can catch with my right and throw fairly well with it tho not as far.

i pick up the phone with my right hand and have the mouse for my comp on the right side.

Originally posted by Lee1979
i'm a bit the same as ADC_28

i write with my left hand and i'm left footed

i can play tennis etc with my right hand

i can catch with my right and throw fairly well with it tho not as far.

i pick up the phone with my right hand and have the mouse for my comp on the right side.

Ditto

Write left handed.

Play football left footed - but not too bad with the right.

Play cricket left handed.

Throw right handed.

Play Golf right handed.

Play tenis/squash etc right handed.

Phone can go in either hand.

My smokes can go in either hand, but I feel more comfortable using my left?!

As trains were invented before cars, you might think that there was a correlation between which countries trains run on the right and drive on the right.

NOPE!

Trains generally run on the left in Britain but there were exceptions - the line between Newcastle and Carlisle when it was first built ran on the right, for instance.

Now, Holland and Germany's trains run on the right hand track on multiple track lines but France and Belgium and Spain run trains on the left hand track. More details at:

http://www.brianlucas.ca/roadside/#trains

:loopy: :loopy:

Well, like many left handed, I'm really ambidextrus too ... I therefore feel your pain !

I write with my left hand (so I tend to just say I'm left handed)
I throw with either hands.
I cut with my right hand
I play tennis with either hand (I will gladly switch hand depending on where the ball comes from/to)
I play pool/snooker with my right hand same as golf.
I use my mouse with my right hand (quicker to type with left hand)
Phone is used with the left hand or on the shoulde rif I gotta write.
I am so left footed.

Trains generally run on the left in Britain.

Now, Holland and Germany's trains run on the right hand track on multiple track lines but France and Belgium and Spain run trains on the left hand track.Trains drive on the left for the same reason cars drive on the left. The driver sits on the left as in the case of trains the driver NEEDS to see the signals he is sat on the left (think of the steam engine with the boiler in the way).

Trains in France are driven on the left because the first (main)line was built by British Engineers & workers. all apart from Alsace & Lorraine which were German between 1870 & 1918 and obviously integrated the network in these regions into the German one.

The rules of passage at sea are that an oncoming ship passes to port, that is to your left, leaving you in the right lane. Therefore a car's steering wheel needs to be on the left side. Canada is one of the few commonwealth countries with left hand drive, so does Gibraltar. India drives on the right. America strives to do things different from other people. AC voltage is 115V. Light switches go up for on, down for off, which is basically safer. Hot taps are to the left, cold to the right.

Originally posted by Captain_Scarlet


Trains drive on the left for the same reason cars drive on the left. The driver sits on the left as in the case of trains the driver NEEDS to see the signals he is sat on the left (think of the steam engine with the boiler in the way).


Except that the "Great Western", "L N E R" , "Southern" and "L M S" all had locomotives with right handed driving positions. "Flying Scotsman" and all the other original members of her class were right hand drive, for instance.:confused:

All drove on the left hand track.:roll: