Why do they drive on the opposite side of the road in England?
As most people are right-handed, the driver would sit to the right of the seat so his whip hand was free. Traffic congestion in 18th century London led to a law being passed to make all traffic on London Bridge keep to the left in order to reduce collisions. Today, only 35% of countries drive on the left.
Why do the French drive on the right side of the road?
England was the first nation to pass an official rule, in 1773, which made driving on the left the law. France, on the other hand, chose to drive on the right. All of a sudden, being rich and ostentatious was asking for trouble, so the aristocrats did their best to blend in with the poor on the right side of the road.
How did countries decide which side of the road to drive on?
Throughout most of history, before the car, people travelled along the left side of the road. Once traffic regulation laws started becoming more common, most countries chose right-hand driving, while in 1835, Britain and its colonies made left handed driving mandatory.
Why did the British and French drive on the same side of the road?
Amidst all this driving confusion, the British and the French were yielding their power across the globe, and as part of their rapid colonization, they insisted that the countries they occupied drive on the same side of the road.
Why do the British drive on the left?
Initially, when it was a British colony, the inhabitants drove on the left, but following their rebellion in 1776, they forswore all practices they associated with their colonial masters. Of course, the influx of settlers from European countries who had been subjected to the dread influence of the French also helped.
Are there any countries that drive on the left side of the road?
As you can see, most former British colonies, with some exceptions, drive on the left side of the road, whereas the United States of America, Latin American countries and European countries drive on the right. Almost always, in countries where one drives on the right-hand side of the road, the cars are built so that the driver sits on …
Why do former British colonies drive on opposite sides?
This explains why former British colonies such as Australia, New Zealand, and India drive on the left, while former French colonies like Algeria, Ivory Coast, and Senegal drive on the right.
Why do people drive on the left side of the road?
There are other practical reasons that are still relevant today for driving on the left. For example, most people’s right eye is stronger than their left, and driving on the left side of the road means their dominant eye is in a better position to spot oncoming traffic.
Amidst all this driving confusion, the British and the French were yielding their power across the globe, and as part of their rapid colonization, they insisted that the countries they occupied drive on the same side of the road.
Why did medieval people travel on the left side of the road?
Originally, almost everybody traveled on the left side of the road, according to BBC America. However, their mode of transport was quite different from today: Think four legs instead of four wheels. For Medieval swordsmen on horseback, it made sense to keep to the left to have their right arms closer to their opponents.
Why did the British drive on the left in World War 2?
The real reason for the British driving on the left is that the French drive on the right! Of course the other reason is that in 1939/1940 Britain was not invaded, Czechoslovakia and Holland drove on the left but were forced to change, they never bothered to change back in 1945.