What are the advantages of right-hand drive compared to left-hand drive or vice versa?

Question

Cant there be a universal road system of left (or right) -hand drive highways

Answer 1

There are no inherent advantages in this day and age. The distinction is traditional and dates to medieval times. It's a bigger problem in Europe and a few other places where you have to change lanes at the border. There are islands in the Caribbean that feature vehicles with the steering wheel on the left side on left-hand roads. Right turns in traffic are a real scream down there!

Answer 2

Well, maybe there COULD someday be a highway sysem where everyone drives on one side or another, but in the meantime we have left-hand drive in England, Jamaica, Hong Kong and other places, and right-hand drive elsewhere. If you drive on the right, left-hand drives are best (for passing, for example), while the opposite is true if somewhere uses left-hand drives. There's nothing worse than using a left-hand drive car in a left-hand highway system, for then passing becomes a game of chicken--it's hard to see ahead without moving the car into the opposite lane. Drivers from Hong Kong, however, have no real problem switching over to right-hand highways in Mainland China, and vice versa, and do it every day. I doubt that there's any advantage of one side over the other.

Answer 3

It all depends on ones perspective. Being the owner of a R.H. drive J-spec Fairlady Z, I find much comfort in ripping down the shoulder of the road on American highways and county roads.
I know that by hugging the curb, my car is noticeably further away from oncoming traffic, and as long as the other guy does not take up half of your lane, your all good!
On average, most vehicles are occupied by a SINGLE driver. If R.H. drive was the standard in the U.S. it would mean the single occupants would be at the FURTHEST distance from one another in the event of a head-on collision! and vise verse with the European standard.
I think it's safer and makes good sense. Someone messed it up long ago.

Answer 4

Its easier for a right handed person to drive a stickshift when the driver is to the left of the stick and vice versa.

Answer 5

In the N. Hemisphere hurricanes move in an anti-clockwise direction. Therefore, cars should be right-hand drive because when they pass each other they create a clockwise air movement - therefore not contributing to possible hurricanes.
The reverse apply to S. Hemisphere - they should have left-hand drive cars.
But in reality, countries stick to the system set by or in opposition to their colonial masters - and it costs too much to change.

Answer 6

right hand drive just looks cool!