Comments on: How Do Countries Choose Which Side They Drive On?

By: Ian

Ian — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:47:06 +0000

Mostly true…

Driving on the left goes back to Roman times – long before 1300AD.

The simple reason being that the Romans used to march while carrying their shields on their left arm. An enemy attacking from the left meant they only had to raise their shield quickly, while an enemy attacking from the right gave them time to draw their swords as the enemy crossed the road.

The nail in the coffin for drivers on the left came with Henry Ford and the Model-T. He made the car left-hand drive reasoning it was easier to shift gears with the right hand.

Oh, and Napoleon had his conquered countries drive on the right so his soldiers could tell who HAD been conquered. Those driving on the left still obviously hadn’t got the memo!

By: Bakedpotatoes

Bakedpotatoes — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:49:18 +0000

I thought it made sense to be on the left because most people are right handed, and would therefore drive with their right hand on the wheel when their left hand is changing gears or manipulating other devices required in the driving of a car.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:25:19 +0000

Great post – I’ve gotten used to both sides after years of practice but always a challenge when you have to swap!

By: dirk alan

dirk alan — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 20:35:56 +0000

it gives me the colliewobbles just thinking about driving on the left.

By: PeterB

PeterB — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 04:46:10 +0000

Samoa has switched based on the nearest neighbor rule. Australia being the biggest nearest neighbor.

Bit of a nonsense, the edge cliff and somehow “rightness” of one way over the other. Which direction are you travelling? Are there cliffs on both sides? Same with it frees up the right hand for gearshifts etc. But not the steering wheel which is what you use ALL of the time.

They are all excuses for the 50/50 toss up.

All very hard it seems for Americans who especially get anxious at anything being different from what they know.

btw Wagon groves in Roman roads in a Welsh quarry show that they drove on the left. The loaded wagons leaving the quarry made deeper grooves. So I suppose the anarchy of the dark ages is to blame for the millennia or more of no rules.

Why America, an ex British colony, drives on the opposite side of the road, but RAILS on the left is interesting. As is why helicopter pilots sit on the right, but plane pilots on the left.

By: Gavin

Gavin — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:17:34 +0000

It’s to do with horseback riding (strange that the americans wouldn’t understand.)
For most people the right hand is their lead hand.
So the right hand was their sword hand a few 100 years back.
So the Knights went into battle with their enemy on their right hand side on their sword side…

and drove/rode on the left.

Hence, right hand drive = wrong hand drive.

By: Bob Couttie

Bob Couttie — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:47:45 +0000

As I understand it, even while a US colony the Philippines remained driving on the left until WW2 when it was switched because US military traffic couldn’t figure out how to drive on that side of the road.

By: Linda

Linda — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:14:44 +0000

Logan – I have the same problem in London. I’ve lived here only since February, but it’s always so odd when I see a child or a dog riding in the passenger seat. My husband has driven here, in Wales no less, where it’s all winding roads and the distinct possibility of meeting sheep in a layby, but I’m too scared and uncoordinated.

By: Logan

Logan — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 08:43:24 +0000

We moved to New Zealand 3 years ago, and while my husband is totally fine driving on the left side of the road, I have yet to attempt it! The weirdest thing is sitting on the other side of the car.

I still get confused when I see children sitting on what I consider to be the driver’s side (or when someone jumps out of the car on that side at a traffic light)!!

Wonder if Samoa is planning to import cars from OZ or NZ now? That would explain the switch.

By: JEs

JEs — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:53:38 +0000

Hyacinth: I had the same experience with adapting to driving back in the states after living in England – Had no problems driving over there, ever, during the three years I lived there, but when I returned to the states, I frequently found myself driving on the left side of the road. Usually realized it when I pulled up to stop at an intersection and saw “my” stop sign across the road to my right!