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Why Do Some Countries Drive on the Right?


Torneyboy

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If you are planning to visit the UK and happen to come from one of the many countries that drive on the wrong side of the road, the following advice, direct from the Ministry of Transport, is for you:

 

?Visitors are informed that in the United Kingdom traffic drives on the left-hand side of the road. In the interests of safety, you are advised to practise this in your country of origin for a week or two before driving in the UK.?

 

:D

 

http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/driving%20on%20the%20left.htm

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Yeah, well you just better hope that Bush doesn't ask Blair to change to right side driving, or you'll all have to get new cars by next Tuesday.

 

I must admit that my biggest problem with T.B., is that always does whatever our noodlehead president tells him to.

 

"Fetch, Tony! Good dog"

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Guest lazyphil

Um, I cant see Blair dictating what side of the road we drive on, he might dictate the Armed forces, the public are a bit more difficult to command!

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certainly is due to the old Empire thing.

Countries conquered/colonised/governed in the past by the British Empire tend to drive on the left,but not all i expect.

some just think it is a good idea and do not want to look like retards by driving on the Right...........

:neener:

 

an easier question is why we shake hands with our Right hand......

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Why Do Some Countries Drive on the Right

 

I stand to be corrected here, but I believe it was down to Napoleon Bonaparte , who changed Europe from the left to the right. (and obviously the Europeans dictated to their various Colonies / sold them their own cars etc).

 

I beleive he changed it specifically because of the original reason for "driving" on the left which was kind off related to..........

 

an easier question is why we shake hands with our Right hand......

 

............but I can't remember what Napoleons actual logic was, unless he was a lefty (something makes me think he was).

 

 

The reason why folk "drove" on the left was for right handed folk (the majority) in Ye olden dayes............ when you drew your sword if an approaching traveller on horseback or foot was not quite as freindly as he first appeared - your sword was on the "correct side" for ease of defense.

 

 

 

Now I think about it a bit more for some strange reason I think it was a desire by Napoleon to make the Europeans more civilised - by making it harder for someone approaching to attack, by making each person have their sword on the "wrong side".

 

But I could be wrong on all this :D

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