2006-11-26 14:27:42 · 13 answers · asked by Bashful Reader 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
They don't.
In Europe, only the British and the Irish drive on the left. You've been watching the wrong movies.
Then there's Japan, India, Cyprus, Australia, New Zealand ... anywhere where the Brits were involved.
Note that early American cars were right-hand-drive, as were Wells Fargo's stage coaches - driver on the right, shotgun guy on the left.
2006-11-26 14:32:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most of Europe drives on the right, same as in Canada and the USA. I actually thought Europe drove on the left for the longest time as well and I used to think that driving on the right was only a North American thing. However there are some European countries other than the UK that drive on the left. Ireland, Cyprus, and Malta all drive on the left as well.
2014-05-31 11:13:17 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They wanted to change it about 50 years ago in Australia but it was decided it was better to drive with your right hand on the wheel and you left controlling the gears. Apparently scientifically it gives you more control of the steering wheel.
Apparently they wanted to change it in the states too many many years ago, but just like the metric system they were too scared of change.
Wikipedia Exert:
Research in 1969 by J.J. Leeming showed that countries that drive on the left had a lower accident rate than countries that drive on the right
It has been suggested, but not proven, that this is partly because it is more common to be right-eye dominant.[3][4][5] Traffic flows in a clockwise direction when driving on the left which enables right eyed people to use the right eye to see oncoming traffic. When overtaking on a right-side-driving road, the right-eyed driver looks in the wing mirror with the left eye and also views the oncoming traffic with the left eye which is not suited to the majority right-eyed people.
2006-11-26 15:45:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a matter of neccesity. When roads were made for carts and wagons there wasnt really a committe of all the countries in the world to decide what type of roads people should build and on what side they should go on. Americans felt it nessecary to build them on the right and vice versa for the rest of the world.
Oh an whoever said that Europe drives on the right is smokin something....
2006-11-26 14:31:30 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, MOST of Europe drive on the right hand side. Only Ireland and the U.K. drive on the opposite. Look at British history. Go read the posted source, specifically under "Myths and Miscellaneous Facts."
2006-11-26 14:44:58 · answer #5 · answered by Batch D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
do some research, the UK drives on the left along, with japan, austrailia, jamica and sevral other countries.
Europe drives on the right side of the road...
2006-11-26 14:30:22 · answer #6 · answered by southernboy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only in the UK do they do that. The rest of Europe drives on the right like we do.
2006-11-26 14:30:18 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
what i want to know is like if you go from one country to the next that switch which side of the street you drive on, like how do they get you to the other side??
2006-11-26 14:35:41 · answer #8 · answered by noname446 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know, that's why I got on this site.......I'm watching a movie right now,takes place in Austrailia and they are driving on the left. opp of the U.S.
2014-11-08 14:17:58 · answer #9 · answered by mlecher2002 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
here's a good answer from straightdope.com
2006-11-26 14:30:11 · answer #10 · answered by hot.turkey 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋