NationStates Jolt Archive

I got this idea from a recent thread about Americans or some sort, so I'm posting this question: if your country has a transportation system, what side of the road does it drive on? Maybe you've never considered it and this is the first time thinking about it, in which case, you're welcome :P Kiué sticks to the left!

This whole "others" option is growing stupidly out of hand

*votes right, realizes that he is left-winged, vows to drive on the left side of the road forever and hopes everyone else decides the same or risk collision*

Where I live now, the right, where I grew up and learned to used motor vehicles, the left. To start with here it was fun trying to not open the door when I wanted to change gear.

Theoretically, the right. But I find that surprise works best. :)

I think that the only places that still drive on the left are Britain/Ireland, and a few former British colonies. I don't know why, but if pretty much every country drives on the right, there must be a good reason.

Usually on the side that has no holes and cracks.

New Zealand and Japan, as far as I understood, also drove on the left.

This comes from the days of passing each other on horseback, while you had a sword and shield system. If you pass on the right, then you can not easily attack the other, so it was polite to do so. However the British were not very polite. :D

Australia drives on the left too.

I believe it was Napoleon who instigated walking/riding/driving on the right across Europe, at a point in time significantly after the invention of the sword/shield.

Left left left...cow...swerve.....right.....turn....left left left

In Japan they drive on the left, in Russia they drive on the right, except in Valdivostok where they drive on the left because of all the second hand Japanese cars they have there. Russians would come from Vladivostok in a rusty cruise ship to the port near my town in Japan and pile the deck with second hand tires for their second hand cars.

directly down the middle. Why else would they put those lines there?

In America, we all drive on the right. I, however, use the entire road for my bicycle.

I think that the only places that still drive on the left are Britain/Ireland, and a few former British colonies. I don't know why, but if pretty much every country drives on the right, there must be a good reason.

You could say the same about the metric system. I think the only major country not to use it is America, so they have to put imperial on half the stuff as well.
Stupid Americans

I usually drive on the right. But I like to mix it up sometimes just for kicks. :cool:

Well just to clear an issue up that needs to be cleared up, I did tonnes of research into this topic trying to figure out where the divide came from and came to an interesting conclusion. Here are the facts:

As someone else pointed out above, back during the old days of horseback riding and walking around with swords, most people are right-handed and thus walked/rode on the left so that if they encounter an enemy, they can draw their sword (which was hanging to the left) straight out and be read to do combat. Most of Europe was like that, as were the samurai in Japan. However, something was a bit different in France, where it was considered more correct to walk on the right so that your opponent, if walking towards you, would have to do more work to fight you. It's hardly a difference. But then came Napoleon who was left-handed and an egomaniac. His armies kept to his right because he liked to go towards his enemies with them on his left, where his fighting side is. Since he conquered virtually all of mainland Europe, he made them switch as well. No one really bothered to switch back. When the US declared independence from Britain, they originally drove on the left, but decided to be on the right to do everything the opposite of Britain which they hated. Canada also drove on the left but changed because the US did. Now, most left countries are the UK, anything that was owned by the UK with the exception of Canada and the US, and then Japan. About one third of the world's population drives on the left, the other two thirds on the right. Here's a map:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/haku8645/wleft.gif
Red is on the left, green is on the right

Any questions?

Nope, but good post. :)

But then came Napoleon who was left-handed and an egomaniac.

Damn Corsicans. ;)

Theoretically, the right. But I find that surprise works best. :)
Good thing my car is bigger than yours..... Of course if we both do it randomly we can always hope to be on oppisite sides of the road.

<snip>
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/haku8645/wleft.gif
Red is on the left, green is on the right
<snip>

Wow. Nice map, someone is entirely to good with google or had entirely to much free time on their hands.

My country doesn't have a rudder or a steeringwheel

Wow. Nice map, someone is entirely to good with google or had entirely to much free time on their hands.

It's both, actually :) I wrote an article for a magazine about this topic. Interesting side fact: throughout history, several nations have switched from the left to the right (most recently, Sweden in 1967), but only once from right to left. After WWII, the US took over Okinawa island (part of Japan that always had driven on the left) and forced them to drive on the right, but let them switch back to the left in 1975. In 2007, the Phillipines will switch from the right to the left, making it the first independent country that has always been on the right to switch to the left in all of world history. How cool is that?

Well just to clear an issue up that needs to be cleared up, I did tonnes of research into this topic trying to figure out where the divide came from and came to an interesting conclusion. Here are the facts:

As someone else pointed out above, back during the old days of horseback riding and walking around with swords, most people are right-handed and thus walked/rode on the left so that if they encounter an enemy, they can draw their sword (which was hanging to the left) straight out and be read to do combat. Most of Europe was like that, as were the samurai in Japan. However, something was a bit different in France, where it was considered more correct to walk on the right so that your opponent, if walking towards you, would have to do more work to fight you. It's hardly a difference. But then came Napoleon who was left-handed and an egomaniac. His armies kept to his right because he liked to go towards his enemies with them on his left, where his fighting side is. Since he conquered virtually all of mainland Europe, he made them switch as well. No one really bothered to switch back. When the US declared independence from Britain, they originally drove on the left, but decided to be on the right to do everything the opposite of Britain which they hated. Canada also drove on the left but changed because the US did. Now, most left countries are the UK, anything that was owned by the UK with the exception of Canada and the US, and then Japan. About one third of the world's population drives on the left, the other two thirds on the right. Here's a map:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/haku8645/wleft.gif
Red is on the left, green is on the right

Any questions?
Particularly interesting in light of the fact that motor manufacturers have always said that cars are more expensive in the UK because of the cost of converting to right hand drive. When looked at with your map you can see this won't wash. A lot of our cars come from the far east and a lot of European car makers surely want to export to the far east.

So many possible responses:

1. That depends -- is my country drunk?

2. My country could never fit into a car, silly.

3. The top side, you weirdo.

4. My country drives on the right, but my pop and rock drive on the left.

5. My country drives from the side of the road where the tee box is located.

6. We don't drive "on", we drive cars.

...and so on. Thanks for allowing me this oppportunity to expand my mind.

Cheers!

I agree. Within the past decade a multitude of European car companies have produced RHD (right-hand drive) cars in factories not only on the mainland but in the UK. The "added cost" comes in actually setting up production lines to build the cars in reverse. However, the chassis is still the exact same and it's only the drive shaft that has to be installed on the other side. The rest of the car is built as normal. Another slight "added cost" is that if it is manufactured on the continent, it has to be shipped to the UK. Even then, that doesn't fly because most cars all over the world have to be shipped. I live in Florida right now and my car was made in Sweden and shipped all the way to Florida. And in actuality, it's not too expensive. The UK is right next door by those standards. And with the ease and efficiency that they can crank out RHD cars over in Japan, even with shipping, the cars would be comparable in price in the UK to their LHD counterparts on the continent. I don't buy it really :)

--snip--
However, something was a bit different in France, where it was considered more correct to walk on the right so that your opponent, if walking towards you, would have to do more work to fight you.

Any questions?

Yes. Wouldn't the shield the French were carrying (if we're talking the era of armor here -- if we're in Three Musketeers time, then ignore this), likely in the left hand, have better defended an attack from the left if they were walking on the right side of the road? There's an implication of French surrender-monkeyness there, but only a small one.

Fascinating research, by the way. Impressive stuff. *applauds*

Techinally on the left, but so many roads in Wellington are tight windy hill roads with cars parked on both sides meaning that you can only really drive down the middle.

I think that the only places that still drive on the left are Britain/Ireland, and a few former British colonies. I don't know why, but if pretty much every country drives on the right, there must be a good reason.While I see your point, most people are right-handed. That means that driving on the left (where the driver's seat is at the right of the car) leaves the right hand to concentrate on the steering, the left hand to change gears. With right-hand drive cars, you have to remove your right hand from the steering wheel to change gears, which (for some) could be problematic if you're not comfortable with using your left hand.

Of course that doesn't consider those who are left handed. Perhaps they should drive on the right, and the right-handed ones on the left? :p

Ever since day H in 1967 we have been driving on the right-hand side.... Sweden is one of the few countries to have switched...

In America, we all drive on the right. I, however, use the entire road for my bicycle.

So you learnt to ride a bicycle in Brazil then.

I drive on the left.

But after playing GTA3 San Andreas for 40 hours Straight. I don't drive on the roads but the sidewalk.

Well...generally in the middle (damn those bus and bike lanes that get to be on the right lane, putting the slow geezers in the fast lane!

we're supposed to drive on the left hand side. but where i usually am the roads are all bolloxed up so i prefer to drive on the side-walk or through fields

Well, i am supposed to drive on the left side, as i live in Wales. But as i am dutch, and i grew up riding my bike on the right side of the road, i sometimes get confused, specially at roundabouts.

We're driving on the right side of the road here ;)

(Well, except for when driving on the Autobahn, I prefer the left lane, the fast lane - but then again, that is still on the right side...)

In order to confuse people and cause auto accidents Drunk Commies' drivers must stay to the left on roads that travel mainly East-West, and must stay to the right on roads that travel mainly North-South, except on weekends and between midnight and 4 AM, when the rules reverse.

In Canada, it's on the right side. But why?
In New-Zeland, Australia, South Africa, India, UK, and all other Commonwealth countries, it's on the other side. WHY??

The Left, in the spirit of Socialism ;)

I drive on the left.

But after playing GTA3 San Andreas for 40 hours Straight. I don't drive on the roads but the sidewalk.Ah, yes. I know that practice well ;)

In Canada, it's on the right side. But why?
In New-Zeland, Australia, South Africa, India, UK, and all other Commonwealth countries, it's on the other side. WHY??

I think a guy said so it was the same as the US

:mad: THE CORRECT SIDE... :rolleyes: