NationStates Jolt Archive

The Quintessential Department of Transportation is commissioning an international survey on this important subject to evade having to do any real work. Please answer in the poll, and feel free to give any additional information.

In Quintessence of Dust, we drive on the left hand side of the road, one of the few cultural relics of British immigrants.

We here drive on the right side of the road, our founding father having lots of American blood in him.

Saevitia suggests the QDoT do its own homework from now on. We certainly aren't about to explain that passenger boats tend to travel on the left half of channels due to age-old traditions just to satisfy your curiosity! -- Random Saevitian Official

Drivers in certain parts of Sarzonia drive on the left side, owing to the strong prevalence of British influence in the culture. However, drivers in other parts of Sarzonia drive on the right side of the road because of the influence of the country's American heritage.

In Woodstock (the nation's capital), citizens drive on the left side. In Portland (the financial capital), they drive on the right side. In Nicksia, most people just take public transit because the streets are clogged. :tongue:

In Ulanpataar cars are only driven in major northern towns, for the rural areas could not have paved roads due to issues of maintenance with ice and such, even unpaved roads have not been built. But where cars are driven they are driven on the right side, due to the fact that the first imports were Sataian cars that drove on the right side. In southern Ulanpataar snow motorcycles or trains are used.

In the Commonwealth the cars drive down the middle, mainly because most roads are one way streets, and varying forms of light rail and boat transportation are available across the major cities. However, on other non-one way roads, the motorists drive on the right.

In colonial territories, it varies, depending on the laws and people living in the colony.

Zwangzug's arguably overly idealistic government finds itself unable to vote for both the fourth and fifth options, but would if it could. Used to be right, however, without a clear sense as to why.

I selected on the right but the last one was the most awesome one though.

Fatatatutian motorists are encouraged not to crash into things. Beyond that, there is little in the way of regulation or enforcement. That isn't as dangerous as it might seem because Fatatatutians are seldom in a hurry to get anywhere.

I thought it was what side of the car do people drive, not what side of the road. Oh well.

Driving in the Beatus is quite complected, due to our extensive road network. I will give you a brief example, as to explain it fully, would take years. Civil engineers have, literally, spent their lives studying the Beatusian Road system, and even they don't quite understand all of it.

Example:
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/6048/roadsxs8.png


Now as you can see, there are four sections of traffic, the outer two, consist of two lanes, and the inner two of 3 lanes each. In the middle is a grass strip, that is used to make ramps for the inner lane sections, among other things. Now, from right, to left, I will tell you the directions each lane section travels. The Rightmost lanes, travel towards the bottom of the image. The inner right lanes travel towards the top. The inner left lanes travel towards the bottom. And, finally the leftmost lanes travel towards the top. That arrangement, however, is only for the surface highway levels, not second tier highways, or the below ground sections. When it comes to an interchange, either between levels,(Ground, underground, or upper tiers) or when two highways intersect, the situation becomes quite different, with multitudes of ramps, and tunnels, and, in some instances, to lanes of traffic, may actually be traveling directly at each other, before rising, lowering, or turning. You don't want to know, what happens when three highways, with multiple levels intersect, really you don't. Suficive to say, driving in the Beatus, where you may find yourself on a highway, doing 75 miles per hour, 500 feet off the ground, or 50 feet below it, is quite an experience, that some never recover from.

Left on the Anglosphere and right on the other regions. No traffic laws.

Left Hand side... It rocks (except if you're in a country that does driving on the Right side)

The Ministry of Vehicles has legislated that all cars should drive on the left following a study by the Ministry of Flowers that found that digitalis purpurea was produced slightly more toxin when vehicles drove on the left side of the road. The Ministry of Balloons supports this measure due to the decreased chance of popped balloons carried in vehicles driven on the left.

Ministry of Puplic Statements
The Bureaucracy of Matchingham

Left hand side. During war, switch to right. (Reasons unknown. Its a traditional)

Left side, as cars were meant to be driven.

Cars are still fairly rare, and so are roads wide enough to be divided into lanes, so it's generally a case of "straight down the middle, and try not to hit anybody". In those places where wider roads do exist it's a matter for local legislation, but driving on the left is more usually specified than driving on the right.

on the left

for a few reasons the main one being that the largest percentage are rightside dominant so feel most comfortable with oncoming objects passing on the right side. i gusess it just feels more natural

Under Federation law, people drive on the right hand side of the road. However, the strictness of this depends on where you're at.

In Argalia, and in the Altanari county of Antarctic Altanar, most roads outside of major highways tend to be either makeshift or nonexistent, and regulation of traffic patterns is relatively limited. The general rule in those areas is "drive on the right if you can, try to avoid random yaks or livestock (or penguins in AA), and try not to hit anyone or anything else".

In Altanar, one drives on the right side of the road, and traffic patterns and laws are rigidly and heavily enforced.

In Akamia, and in the Altanari county of Poivre Atoll, traffic enforcement (and civility) tend to be more lax. The rule of "drive on the right and try not to hit anything" applies again, along with a rule something to the effect of "if you've had less than ten beers or six glasses of wine you're probably ok to drive". Traffic cops in Akamia and in Poivre can also usually be "convinced" to ignore your infractions with a friendly "donation".

The above rules typically apply only if you encounter a municipal, county or constituent state cop. If one runs into a Federation Police Service patrol, they tend to be a lot more strict, and a lot less amenable to bribery.

One other interesting thing is that while city streets and rural roads have speed limits, Federal highways have no speed limits whatsoever.

Over here, we drive on BOTH sides of the road.

Cause it would be stupid to only use one half of the fcking road.

Duuuurrrrr.

Cars are legal in the countryside (where people either can't afford them, don't need them, or have nowhere to put them) and the city of Taxilha; typically driving is on the right side. Though, because public transport is so prevalent and cars so infrequent (and frequently illegal) there's not much enforcement of rules.

Why driving is done on the right in Taxilha isn't quite clear, although the city planners were rightist reactionaries and likely did it as a silent protest against leftism.

In Spartzerina, all roads are one way. There are numerous speed-unlimited highways, where cars have been known to reach 150 mph. If there are two highways that go next to each other, in opposite direction, they are separated by walls made out of a secret mineral similar to two way mirrors, on the side of both highways, with a space between the two walls (you can see one way but not the other), where the police usually lurk in waiting for someone who is breaking one of the few traffic rules: going too slow.

All cars must be able to go 115 mph to go on the highways; if they can't, we have special low-speed roads, but not very many. The ones going 115 - 125 mph. must go on the lane furthest to the right. 125 - 140 mph. must go two lanes left of the rightmost lane. The traffic going 140 mph. and higher must go on the leftmost lane. There are passing lanes between all the main lanes.

It's pretty complicated, but we have superb Driving Education Programs for all citizens 10 years and older. After a year in training, they usually are able to drive very well. There are very few accidents in Spartzerina. The tourists must take public transportation, or ride with a friend: they can't drive in Spartzerina.

Backwards and down the center, weaving as much as possible.

You're supposed to drive on the right side of the road, but really when it comes to driving it's "every man to himself" the roads can be quite chaotic.

You have no idea how tempted I was to pick the BAC-related one.

Completely drunk

In the cities it's on the right side, but on country roads it becomes a game of chicken at times.

With the expansion of The Arnhem Federation, high speed railways have become the primary form of transportation for citizens, however the few trucks and cars still in use drive on the right side of the road.

-Arnhem Department of Transportation

My country went straight from middle age technology to space age, so technically we haven't invented cars yet.

cars and trains are used only in rural areas of the first planet all other planets use teleport networks constantly.
we have the need for instantaneous travel to and from everywhere planet side in space we use ships.

it depends on the local(Borough) and federal for highways rules and of course, BAC.

It depends on the local laws for roads and federal laws for highways and the BAC.

Depends on local, federal laws and the BAC.

As cars are for the most part illegal in Sarrowquand laws governing there use are relaxed as long as a driver dosen't mow down the pedestrians and byclists that frequent our roads then they can do as they please. The Department of Transport only authorises about a million vehicles and most of those are emergency vehicles with the remaining liscences going to government officials, military officers and important scientists as perks. (DoT bureaucrats possess the most permission slips of any one group)

In the ASoGM, cars are left hand drive and are driven on the right side of the road. The only exception is postal vehicles which are right hand drive, although they are also driven on the right side of the road.

As most of the traffic on the roads is Military in the Wolf Hold, which side of the road dosn't matter. The Genral rule of thumb is if the on-comming vehicle is bigger and is more heavily armed or is carrying a HCO you get out of the way, the only expetion is for emergency vehicle which always have right of way and are always heavily armored.

In Qazox...we drive on the road.... (LOL!)
Seriousy, in Qazox on the right on highways and the country, but in the cites on the left.

we drive at the right side of the road, we don't know why, I guess it has always been that way

That one is epic win ----> It varies by local area/blood alcohol level

The United Kingdom of Brutland and Norden drives on the right side of the road.

We drive upon the right side of the road. We believe this to be a relic of the adaption of French as an official language wherein the wrod for right is "droit" which is also the word used for legal rights and to indicate that something is right and proper. The word for left is gauche, which also means incorrect, wrong and so forth. Our citizens would never be so gauche as to drive on the gauche side of the road.

Drivers in the Commonwealth drive on the left, due to the majority of the Commonwealth's islands being former British colonies.

Our people drive on both sides of the road. It's a good thing.

In the Immortal Lands?

As you enter planetary orbit around one of our worlds, you might pose the title question to our officials. They'll simply smile and say:

Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqdJkFM3pSM

In the Immortal Lands?

As you enter planetary orbit around one of our worlds, you might pose the title question to our officials. They'll simply smile and say:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqdJkFM3pSM

You win the internet.

Down the middle. Bigger cars always win.

In the Armed Republic of Salzland, road drives on you.

Seriously, we drive on the right side.

Charr fight for their place on the roads. Those without the gumption to retain their positions are rammed out of the way. Car insurance is a booming industry, incidentally.

Only Government Employees get vehicles, so people drive wherever they feel like.

All roads in Sumer are only one way/lane.

That is to say that within cities rail/subway transit is the fact of life, there is no room for cars (In fact anything but registered delivery vehicles, small electric vehicles, and government vehicles are banned within city limits), but those that can/do drive are subject to the flow of pedestrian traffic, with the exception of military and emergency vehicles which always have the right of way.

Outside of the cities on inter-city expressways, roads are divided into directions. As it is common place to see two roads flank a high-speed transit rail and protected from the elements by berms on either side, one road goes one way, the other in the other direction. The only ways on or off these expressways are at the cities they connect, as much outside is grassland and desert.

Rural roads outside of cities, which see most of the automobile traffic in Sumer, are rarely paved (Thus Sumerian vehicles are very rugged), but they are well maintained. These are almost exclusivly one-lane roads, and when passing (Even for larger ones) the same rules as in the city apply. The legal system pertaining to right of way can get complex, but it is effective and well understood by the populace.

So in short, there is no proper side of the road to drive on.

We drive on the left, officially. However, as the only cars belong to the British Administrators and various maharajas and the like, they are a rarity, with most of the population travelling on horse, donkey or ox carts. Except in one small area of the country, where microscooters are popular (we are unsure why).

Furthermore, Cobdenia follows the tradition of "if I die today, it is my turn to die today", and thus pay little attention to rules. In fact, we haven't instituted a driving test yet...

Cars are apart of everyday life in the suburbs and country areas, of Philimbesi but almost unheard of in the cities. Our subway and train systems are pretty expansive.

Cars have not been invented yet? My people don't have any Gasoline to run cars, so they don't own them! LOL

Right side mostly, even though Tolvan's founders were mostly British. It differs in some colonies and in many rural areas roads are often little more than trails.

I know its illegal to drive on the left side but that drunkness level vote was tempting.

In Catawaba, motor vehicles drive on the right side of the road.

And Tiger, curse you for getting to the Back to the Future quote before me.