Which side of the road do you drive?

[vita32]

I've heard that in Great Britain, people drive on the left side of the road while here in the U.S.A. people drive on the right side. Filipinos drive on the right side also. Do people from Spain drive on the right side of the road also? What other countries require drivers to drive on the left side?

[Perikles]

It is true - sensible people drive on the left, as in the UK and Japan. This is because when confronting oncoming horseriders, you can defend yourself with a sword, if you are right-handed.

Countries conquered by Napoleon all drive on the other side. So obviously, the USA and mainland Europe.

In Tenerife, they usually compromise by driving in the middle of the road.

[vita32]

Originally Posted by Perikles

It is true - sensible people drive on the left, as in the UK and Japan. This is because when confronting oncoming horseriders, you can defend yourself with a sword, if you are right-handed.

Countries conquered by Napoleon all drive on the other side. So obviously, the USA and mainland Europe.

In Tenerife, they usually compromise by driving in the middle of the road.

That makes sense. So this means even before the invention of automobiles, during the "horse and buggy" days, England also drives on the left side? I don't know when the U.S.A. started driving on the right side

Driving in the middle of the road??

[pjt33]

I've heard that in India and Pakistan, and possibly many other countries, you drive on the part of the road which has fewest potholes, whether that's left, middle, or right.

[ookami]

Right... or...

Left hand = fast - less fast, less fast and... Right hand = slow

[vita32]

Originally Posted by pjt33

i've heard that in india and pakistan, and possibly many other countries, you drive on the part of the road which has fewest potholes, whether that's left, middle, or right.

) ) )

Originally Posted by Perikles

It is true - sensible people drive on the left, as in the UK and Japan. This is because when confronting oncoming horseriders, you can defend yourself with a sword, if you are right-handed.

Countries conquered by Napoleon all drive on the other side. So obviously, the USA and mainland Europe.

In Tenerife, they usually compromise by driving in the middle of the road.

That is assuming that the horserider is meeting you or passing you on the right side, but what if the horseman is from USA or Mainland Europe?

[aleCcowaN]

Argentina:
left side until June 10th 1945
right side since that date.

Here we don't know of swords. It is explained that, as people walking took the streets near the walls and carts and horses took the center, left side was chosen to avoid the drivers and riders have the walkers whipped.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Perikles

It is true - sensible people drive on the left, as in the UK and Japan. This is because when confronting oncoming horseriders, you can defend yourself with a sword, if you are right-handed.

Countries conquered by Napoleon all drive on the other side. So obviously, the USA and mainland Europe.

In Tenerife, they usually compromise by driving in the middle of the road.

In Chile is supposed to be the right side, but as you say of Tenerife, it's all about alternatives.

[Feliz]

Originally Posted by Perikles

It is true - sensible people drive on the left, as in the UK and Japan. This is because when confronting oncoming horseriders, you can defend yourself with a sword, if you are right-handed.

Countries conquered by Napoleon all drive on the other side. So obviously, the USA and mainland Europe.

In Tenerife, they usually compromise by driving in the middle of the road.

Very good! ¡Muy bien!

Originally Posted by pjt33

I've heard that in India and Pakistan, and possibly many other countries, you drive on the part of the road which has fewest potholes, whether that's left, middle, or right.

pjt33: Now that you mention it, that explains the chaos in the streets I've observed in the documentaries that I have seen over the years. Muy interesante. It never occurred to me there could be good reason for the lack of order in the streets. Hmm.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by Perikles

It is true - sensible people drive on the left, as in the UK and Japan. This is because when confronting oncoming horseriders, you can defend yourself with a sword, if you are right-handed.

Countries conquered by Napoleon all drive on the other side. So obviously, the USA and mainland Europe.

In Tenerife, they usually compromise by driving in the middle of the road.

I've been told that the reason is that when there were carriages in the street, as the coachmen used to be right-handed, the whip could hit a pedestrian if they drove by the right.

Here people drive on the right, but as everybody is in a hurry , you can see most of the cars driving on the left to pass the other cars (you wouldn't imagine what I've seen on the roads!).

I think people drive on the left in Australia, too. But I'm not sure.

That question of driving in the middle of the road must be typical from the islands. Everybody in Palma de Mallorca drives in the middle, and that was a problem the first time I drove there with my new driver license.