What if the British...

Stephen

Banned
Driving on the left is superior because right handed people notice things on there right hand side more reducing the danger of head on collisions.
 

MrP

Banned
Driving on the left is superior because right handed people notice things on there right hand side more reducing the danger of head on collisions.

But it does make it less likely we'll spot sheep on mountain roads.
 
I've always wondered, when leaving a LHD country and entering a RHD country how they make the change. E.G. India into China
 
Is that a fact, or an opinion?

Actually, the superiority of LHD has been scientifically researched, though not everyone accepts their findings. The results showed something like a 10% difference between LHD and RHD in terms of road accidents under the same conditions - this was attributed to the right eye being stronger than the left eye in most cases. Since the right, stronger, eye is down the middle of the road in LHD, LHD drivers tend to be a bit better at keeping their line down the middle of the road. This means they are better at avoiding collisions with fast-moving oncoming cars encroaching on their lane, and they are also better at handling moving out into the opposite lane safely while avoiding the opposite traffic. However, the results could be dismissed as too slight to be worth changing the law for, and as I say, the results aren't accepted (or possibly even known) by many major bodies concerned with driving.
 
I've always wondered, when leaving a LHD country and entering a RHD country how they make the change. E.G. India into China

Flyovers in some countries, simple swapping over sides of the road in the quieter parts of Africa. I believe Hong Kong has a complicated system of road junctions and border patrols where they cross over.
 
according to the book of totally useless information:

The costom of driving on the left or right side of the road varies from country to country, and its origins predate the invention of the automobile. During the 1700's in England, Horse-drawn coaches were the main mode of transportation for urban dwellers. British coachmen used to sit on a seat on the right side of the carriage. if the coach traveled down the right side of the road, the coaches whip would have hit people walking along the sidewalk. by keeping to the left, the coachman had room to use his whip and the pedestrians were safe. the coach drivers could just as easily have sat and driven on the right, but that's not the way it turned out.

Cars in france, England's neighbor, drive on the right side of the road for reasons also related to the horse and buggy. Eighteenth-century French coachmen rode on the left side of the pair of pulling horses, and drove on the left side of the road. This caused the horses to pull to the left and up onto the sidewalk. They were subsequently ordered to stay to the right to protect pedestrians.

it makes practically no difference today which side of the road is driven on, as long as everyone uses the same side!

there you have it, the reason for the difference, it is just costom
 
I always thought RHD (on the left side of the road) was superior, because most people are right-handed, and you need to be on the right side of the car to fire your gun out of the window while driving.

LHD countries are at a disadvantage for car chases then, unless the driver is left-handed, or has a friend to sit next to him and do the shooting. But they're not always available.
 
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Ireland is actually switching to RHD.

Buses are changing over in August, everyone else in September.

Why would they? The only country they share a land border with drives on the left.

It doesn't make sense. I'm with Wanda here, citation please.
 
Why would they? The only country they share a land border with drives on the left.

It doesn't make sense. I'm with Wanda here, citation please.

I found a link that mentioned an Irish politician suggesting it - to appease tourists, naturally. One step closer to Theme Park Ireland - ta be sure, ta be sure :rolleyes:

Edit: This one is a little better. Mentions a high traffic rate among Eastern European Workers. But also says the switch is 'Completely Impractical'.
http://www.motorauthority.com/ireland-could-switch-from-left-to-right-hand-driving.html

Edit 2:
transition.jpg
The period of transition :D

From http://www.headrambles.com/2008/02/12/ireland-debates-switch-to-right-hand-driving/
 
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MrP

Banned
Ireland is actually switching to RHD.

Buses are changing over in August, everyone else in September.

I would suggest that Spike Torch is less than serious. Unless anyone can envision a situation in which cars spend a month frantically dodging buses. ;)
 
Good point.

In hindsight, it would be slightly ridiculous for buses to switch to RHD one month before everyone else.

:eek:
 
We'd be drastically less polite and so the entire fabric of our society would collapse or never even come into being.
Perhaps


according to the book of totally useless information:

The costom of driving on the left or right side of the road varies from country to country, and its origins predate the invention of the automobile. During the 1700's in England, Horse-drawn coaches were the main mode of transportation for urban dwellers. British coachmen used to sit on a seat on the right side of the carriage. if the coach traveled down the right side of the road, the coaches whip would have hit people walking along the sidewalk. by keeping to the left, the coachman had room to use his whip and the pedestrians were safe. the coach drivers could just as easily have sat and driven on the right, but that's not the way it turned out.

Cars in france, England's neighbor, drive on the right side of the road for reasons also related to the horse and buggy. Eighteenth-century French coachmen rode on the left side of the pair of pulling horses, and drove on the left side of the road. This caused the horses to pull to the left and up onto the sidewalk. They were subsequently ordered to stay to the right to protect pedestrians.

it makes practically no difference today which side of the road is driven on, as long as everyone uses the same side!

there you have it, the reason for the difference, it is just costom
That's different to what I've heard.
Traditionally everyone went on the left (back to Roman times). This was just common sense.
If you're walking down the road and keeping to the left then your right hand is free greet someone coming at you from the opposite direction or to draw your sword and defend/attack the person coming at you.

The switch to the right came about because in France at the time of the revolution the said carts were all the rage. Using these carts you had to swing the whip over your shoulder- which for most of the population (sorry lefties) meant they had to stick to the right.
The French revolutionaries were very big on the idea of making new laws so they put this into canon law and then when they went out conquering Europe they took it with them.
 
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