2006-06-06 01:09:47 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
when cars were invented it was necessary to choose a side to put the steering wheel on.
the ford motor corporation chose to locate their steering wheels on the left side of the car, making it necessary to drive on the right side of the road (so that the driver would be nearer to oncoming traffic than to the kerb).
several other companies chose to locate their steering columns on the right.
in the us and its dependencies ford was the main producer of cars, so driving on the right became the norm.
in some other countries there was confusion over which side of the road to drive on for a surprisingly long time.
but in the uk and its dependencies (including much of africa) the most important car maker was rolls royce - a right-hand drive company - so british possessions drove on the left.
a few european countries still drove on the left until they were occupied by the germans and made to change sides.
2006-06-06 01:34:59 · answer #1 · answered by synopsis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The right or wrong side is just an opinion. As long as you drive on the side of the road as anybody else you are on the right side of the road
2006-06-06 08:13:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of the world drives on the right side of the road in Britain we drive on the correct side.
2006-06-06 08:23:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Driving on the left is a continuation of the medieval 'tradition' that knights (or folks with money) rode horses on the left so that their sword arm was free to the road ... the peasantry were compelled to walk on the right. On the continent of Europe this was the case up until the French Revolution when eve walking on the left was evidence that you were gentry! I suppose it was standardised to be opposite from the UK system - the rest of mainland Europe pretty much standardised ... I think Sweden was the last to change not that long ago.
Many of the British colonies were 'encouraged' to go with the British system and have stayed that way.
I am not sure how the US came to be that way but I expect it was to be opposite to the British!
Hope that helps
2006-06-06 08:16:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well its like this
The british soldiers used to ride thier horses on the left of the road cos they had thier swords in the right... so this tradition was carried forward...
so all the countries that were ruled by britishers followed this and drive on the left side of the road... other countries drive on the right side of the road
2006-06-06 08:13:43 · answer #5 · answered by Rajesh B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Driving on the right side of the road came about because on the continents, horse drawn carts were walked next to and the reins were held in the right hand. Individuals walked on the inside so that they could see to pass without mishap.
On Island countries, warriors passed one another right hand to right hand carrying their sword. The UK and japan continue this tradition.
2006-06-06 08:49:07 · answer #6 · answered by mykidsRmylife 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I bet that the people that are driving on what you call "the wrong side of the road", are asking the same about us.
2006-06-06 08:12:55 · answer #7 · answered by kellyv9123 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When in Rome behave like the romans.By the way,how do u know if the side u drive on is the right side?huh?
2006-06-06 11:19:18 · answer #8 · answered by beibe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To them it is the correct side of the road. I would agree it makes for problems for manufacturers of motor vehicles, but we need to find out how this came about in the early days of motoring, rather than assume we are in the right and the others are in the wroing.
2006-06-06 08:14:52 · answer #9 · answered by brucebirchall 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they build cars with the steering wheel on the wrong side
2006-06-06 12:19:56 · answer #10 · answered by deadrat 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋