Why do Canadians drive on the right hand side of the road?

Question

Might seem like a silly question, but I think most commonwealth countries drive on the left (Just like mother England!).
Why / when did Canada decide that they would drive on the right (was it because of the French connection?)

I just want to add that the rest of the world do not drive on the Right. India, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Uk and Ireland drive on the left. And many African countries. But I guess it's getting less and less.

Oh, I've now heard that Ireland are going to change and start driving on the Right Hand Side....... they are going to start with the trucks and if it goes well, the cars will follow.

Answer 1

the reasons are two fold
1. most people are right handed in an old country the weapon of choice was the sword . if you were to draw a sword right handed to face an adversary you would prefer to be to the left of them. in younger countries the weapon of choice is the hand gun when drawn with right hand you would want to be to the right of your adversary.
2. because of [1] u.s. wagon [studebaker] and auto makers put the driver on the left hand side of said vehicles the reason canada followed suit is because;[A] u.s. autos are widely available and cheap to import [B] are manufactured in canada [C] until the early 1970's were the only vehicles best suited for long distance travel under canada's extreme conditions
note studebaker built wagons for the westward movement long before any automobiles were built, they and most other american and canadian coach makers were left hand drive

Answer 2

Probably for the same reason that the Americans do. Despite what they show in the cowboy movies, when settlers set out across America with their wagons the wagon driver sat on one of the house, not at the front of the wagon (which would have wasted carrying space). Because most people are right handed they would sit on the left hand side horse so they could use their stronger right hand to control the horse beside them. So sitting on the right side of a vehicle became the norm in North America.

In Europe the norm was to drive on the left. This dated from the middle ages when pilgrims were told by the Pope to pass on the left in order to indicate to those approaching them they they had no ill intent. Again, most people being right handed, carried their weapons in their right hand and their shield in their left. So, if they were intending to fight they would position their opponent to their left so they could swing their weapon around their shield . Passing on the left made this aggressive posture more difficult.

This was the norm until Napoleon fell out with the pope and decreed that everywhere within his Empire should drive on the right. Over time, convenience caused this to spread to other parts on mainland Europe (Sweden didn't change to the right until the late 1960s/1970's).

Answer 3

Every one spoons Napoleon for telling everybody to stop spooning the pope. If you have a hand gun aren't you still better of travelling on left for a better draw if you're right handed? Also Canada did have one more country next it (used to) newfound land and Halifax remained a colony even though Canada was independent.

Answer 4

i grew to become into there some years in the past, and went for acontinual. got here on the threshold of turning right into a statistic. Why? behavior die confusing! I appeared to the left to make certain if any autos have been coming, and because there have been not, I moved into site visitors. Coming from the place I wasn't finding have been 2 great automobiles. much less risky, yet additionally embarrassing...what i concept grew to become into the turn sign grew to become out to be the windshield wipers. I felt distinctly stupid attempting to alter lanes. i don't understand of a simulator. purely "forewarned is forearmed".

Answer 5

Canada despite common perception is not part of the British empire. They follow most of the rest of the world and drive on the right side of the road.

Answer 6

Because USA think it is safer if you can see what the opposite traffic drivers are doing, so many countries followed.

Answer 7

I was told the reason we Brits drive on the left is that in the days of the Knights they rode on the left of the lanes so they could use their right hand if they needed to draw their swords.The other reason being when I smoke I can hold my cigarette in my right hand and flick it out of the window.

Answer 8

Napolean was responsible for right hand drive in Europe. Henry Ford was responsible for rhd in North America.

Answer 9

U.S. influence? I can't imagine driving from U.S. to Canada and having to switch sides.

Answer 10

Wouldn't it be pretty dumb to have to change sides of the road when you cross the US Canadian border? We're a lot closer to Canada than any other commonwealth country. My question is why did the Brits have to go contrary to everyone else and drive on the left side of the road???????????????