# Why do Brits drive on the left? Americans on the right? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 24, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-drive-on-the-left-americans-on-the-right/94984 "2001-11-24T02:59:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-drive-on-the-left-americans-on-the-right/94984/61 "2001-11-27T17:05:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Richard \* > \*\* > I don’t know if it’s true either, but IIRC that was the way Sweden did it. The reason it worked was because only the traffic that had changed sides was allowed to drive. I think they started with buses, then cabs, and then others in some order. That may be what the plan was in Nigeria. \*\* As have been stated in this very thread: No, No No! Unless of course you refer to what I wrote in an earlier post. On the night of the switch and for some 6-7 hours after it only vehicles that absolutely had to be there were allowed in the streets and roads. The reason for this was that it took some time to take away old trafic signs and uncover the new ones. ---
**Author:** ![royjwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@royjwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/royjwood)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-drive-on-the-left-americans-on-the-right/94984/62 "2001-11-27T17:11:02Z")
Whatever a person is familiar with will probably be what they have driven most of their lives. Although I have been driving on the left side of the road for about two years now, I drove on the right side for many years prior. 4 July 1776 is a joke. However, we base a lot of stuff on that very important date, regardless of how long ago it happened. It changed not only America, but it helped change the world. Do I hate Britain? Of course not. But we have so much fun here with the rivalries, that maybe I forget that some people are way too uptight. ---
**Author:** ![Etaoin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Etaoin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Etaoin)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-drive-on-the-left-americans-on-the-right/94984/63 "2001-11-27T19:16:24Z")
When Sweden switched sides — hmm, sounds like a war — what happened with the streetcars (if they had any) and buses? The doors would be on the wrong side. All the buses would have had to be modified. It would have cost more than buying new ones. Did Sweden scrap all their public transportation? If so, it sounds like a great theory of conspiracy perpetrated by Volvo, if not GM, which, as we all know, killed streetcars in North America so it could sell buses. GM might have been behind it, knowing that 35 years later, it would buy Volvo. If Britian did it, getting on buses while attempting to dodge traffic would become the new national sport. Imagine the queues of people standing in traffic, patiently being knocked over like ninepins, with the occasional car driver suing because of the odd umbrella or two being turned into a missile and flopping open in front of his eyes. Monty Python, where are you? ---
**Author:** ![BigE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8edcca/32.png) [@BigE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigE)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-drive-on-the-left-americans-on-the-right/94984/64 "2001-11-27T19:46:23Z")
This may be a hijack (and if so, what the heck), but what exactly happens when one drives from a country with left-side driving to right-side [and that’s no judgement here!] driving? Did everyone go in a traffic circle to sort themselves out? Or did you just do your best to get to the right side of the road? ---
**Author:** ![Richard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Richard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-drive-on-the-left-americans-on-the-right/94984/65 "2001-11-27T20:00:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Floater \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Richard \* > > \*\* > > I don’t know if it’s true either, but IIRC that was the way Sweden did it. The reason it worked was because only the traffic that had changed sides was allowed to drive. I think they started with buses, then cabs, and then others in some order. That may be what the plan was in Nigeria. \*\* > > As have been stated in this very thread: No, No No! Unless of course you refer to what I wrote in an earlier post. On the night of the switch and for some 6-7 hours after it only vehicles that absolutely had to be there were allowed in the streets and roads. The reason for this was that it took some time to take away old trafic signs and uncover the new ones. \*\* I found the following information at [http://www.travel-library.com/general/driving/drive\_which\_side.html](http://www.travel-library.com/general/driving/drive_which_side.html) > [@](#): > > “The traffic conversion in Sweden was,” continues Hanquist, “very well prepared. A booklet with more than 30 pages was distributed to every household in the country. A special state authority, Statens Högertrafikkommision (national right-hand traffic commission) was set up to administer the conversion. All traffic with private motor driven vehicles was prohibited four hours before and one hour after the conversion. In some cities there was no private traffic for 24 to 29 hours. Soldiers were called out to participate in work to rearrange all traffic signs.” Malcolm Roe recalls that “the roads were completely closed, apart from emergency vehicles, for a day or two while changes were made to road signs etc. Then a very low speed limit was applied which was raised in a number of steps. The whole process, if I remember correctly, took about a month.” ---
**Author:** ![royjwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@royjwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/royjwood)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-drive-on-the-left-americans-on-the-right/94984/66 "2001-11-27T20:18:26Z")
Richard, WOW! Thanks for the great link. That answered alot of questions. Even more than I had. I would like to find Kincaid’s book to learn more, though. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-drive-on-the-left-americans-on-the-right/94984/67 "2001-11-28T08:30:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by royjwood \* > \*\*I forget that some people are way too uptight. \*\* Yawn. That pit thread is still waiting for you if you want to swap insults, and might just be a better choice of forum than GQ. ---
**Author:** ![Popup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Popup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popup)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-drive-on-the-left-americans-on-the-right/94984/68 "2001-11-28T08:33:42Z")
Just a tiny nitpick… > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Etaoin \* > **If so, it sounds like a great theory of conspiracy perpetrated by Volvo, if not GM, which, as we all know, killed streetcars in North America so it could sell buses. GM might have been behind it, knowing that 35 years later, it would buy Volvo.** It was Ford who bought Volvo. GM bought Saab. ---
**Author:** ![Etaoin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Etaoin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Etaoin)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-drive-on-the-left-americans-on-the-right/94984/69 "2001-11-29T16:03:59Z")
Thanks, TC. I suppose, though, that GM would have bought Volvo but was afraid it would expose the great conspiracy, so it paid Ford, which bought Volvo, just to muddy the waters. _looking over shoulder to see who’s listening and whispering_ GM owned the text-book depository. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-drive-on-the-left-americans-on-the-right/94984.md?page=3)