# Why do some countries drive on the right and some on the left? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 23, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573 "2006-11-23T19:16:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/21 "2006-11-25T11:27:43Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] In Manchester city centre I’ve noticed that people drive pretty much where they bloody feel like :eek: [/QUOTE] Here in Newark all the cyclists ride on the pavement. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/22 "2006-11-25T14:18:56Z")
[QUOTE=Rayne Man] Here in Newark all the cyclists ride on the pavement. [/QUOTE] Pardon my silly question, but where else would you expect them to ride? Just to get any regional terminology differences out of the way, I’m interpretting “cyclist” to mean a person on a bicycle, and “pavement” to mean the road surface primarily used by cars, lorries, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/23 "2006-11-25T14:31:28Z")
[QUOTE=LSLGuy] Just to get any regional terminology differences out of the way, I’m interpretting “cyclist” to mean a person on a bicycle, and “pavement” to mean the road surface primarily used by cars, lorries, etc. [/QUOTE] Over here pavement=sidewalk. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/24 "2006-11-25T15:31:33Z")
> [@Announcer](#): > > With Christmas only four months away, imagine that this desktop is a crowded shopping street on a busy Saturday morning. And say, for instance, that this huge meringue [he places a huge meringue on the desktop] filled with whipped cream is a young mother loaded down with her groceries. And perhaps this enormous, soggy, overripe tomato [he produces one and places it next to the meringue] is a tiny little girl – who doesn’t realise what a dangerous place her exciting new world is. And let’s assume that this cling-film parcel [he produces a plastic-wrapped pile of mush] of mashed banana and jam is a deaf senior citizen…Who’s in a wheelchair…And is blind. And this cricket bat with a breeze block nailed to it [he produces said item] is your car. Now what happens if your car mounts the pavement? [ANNOUNCER swiftly smashes all three items to bits with the cricket bay] Think once! Think twice! Think: DON’T DRIVE YOUR CAR ON THE PAVEMENT! _The Young Ones_, ‘Cash’ ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/25 "2006-11-25T15:54:51Z")
[QUOTE=LSLGuy] Pardon my silly question, but where else would you expect them to ride? Just to get any regional terminology differences out of the way, I’m interpretting “cyclist” to mean a person on a bicycle, and “pavement” to mean the road surface primarily used by cars, lorries, etc. [/QUOTE] Since in California bicycles are considered, by law, a vehicle just like any other vehicle they are expected to ride on the street and follow all the same laws a car or truck does. For more info search the 47 pit threads about this. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/26 "2006-11-25T16:31:29Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] Since in California bicycles are considered, by law, a vehicle just like any other vehicle they are expected to ride on the street and follow all the same laws a car or truck does. For more info search the 47 pit threads about this. [/QUOTE] That’s supposed to be the law in this country but , for some strange reason the people of this town seem to be a law unto themselves. We have the same situation over parking. About 18 months ago the responsibility for enforcing no-parking zones was taken away from the police and the local council were supposed to recruit parking wardens instead. It’s not happened yet, and we won’t have any wardens till next April at the earliest. So motorists park where they want, both on the road and even on the pavement (side walk). We now have the crazy situation where if you overstay your time in a designated car-park (which have car-park attendants) you will be fined. If you park on a double yellow line in the street you will get off scot-free. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/27 "2006-11-25T17:29:24Z")
Being a registered disabled and holder of a Blue badge I laugh 😃 at double yellows and other parking restrictions. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/28 "2006-11-25T17:32:45Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] Being a registered disabled and holder of a Blue badge I laugh 😃 at double yellows and other parking restrictions. [/QUOTE] But can’t you still be done for obstruction if you park in a “dangerous” position? For instance stopping a fire-engine from getting past . ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/29 "2006-11-25T18:12:44Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] There’s a place under British rule that drives on the right hand side of the road: British Indian Ocean Territory. Another interesting tidbit is the local currency is the US Dollar. [/QUOTE] The official currency is still the pound. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/30 "2006-11-25T18:25:53Z")
[QUOTE=Maastricht] [The Master speaks.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_021b.html) [/QUOTE] Cecil’s explanation doesn’t convince me at all. More plausible is that there was no particular left/right convention until traffic became heavy enough to benefit from one, and at that point a fairly arbitrary choice was made. People in the Middle Ages weren’t really wandering around with swords all the time, were they? Being an island, Britain never felt the need to conform to European practice (plus ca change). ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/31 "2006-11-25T18:38:08Z")
[QUOTE=Usram] Cecil’s explanation doesn’t convince me at all. More plausible is that there was no particular left/right convention until traffic became heavy enough to benefit from one, and at that point a fairly arbitrary choice was made. People in the Middle Ages weren’t really wandering around with swords all the time, were they? [/QUOTE] I agree that he’s unconvincing. Isn’t there surviving remains of a Roman quarry, somewhere, where it’s clear which side they drove the carts on, through heavier ruts created in paving by those leaving than entering? That kind of thing is likely to be arbitrary. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/32 "2006-11-25T20:53:03Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] The official currency is still the pound. [/QUOTE] [Actually, both the Pound and the Dollar are used](https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/io.html#Econ). ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/33 "2006-11-25T21:04:28Z")
But in the British Virgin Islands (IIRC) the US Dollar is the official currency. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/34 "2006-11-25T21:31:44Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] [Actually, both the Pound and the Dollar are used](https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/io.html#Econ). [/QUOTE] I didn’t say they weren’t. [QUOTE=Xema] But in the British Virgin Islands (IIRC) the US Dollar is the official currency. [/QUOTE] And in Bermuda, the Bermudian dollar is pegged 1:1 with the US$, and both sets of coins and notes are used interchangably. (It replaced the Bermudian pound, which had a similar relationship with sterling.) ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/35 "2006-11-25T23:17:12Z")
The Master covered all in his report, but one thing about the Wikipedia article puzzles me. Why did the Swedes have RHD cars on LHD roads (with the steering wheel on the left while driving on the same side) were the roads that narrow? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/36 "2006-11-25T23:25:23Z")
[QUOTE=Pushkin] The Master covered all in his report, but one thing about the Wikipedia article puzzles me. Why did the Swedes have RHD cars on LHD roads (with the steering wheel on the left while driving on the same side) were the roads that narrow? [/QUOTE] You mean LHD cars on left-driving roads? It’s mentioned in the Wikipedia article I linked to earlier, that these were in common use and a contributory factor in accidents. At that time, I’m guessing that the export market of Swedish manufacturers to Britain wasn’t anything like what it is today, so the market was dominated with vehicles built for the main European markets. And Cecil surely pulled the comment about not wanting to have to build two models out of his arse, because the other most obvious explanation for Sweden’s change is the border with Norway. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/37 "2006-11-25T23:26:28Z")
[QUOTE=Usram] People in the Middle Ages weren’t really wandering around with swords all the time, were they? [/QUOTE] I dunno. For the purposes of this question, the answer might be “Yes”. The longer answer is that while it’s true they weren’t “wandering around with swords all the time”, it’s also true that they weren’t doing much wandering around at all. Most people tended not to travel outside of their immediate village and surrounds. For those who did need to, however, I can imagine a sword being an essential piece of kit, much as we’d think of a seatbelt, and you’d probably have drifted towards the left of the road upon sighting a stranger approaching, without even really thinking of it. ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/38 "2006-11-25T23:31:30Z")
Just happened to be chatting to a friend from St Croix (USVI) today and she confirmed that they drive on the left, but that as opposed to the other English-speaking Caribbean islands where they drive on the left, all cars have the steering wheel on the left, as in countries where you drive on the right. She also gave me an interesting rundown on the USVI’s Danish colonial history. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/39 "2006-11-25T23:31:40Z")
[QUOTE=TheLoadedDog] For those who did need to, however, I can imagine a sword being an essential piece of kit, much as we’d think of a seatbelt, and you’d probably have drifted towards the left of the road upon sighting a stranger approaching, without even really thinking of it. [/QUOTE] Weren’t swords a fairly expensive item? Certainly to the point that they wouldn’t be a normal item to be carrying around in everyday situations. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573/40 "2006-11-25T23:33:36Z")
[QUOTE=Martha] Just happened to be chatting to a friend from St Croix (USVI) today and she confirmed that they drive on the left, but that as opposed to the other English-speaking Caribbean islands where they drive on the left, all cars have the steering wheel on the left, as in countries where you drive on the right. [/QUOTE] IIRC, in Bermuda there’s a mixture of right- and left-hand drive cars, simply depending on where they’ve been imported from. But the drivers are so awful, it makes no difference to road safety (or lack of). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-countries-drive-on-the-right-and-some-on-the-left/381573.md?page=3)