Drive safely!

[PeteH]

Interesting film.

Seems odd though that nearly all the cars are right hand drive! Was this the case in 1905 US? Even at that time I thought they were one of the largest manufacturers of cars and from the film it is clear that driving on the right was well established.

Can any of our American cousins explain?

Pete

[airboatr]

I can't remember, I think it was the fact that most people are right handed and the natural use of right hand operation
of the controls.... or some practice of industry ..

but in that time period, cars in the US were made both ways . the rule was still waiting for the ... measure of thumb ?

[DispatchDragon]

Legend says that left hand drive came from the days of Muleskinners and Stagecoaches
to allow the guard to sit on the right side allowing him free use of his right hand (trigger hand)

so the driver sat on the left.

Damned if I know if its tru but sounds plauible

Leif

[PeteH]

Now, I always thought that drivers of horse drawn vehicles sat on the right to allow them free use of the whip, which was held in the right hand, over the side of the vehicle !

The explanation is now lost in the mists of time now I suppose.

Pete

[bobdawkins]

Interesting film.

Seems odd though that nearly all the cars are right hand drive! Was this the case in 1905 US? Even at that time I thought they were one of the largest manufacturers of cars and from the film it is clear that driving on the right was well established.

Can any of our American cousins explain?

Pete

this film is being played back to front hence wrong side driving

[speedbird591]

The explanation is now lost in the mists of time now I suppose.

There doesn't seem to be a definitive explanation, but I found some interesting facts on Wiki. In 1998 archaeologists unearthed a Roman road in Wiltshire, UK which led to a quarry. The cart tracks were deeper on the left exiting the quarry when the carts were full. This suggests that the Romans drove on the left and as they invented roads (what did the Romans ever do for us?) I think they had every right to make up the rules

The first written regulation concerned London Bridge in 1756 requiring horse traffic to keep to the left and this was extended by The Highway Act of 1773 as a recommendation everywhere. It became the law in The Highway Act of 1835. It still doesn't explain why the rest of the Holy Roman Empire (including Rome!) went the other way

The colonial explanation is that mentioned by Leif. In the late 1700s a teamster rode postillion on the rear left horse of a team (so he could use his right, whip hand more effectively) and preferred passing wagons to be on his left so that he could easier avoid colliding with them. As they were the biggest vehicles around I guess it made sense to adopt their lead.

Ian

[Nigel H-J]

Further to Ians' post you might find this interesting regarding Americans driving on the right.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5503581_ameri ... -side.html

Nigel.

[nigelb]

Interesting post Nigel Ist - I always thought it was the sword at the ready thing. So why does the US drive on the right? Since most of us are right handed looks like we should be on the left so we can draw our guns and clear away any impediments to our progress. Yea, the "American" way!

Oh, I noticed in the Gibraltar "Strangest Airports" picture the traffic appears to driving on the right - anybody know if that is correct or am I going blind.

Nigel²

[Garry Russell]

AFAIK Gibralta ias the same as the UK so the means crossing the road at the border

[Garry Russell]

India and most of Africa are on the left as well as Indonesia, Australasia and Japan

This also mentions American cars being built before 1910 with right side steering wheels even thought they drove on the right.

http://www.i18nguy.com/driver-side.html