Why do we drive on the left?

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Steven
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Why do we drive on the left?

Post by Steven »

I've had an interesting email today. It reads as follows:

My name is xxxx, and I'm a reporter for the newspaper Stars and
Stripes at RAF Mildenhall. As the publication of the American Military
abroad, we put out a weekly version of our paper her in the UK focused
specifically on England and the bases here. As part of that paper, we do a
weekly UK IQ section, a short article explaining some quizzical (to us, at
least) part of British culture. Next week's is why the English drive on the
left, as opposed to on the right back home or on the continent.


Now, I've got a vague recollection that it's something to do with horses and carts, and Napoleon dragging the French way of doing whatever it is over the continent - which then shipped that out to the rest of the world via the French, Spanish and Portuguese.

Does anyone know the real answer?
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PeterA5145
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Post by PeterA5145 »

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

is the Bible on this issue - which will also demonstrate to the Americans that a lot more countries and people drive on the left than they might have imagined.

This really ought to be on the SABRE links page :!:
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Post by si404 »

the roman army marched on the left - i guess so they were able to sheild from attacks from off the road.

you're right - Napoleon swapped it to make his empire different from us, and then places in Europe swapped over as they had a direct land border with the french empire and other places swapped to spite us. I have no idea about the Chinese who haven't been conquered or matey with France.

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Post by ABeaton »

Another possablely though not confirmed is that traffic going over London Bridge was forced to keep on the left hand of the road.

Mainland China is Right Hand Driving whlie Hong Kong, be an ex British Controy left hand drive.
Dartford, the town with 4 by-passes.
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Post by si404 »

ABeaton wrote:Mainland China is Right Hand Driving whlie Hong Kong, be an ex British Controy left hand drive.
yep, but why is china rhd?

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Post by Lonewolf »

I dunno the truth of it, but I was always under the impression that travel on the left originated because most folks are right handed and wanted thier sword arms handy if summat went off?

Wolfie :P
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Post by M60-Tony »

30 or so years ago I was given a paperback book "The Left Handed Book" about various aspects of Left vis a vis Right. I still have it somewhere. As I recollect it tends to the view that Wolfie suggested. Also to do with horse coach drivers being able to deal with highwaymen coming towards them on the other side of the road.

Of course it is likely that until comparatively recent centuries roads weren't wide enough nor did they have enough traffic for there to be a formalised left or right dictat. Just like a footpath (most) pedestrians move one way or other as they see fit.

Mind you, supermarket aisles are a whole new ball-park :wink:
Last edited by M60-Tony on Mon Dec 26, 2005 21:16, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Chris5156 »

sabristo simon wrote:
ABeaton wrote:Mainland China is Right Hand Driving whlie Hong Kong, be an ex British Controy left hand drive.
yep, but why is china rhd?
Mao's cultural revolution. AIUI they shifted to the right to differentiate themselves from Britain, the home of industrialisation and thus capitalism.

Could, of course, be wrong as this is remembered from school!
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Post by murphaph »

Well we drive on the left because you drive on the left :!:
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Post by Steven »

murphaph wrote:Well we drive on the left because you drive on the left :!:
Actually, now you've said that, I'm quite surprised that the Republic hasn't swapped over...

:wink:
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Post by PeterA5145 »

Chris5156 wrote:
sabristo simon wrote:yep, but why is china rhd?
Mao's cultural revolution. AIUI they shifted to the right to differentiate themselves from Britain, the home of industrialisation and thus capitalism.
Or was it maybe because Japan drove on the left?
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Post by Chris5156 »

PeterA5145 wrote:
Chris5156 wrote:
sabristo simon wrote:yep, but why is china rhd?
Mao's cultural revolution. AIUI they shifted to the right to differentiate themselves from Britain, the home of industrialisation and thus capitalism.
Or was it maybe because Japan drove on the left?
Very possibly. I'm more certain that it took place in the cultural revolution than I am of the reason! :?
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Post by murphaph »

Steven wrote:
murphaph wrote:Well we drive on the left because you drive on the left :!:
Actually, now you've said that, I'm quite surprised that the Republic hasn't swapped over...

:wink:
Can you imagine if we did?! :o :o

We changed over from imperial to metric over a period of about 30 years, maybe we'd stagger the introduction of RH driving, say switch one lane today and the other tomorrow!

:)
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Post by sphynx2k »

I read somewhere that we drive on the left because knights used to salute each other on horse-back with their right hands - therefore they had to ride on the left hand side of the road to do this and everything has just carried on from there.

Not sure of the truth in that, and not sure about where driving on the right came from either!
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Post by ChrisH »

I thought that driving on the left was because you mounted a horse from the left - so this could be the edge of the road. Conversely, driving on the right came from driving a group of horses in front of a wagon, in which case you always sat on the back-left horse.

I've never driven abroad, but most people I've talked to say it feels more logical, if only to change gear with your right hand!
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Post by ArnoldC »

Chris5156 wrote:
PeterA5145 wrote:
Chris5156 wrote: Mao's cultural revolution. AIUI they shifted to the right to differentiate themselves from Britain, the home of industrialisation and thus capitalism.
Or was it maybe because Japan drove on the left?
Very possibly. I'm more certain that it took place in the cultural revolution than I am of the reason! :?

Think that's the case. Those up in the mainland drove left during Nationalist rule. (ie. b4 WWII) The comms changed over 2b different from the Japanese. (Who were equiv. of Nazis; as we know!)
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Post by Bryn666 »

Being left handed I certainly prefer using my left hand to change gears :D
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Post by M60-Tony »

Bryn666 wrote:Being left handed I certainly prefer using my left hand to change gears :D
Like Bryn, I'm left handed but, I suspect it's practice/habit that enables one particular hand to feel more comfortable.

Certainly when I've driven left hand drive manuals on the continent, I've had problem acclimatising to changing gear with the right hand.

Mind you, before I had seen a left hand drive car, I had wondered if the pedals were swapped over, i.e. left to right, throttle, brake, clutch. I was please to find out that they were not. :)
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Post by Glenn A »

Sweden drove on the left until about 1965. I read in an ABBA annual of all places that the night the country changed over the police urged everyone not to drive to avoid accidents.
It has been suggested by a few Euro enthusiasts that Britain changes, but this would cost billions as road signs would have to be changed and would prove nightmarish for owners of rhd cars.
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Post by Guy »

Glenn A wrote:Sweden drove on the left until about 1965. I read in an ABBA annual of all places that the night the country changed over the police urged everyone not to drive to avoid accidents.
Actually 3 September 1967. The Swedes called it Dagen H (Right Day). The changeover took place at 5pm on a weekday because it was felt that it would be much safer to have people actually make the switch (and be inconvenienced by it) than to get up at 6am on the Monday following an overnight change, forget and plough straight into something! I think there is a certain logic in that...

I have a friend who took before and after photos from an overbridge in Stockholm. I must see if I can get him to scan them!
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