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This 'rule of the road' was officially sanctioned in 1300 AD when Pope Boniface VIII declared that all pilgrims travelling to Rome should keep to the left. This continued until the late 1700s when large wagons became popular for transporting goods.
- When did Britain start driving on the left?
- When did cars start driving on the left?
- How did driving on the left start?
- Why does England drive on the left?
- Which country changed from driving on the left to the right?
- Why driving on the left is better?
- When did Europe start driving on the right?
- Why does Japan drive on the left side of the road?
- Which country drives on the left side of the road?
- Does UK drive on the left or right?
- Is America the only country that drives on the right side?
- Which is safer driving on right or left?
- Why does France drive on the right?
- Why does England drive on the left and America on the right?
- When did Burma change to driving on the right?
- Why was Sweden driving on the left?
When did Britain start driving on the left?
Left-hand driving was made mandatory in Britain in 1835. Countries which were part of the British Empire followed suit. This is why to this very day, India, Australasia and the former British colonies in Africa go left.
When did cars start driving on the left?
Thus, most American cars produced before 1910 were made with right-side driver seating, although intended for right-side driving. Such vehicles remained in common use until 1915, and the 1908 Model T was the first of Ford's cars to feature a left-side driving position.
How did driving on the left start?
The practice is believed to date back to ancient Rome. Romans steered their carts and chariots with the left hand, to free up the right so they could use weapons to defend against enemy attacks. This carried over into medieval Europe and in 1773, the British government passed measures to make left-hand traffic the law.
Why does England drive on the left?
While that remained little more than a custom, the first 'keep left' legal reference in Britain arrived in the early 18th Century. In a fore-runner to the congestion charge, those travelling over London Bridge were order to keep left, disobeying the order incurred a 20 shilling penalty.
Which country changed from driving on the left to the right?
It was a normal Sunday in September 1967 in Sweden, except that every driver on the road was about to have to change the way he or she did things. At 5 a.m., traffic switched from driving on the left-hand side of the road to the right.
Why driving on the left is better?
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There's a reason for this. Most people are right-handed, so by driving on the left, that'd place their stronger hand in the best position to greet those coming the other way, or whack them with a sword, as seemed most appropriate.
When did Europe start driving on the right?
Gradually the right-hand traffic was adopted in most countries: Belgium introduced it in 1899, Portugal in 1928, Spain in 1930, and Austria and Czechoslovakia in 1938. The kingdom of Sweden — not until 1967. It became the last state in continental Europe where left-hand traffic persisted.
Why does Japan drive on the left side of the road?
Following Japan's defeat during World War II, the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa came under American rule, which meant that the island was required to drive on the right. In 1978 once the area was returned to Japan, the drivers also returned to the left side of the road.
Which country drives on the left side of the road?
The bulk of countries that drive on the left are former British colonies including South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Only four countries in Europe still drive on the left and they are all islands. They consist of the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Malta and Cyprus.
Does UK drive on the left or right?
The British drive on the left because most people are right handed. There is a logic which everyone seem to be missing. The two basic hand functions are gear changing and steering. Most cars in the UK have a manual gear change.
Is America the only country that drives on the right side?
This world map shows which side of the road traffic drives on. ... 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.
Which is safer driving on right or left?
It has been noticed that countries that drive on the left side of the road have considerably fewer traffic accidents and fatalities than those that drive on the right side of the road. A study performed in 1969 by J.J. ... In right handed traffic, this important responsibility is relegated to the weaker left eye.
Why does France drive on the right?
France, on the other hand, chose to drive on the right. ... When horses and carriages were first cruising through France, peasants and the poor ducked to the right side of the road while the aristocrats plowed through on the left.
Why does England drive on the left and America on the right?
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.
When did Burma change to driving on the right?
For those of you who aren't über history nerds, here's a fun fact — 46 years ago today, on December 6, 1970, Myanmar made the super radical change from driving on the left side of the road to driving on the right side.
Why was Sweden driving on the left?
“The market for cars in Sweden was not so big and so we tended to buy left-driven cars,” explains Lars Magnusson, a professor in economic history at Uppsala University. “But that meant that you would be sitting on the opposite side to what made sense… and you were looking down into the ditch!”
