Why do some countries drive on the left? Left-hand traffic: origin, features, interesting facts
Historically, it happened that Most countries in the world have adopted the right-hand traffic rule.. But there are also a number of countries where traffic is on the left. The most ardent representatives are UK, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Africa and India. There is no exact data on why this happened, but there are many prerequisites that answer this question.
Thus, it is assumed that the first country in which left-hand traffic was adopted was England, since shipping was developed here and ships moved exclusively on the left. But first things first. In this article we will try to understand the rules of right-hand and left-hand traffic, describe their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the history of their occurrence.
1. History of steering wheel position
The history of traffic rules, and as a consequence the history of the steering wheel position, goes back to ancient times. Historians suggest that the Romans came across the first rules. Presumably that in 50 BC Gaius Julius Caesar created a number of rules, to whom the cab drivers, the so-called carriage drivers, had to obey.
Also, presumably in Rome there was a rule for driving on the left. This is evidenced by one of the found Roman denarius, which depicts two horsemen riding along the left side. Most likely this is due to the fact that most of the population is right-handed, including horsemen, and they were forced to hold weapons in their right hands.
When the times of knights, horsemen and carriages faded into the past, the question of traffic rules arose again, and accordingly on which side the steering wheel should be located. At the beginning of the 20th century, the first cars began to fill the streets en masse. At that time, driving on the right was adopted in most European countries. in England, Sweden and partly in Austria-Hungary- left-handed. In Italy the movement was mixed. All this did not pose a danger, since there were not many cars and their speed was minimal.
In countries with right-hand traffic, it is logical that the steering wheel was located on the right. It was believed that this would make it easier for the driver to overtake. Moreover, the right-hand steering wheel was reflected in the layout of the engine components. In order to reduce the length of the rods, the magneto was located on the right side of the engine. Over the years, the number of cars has increased, and the question of safety when overtaking has arisen. The first to produce a car with left-hand drive was the world-famous Ford corporation. In 1908, the legendary model "T".
After this, the Europeans who produced public cars also switched to “left-hand drive,” but manufacturers of high-speed brands maintained the “right-hand drive” rule. According to another assumption, it follows that the location of the steering wheel on the left side is convenient because the driver does not go out onto the roadway, but safely gets onto the sidewalk.
An interesting situation has developed in Sweden. Until 1967, traffic in this country was on the left, despite the fact that the steering wheel of cars was on the right side. But on September 3, 1967, all the cars stopped overnight and smoothly switched to driving on the right. To do this, the Swedes in the capital had to stop traffic for a day in order to change road signs.
2. The situation in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Australia
The situation with right-hand and left-hand traffic in different countries of the world developed differently. It is worth considering the most prominent representatives who, for many years, established traffic rules based not only on the location of the steering wheel, but also on the physiological characteristics of a person.
So, after the advent of cars in Europe, there was complete confusion, which was associated specifically with right-hand and left-hand traffic. Most countries adhered to the right-hand drive, which was adopted since the reign of Napoleon. At the same time, countries such as Great Britain, Sweden and partly Austria-Hungary adhered to left-hand traffic. As mentioned above, in Italy, each city had its own rules. Today, left-hand traffic is present in such European countries as Great Britain, Ireland, Malta, as well as Cyprus (if we consider it Europe).
In Asia
There are many more countries that drive on the left, including Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, Macau, Brunei, Bhutan, East Timor and the Maldives.
As for Africa, there are also several countries that drive on the left, namely: South Africa, Botswana, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia, Mozambique, Mauritius, as well as Swaziland and Lesotho.
The United States drove on the left until the end of the 18th century, when there was a gradual transition to driving on the right. There is an opinion that this change was facilitated by a general of French origin, who fought for the independence of the “states” from the British crown. As for Canada, until the 20s of the 20th century they drove on the left. But in Latin American countries such as Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, Suriname, as well as Antigua, Barbuda and the Bahamas, people still drive on the left.
Australia, which is the second country in the world in terms of the number of cars per capita, also supports left-hand traffic rules. Countries such as New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, as well as Nauru and Tonga.
While the UK is seen as the main culprit behind driving on the left, France has largely contributed to driving on the right. So, in 1789, during the Great French Revolution, a decree was issued in Paris, which clearly instructed all vehicles to move on the right side, that is, on the common side. Napoleon also played a significant role, who at one time ordered the army to stay on the right side. All this had an impact on many European countries.
3. The main differences between right- and left-hand traffic
Driving on the right and on the left suggests differences in vehicle designs. As a rule, the driver's seat and steering wheel are located on the left in cars that are designed for right-hand traffic, respectively, in cars for left-hand traffic, the driver's seat and steering wheel are on the right. There are also cars in which the driver's seat is located in the center, for example, the McLaren F1. They also have differences (left and right). But the arrangement of the pedals is in order, the brake, the gas were initially inherent in left-hand drive cars, and today they have become the standard for right-hand drive cars.
In general, the main rule of right-hand traffic is to stay on the right side, and left-hand traffic - to the left. Of course, for right-handed people it is initially quite difficult to switch to driving on the left, but it’s enough to try a few times and everything will quickly fall into place.
4. Disadvantages and advantages of driving on the left
When talking about the advantages and disadvantages of driving on the left, one cannot exclude the design of the car, since the safety of the driver and his passengers depends on it. Although right-hand drive cars are designed for left-hand traffic, they are also used in right-sided cases. Moreover, it is considered safe because in a collision the impact falls on the left side and the likelihood that the driver will not be injured is much higher.
Right-hand drive cars are stolen much less frequently (in countries with right-hand drive traffic) because many people consider them inconvenient and not functional. Also, the location of the steering wheel on the right side allows the driver to get out of the car not onto the roadway, but onto the sidewalk, which is also much safer.
The driver’s unusual gaze on the right side allows him to assess the situation on the road from a different angle., which can lead to a reduction in unforeseen situations. At the same time, there are a number of disadvantages that play an important role not only when driving on the left, but also when the steering wheel is on the right. So, overtaking in a right-hand drive car is quite inconvenient. The problem can be solved by installing a well-thought-out mirror system.
In general, the only disadvantage of driving on the left is its infrequency. Today, more than 66% of the population drive on the right, and switching to the left creates a number of inconveniences. Moreover, only 28% of the world's roads are left-hand drive. There are also no differences between left-hand traffic and right-hand traffic, it’s just that everything happens in a mirror image, which causes drivers who are accustomed to right-hand traffic to get confused.
There are also exceptions to the rules. Thus, in Odessa and St. Petersburg there are streets with left-hand traffic, which are designed to relieve the streets of a large number of cars.
If we paint countries with left-hand and right-hand traffic on a world map with different colors, we will see that there are much more of the latter. Statistics speak about this: 66% of the population travels on the right side of the road, while the remaining 34% travel on the left.
It is interesting that in ancient times the situation was the opposite: left-hand traffic was mainly observed. It is known that throughout the Roman Empire, left-hand traffic was used, for which a lot of evidence has been found, ranging from ancient Roman images to studies of the ruts of ancient Roman roads. This can be explained by the fact that most people are right-handed, which means that, having caught up with a stranger on the road, in case of danger it was more convenient to grab a weapon with your right hand and immediately be ready for a skirmish. Probably, this rule, adopted for the movement of Roman troops, was soon taken up by other citizens of the empire. Imitating the Romans, driving on the left was used in most ancient states.
The modern division of the world into left-hand traffic (blue) and right-hand traffic
After the fall of the Roman Empire, some general norms that had previously regulated movement over a vast territory ceased to exist, so the physiological characteristics of a person came to the fore: for charioteers, most of whom were right-handed, it was more convenient to drive on the right side, so that on narrow roads When passing oncoming traffic, you can more confidently control horses with a strong hand, directing them to the side. Over the centuries, this habit has become established as a norm of social movement in many countries.
In 1776, the first traffic regulations were issued in Europe. The country that accepted it was Britain, which established on its territory... left-hand traffic. Historians are still arguing about what exactly caused this decision. Perhaps this was done in order to “separate” from the rest of the right-wing Europe, with the leading countries of which Britain was in confrontation. Or, perhaps, officials simply adopted the law from the army naval admiralty, which ordered oncoming ships of the English crown to diverge to starboard.
The introduction of left-hand traffic in a small metropolis by geographical standards affected the vast territories of the colonies of the British Empire, as well as allied countries. First of all, these are the territories of what is now India, Australia and Pakistan, where, by analogy with Britain, left-hand traffic is still used to this day.
![](https://i0.wp.com/mydiscoveries.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Kungsgatan_1967-Ratioed.jpg)
On the other side was France with its allies, who began to use right-hand traffic. Legislatively in many European countries it was established during the time of Napoleon. As usual, the colonies of European states followed their center, which divided the world into two camps, the echoes of which we see to this day.
In Russia and neighboring countries, the rule of right-hand traffic developed spontaneously, and, interestingly, the country adopted the law on right-hand traffic earlier than European states - in 1756 during the reign of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.
Illustration: depositphotos | lunamarina
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Prerequisites
Walking is on the right side. Apparently, most people (unarmed) walk to the right.
Leading a horse and pulling a cart is right-handed. In this case, it is more convenient for a person to be on the side of oncoming traffic than on the side of the road - on the one hand, this allows him to avoid a collision, on the other hand, he can stop and talk with the oncoming person.
After they stopped driving on the roads with weapons and suspecting everyone was an enemy, right-hand traffic spontaneously began to take shape on the roads, which was mainly due to human physiology, a significant difference in the strength and dexterity of different hands in the techniques of driving heavy horse-drawn carriages pulled by several horses. The peculiarity of man affected that most people are right-handed. When traveling on a narrow road, it was easier to direct the carriage to the right to the side of the road or the edge of the road, pulling on the reins with the right hand, that is, with the strongest hand, holding the horses. It is probably for this simple reason that the tradition and then the norm of passing on the roads arose first. This norm eventually became established as the norm for driving on the right.
In Russia, back in the Middle Ages, the rule of right-hand traffic developed spontaneously and was observed as natural human behavior. The Danish envoy to Peter I, Just Yul, wrote in 1709 that “in Russia everywhere it is customary for carts and sleighs, when meeting each other, to pass each other, keeping to the right side.” In 1752, the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued a decree introducing right-hand traffic for carriages and cab drivers on the streets of Russian cities.
In the West, the first law regulating left- or right-hand traffic was the English Bill of 1756, according to which traffic on London Bridge had to be on the left side. Violation of this rule was subject to an impressive fine - a pound of silver. And 20 years later, the historical “Road Act” was published in England, which introduced left-hand traffic on all roads in the country. The same left-hand traffic was adopted on the railway. In 1830, traffic on the first Manchester-Liverpool railway line was on the left.
There is another theory about the appearance of initially left-hand traffic. Some historians suggest that it was more convenient to ride on the left side in the days when horse-drawn teams appeared, where the coachmen sat on top. So, when they were driving the horses, the whip of the right-handed coachman could accidentally hit passers-by who were walking along the sidewalk. That is why horse-drawn carriages often drove on the left.
Great Britain is considered the main “culprit” of “leftism”, which then influenced many countries of the world. According to one version, she introduced the same order on her roads from maritime rules, that is, at sea, an oncoming ship allowed another one to pass, which was approaching from the right.
The influence of Great Britain affected the order of traffic in its colonies, therefore, in particular, in countries such as India, Pakistan, Australia, left-hand traffic was adopted. In 1859, Queen Victoria's ambassador, Sir R. Alcock, persuaded the Tokyo authorities to also adopt left-hand traffic.
Driving on the right is often associated with France, with its influence on many other countries. During the French Revolution of 1789, a decree issued in Paris ordered that people move along the “common” right side. A little later, Napoleon consolidated this position by ordering the military to keep to the right, so that anyone who met the French army would give way to it. Further, this order of movement, oddly enough, was associated with big politics at the beginning of the 19th century. Those who supported Napoleon - Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain. On the other hand, those who opposed Napoleonic army: Britain, Austria-Hungary, Portugal - turned out to be “leftists”. The influence of France was so great that it influenced many countries in Europe, and they switched to driving on the right. However, in England, Portugal, Sweden and some other countries, traffic remains on the left. In Austria, a curious situation has developed. In some provinces, traffic was on the left, while in others it was on the right. It was only after the Anschluss in the 1930s by Germany that the entire country switched to right-hand driving.
At first, there was left-hand traffic in the USA. But by the end of the 18th century there was a gradual transition to right-hand traffic. It is believed that the Americans were “convinced” to switch to driving on the right by the French general Marie-Joseph Lafayette, who made a significant contribution to the fight for independence from the British crown. At the same time, in a number of Canadian provinces, left-hand traffic remained until the 1920s.
At various times, many countries adopted driving on the left, but they switched to new rules. For example, due to the proximity to countries that were former French colonies and drive on the right, the rules were changed by the former British colonies in Africa. In Czechoslovakia (formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), left-hand traffic was maintained until 1938. North Korea and South Korea switched from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1946, after the end of the Japanese occupation.
One of the last countries to switch from driving on the left to driving on the right was Sweden. This happened in 1967. Preparations for the reform began back in 1963, when the Swedish parliament formed the State Commission for the Transition to Right-Hand Driving, which was supposed to develop and implement a set of measures to ensure such a transition. On September 3, 1967, at 4:50 a.m., all vehicles were required to stop, change sides of the road, and continue driving at 5:00 a.m. For the first time after the transition, a special speed limit mode was installed.
After the advent of cars in Europe, real leapfrog was happening. Most countries drove on the right side - this custom has been imposed since the time of Napoleon. However, in England, Sweden and even part of Austria-Hungary, driving on the left reigned. And in Italy, different cities generally had different rules!
As for the location of the steering wheel, on the first cars in most cases it was on the “wrong” right side for us. Moreover, regardless of which side the cars were driving on. This was done so that the driver could better see the car being overtaken. In addition, with this steering wheel arrangement, the driver could get out of the car directly onto the sidewalk, and not onto the roadway.
The first mass-produced car with a “correct” steering wheel was the Ford T.
Countries that changed the movement
At various times, many countries adopted left-hand traffic, but due to the inconvenience associated with the fact that the neighbors of these countries had right-hand traffic, they switched to right-hand traffic. The most famous day in history was H-Day in Sweden, when the country switched from driving on the left to driving on the right.
The former British colonies in Africa Sierra Leone, Gambia, Nigeria and Ghana also changed their left-hand drive to right-hand drive due to their proximity to former French colonies that drive on the right. Conversely, the former Portuguese colony of Mozambique changed from right-hand drive to left-hand drive due to its proximity to former British colonies. North Korea and South Korea switched from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1946, after the end of the Japanese occupation.
Countries with left-hand traffic
Changing sides at the border
At the borders of countries with different directions of traffic, road junctions are built, sometimes quite impressive.
Special cases
First cars
On cars produced at the beginning of the 20th century, the location of the steering wheel had not yet been completely determined: often the driver’s seat was made from the sidewalk (that is, they made the steering wheel on the right when driving on the right and on the left when driving on the left). Subsequently, the standard became the location of the steering wheel on the side opposite the sidewalk - this provides better visibility when overtaking; In addition, when using the car as a taxi, it makes boarding and disembarking passengers more convenient and safe.
Postal cars
Cars for collecting mail are often made with an “incorrect” steering wheel position (for example, such an IZH van was produced in the USSR). This is done for the convenience of the driver, who can now go directly onto the sidewalk and not be exposed to unnecessary danger.
Bahamas
Historically, the Bahamas drives on the left side of the road, but most cars drive on the islands on the left hand drive due to the proximity of the United States, from where such cars are constantly imported.
Russia - East
Regardless of the position of the driver's seat, the headlights are adjusted so that the light is directed slightly towards the side of the road - in order to illuminate pedestrians and not blind oncoming drivers.
However, the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic says that a car temporarily entering a country must comply with the technical standards of the country in which it is being driven. registered.
Other types of transport
Aircraft
For a number of reasons (imperfect ignition systems and carburetors, which often caused engine stalls, strict weight restrictions), aircraft of the First World War had exclusively rotary engines - the engine star rotates with the propeller, and the fuel-oil mixture is supplied through a hollow, stationary crankshaft. In such engines, the heavy crankcase played the role of a flywheel. The screw, as a rule, was used on the right, rotating clockwise. Due to the large mass of the engine, a reverse torque arose, tending to create a left bank for the aircraft, so turns to the left were performed more energetically. Because of this, many aviation maneuvers were based on left turns - hence the left seat of the pilot.
With the improvement of ignition systems, rotary engines gave way to two-row and star-shaped ones, in which the reverse torque is many times less. The pilots (already peaceful) navigated along the existing roads (and in desert areas where there were no roads, they made furrows). When planes (with an established left seat) flying along the road towards each other needed to miss each other, the pilots turned to the right - hence right-hand traffic with the left seat of the main pilot.
There is another reason related to anatomy: the pilot holds the control stick with his right hand in front of him at chest level, his left hand is lower, approximately at the level of the armrest, and controls the engine using the throttle. In this position, it is more convenient to look down from the left side, since the right hand extended in front of you prevents you from leaning to the right.
Helicopters and ships
Almost everywhere (except for inland rivers) driving is on the left with the seat on the right. This allows you to see traffic on the starboard side (which should be skipped).
The chief pilot's seat on the only production tiltrotor V-22 Osprey is on the right, “helicopter-style.”
Railroad and metro
The pioneer of railway transport is Great Britain, which imposed left-hand railway traffic on many countries (France, Israel, Russia). Later, Russia switched to right-hand drive, but even now some of the old Russian lines are left-hand drive. In Germany, railway traffic has historically been on the right. That's why in Alsace-Lorraine (which belonged to Germany before the First World War), trains still travel on the right.
It is not uncommon for escalators to move on the left side in order to reduce the intersection of human flows, or for the convenience of organizing the upper lobby.
Notes
see also
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2010.
Have you ever wondered why people drive on the left in England? Well, in all well-known and frequently visited countries, drivers drive on the right side, but otherwise. Why?
A tribute to tradition? But where did this habit come from and why did it stick?
In general, it should be noted that the tradition of moving along the street arose long before humanity invented the car.
Imagine such a warrior: a middle-aged man, dressed in armor, proudly sits on a well-groomed horse, in whose left hand a gigantic shield glistens in the sun. Let's think further. Most people on the planet are right-handed. It naturally follows that in the event of the slightest danger, the right hand was ready at any moment to snatch the sword from its sheath. Accordingly, we had to stick to the right side when moving. It is more comfortable.
But why didn’t the inhabitants of present-day Great Britain follow this principle? Let's look at another hypothesis.
Why do people drive on the left in England? Version two
There is an opinion that this fact is directly related to driving and crews. The streets were so unsuitable for driving that it was impossible for two drivers to pass each other. Someone definitely had to give way. For this purpose, they came up with a special rule, according to which, when meeting, everyone had to direct their crew towards the right side of the road.
Why right? Most likely, this was again due to the fact that for the majority of the inhabitants of our planet, the right hand still dominates the left, which is why the reins were pulled with it.
This happened throughout Europe, so historians came to the conclusion that the tradition was preserved even after the advent of radically new means of transportation, the first cars.
And this option, apparently, by some completely absurd accident, also did not affect Foggy Albion.
Why do people drive on the left in England? Version three
Now I propose to think about why neither the first nor the second version works in this state. But it is precisely this that is the legislator of left-hand traffic. It probably has something to do with its island location. The country was, and continues to be, connected with the continent mainly through sea routes. Shipping was actively developing there. Those. The life of the country was largely subordinated to the maritime department, which once issued a decree that all ships must keep to the left when moving.
After some time, this law extended to the roads that were emerging everywhere, and later to countries that at different times came under the influence of Great Britain.
I also had to deal with such a point of view that, they say, the government of a given country was very concerned about the safety of its pedestrian citizens, therefore, in order not to accidentally hit a pedestrian with a whip, the driver had to drive his cart or carriage, sticking to the left sides.
In which countries does driving on the left still exist?
I note that in our country, a single right-hand traffic (for pedestrians, cab drivers and carriages) was adopted in 1752 as a result of the decree of the Russian Empress
In general, there have been quite frequent cases in the world when the entire country had to re-adapt to new rules. Why? If a state was neighboring and actively maintained economic relations with its neighbors driving on the right, the government sooner or later had to decide to adopt common rules. For example, the former British colonies in Africa had to do the same. And after the end of the Japanese occupation, the direction of movement was changed to South Korea and the DPRK.
The very last country on this list was Sweden, whose government approached this issue very consciously and carefully planned the entire necessary list of actions in advance. Four years before the introduction of the reform, a special commission was created, which was supposed to develop and then implement a whole range of necessary measures. And finally, at the beginning of September 1967, at exactly 4:50 local time, all transport in the country was obliged to stop and 10 minutes later resume movement, but on the right side of the road. In addition, at first a special speed-limiting mode was introduced.
Are there any other countries that drive on the left? Yes. Moreover, these states are located quite far from each other. Judge for yourself: Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, Ireland, Singapore, South Africa, Japan and a number of countries on the African continent.
Residents of these countries, of course, take this unusual direction of travel for granted, but tourists are most often advised not to take risks, but to try to resort to the services of local drivers or taxi drivers.
Currently, in Russia and many other countries, driving on the roads is on the right. There are also countries that drive on the left. In the modern world, these are Ireland, Great Britain, Japan, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and a number of African countries. Let's try to figure out why this particular situation has arisen.
The traditions of driving on the left and on the right began long before the invention of the automobile.
According to one version, right-hand traffic arose in Europe during the Middle Ages, when not cars, but riders on horses rode along narrow roads between settlements. They were all armed. The riders held a shield in their left hand to protect themselves in case of a surprise attack, which is why they stayed on the right side. There is another version of the emergence of right-hand traffic: when horse-drawn carts passed each other, it was easier to direct the crew to the side of the road to the right, pulling the reins with the right hand, which is more developed in most people. Years have passed, the means of transportation have changed, but the tradition remains...
Driving on the left is believed to have originated in England. This island state was connected with the outside world only by sea routes, and shipping was actively developing. To streamline the movement of ships, the maritime department issued a decree according to which ships were required to keep to the left. Later, this rule extended to highways and also to all countries under British influence. Some still adhere to it. Another version connects the tradition of driving on the left with the fact that when horse-drawn carriages moved along the streets, the coachman held a whip in his right hand and, while driving the horses, could hit pedestrians. Therefore, the crews had to drive on the left side.
As for our country, in 1752, the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued a decree introducing right-hand traffic for carriages and cab drivers on the streets of Russian cities.
At various times, many countries adopted driving on the left, but they switched to new rules. For example, due to the proximity to countries that were former French colonies and drive on the right, the rules were changed by the former British colonies in Africa. North Korea and South Korea switched from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1946, after the end of the Japanese occupation.
One of the last countries to switch from driving on the left to driving on the right was Sweden. This happened in 1967. Preparations for the reform began back in 1963, when the Swedish parliament formed the State Commission for the Transition to Right-Hand Driving, which was supposed to develop and implement a set of measures to ensure such a transition. On September 3, 1967, at 4:50 a.m., all vehicles were required to stop, change sides of the road, and continue driving at 5:00 a.m. For the first time after the transition, a special speed limit mode was installed.
Tourists who come to a country where traffic is unusual for them are advised not to drive a car themselves for safety reasons, but to use the services of a driver.