why do the brits drive on the left not the right?

Question

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Answer 1

Brits (and others) drive on the left, because we always used to mount a horse from its left side, so you would move off in the direction it was facing.

We mounted the horse from the left side because we wore swords on the left side. This means we did not have to lift the sword over the back of the horse and get it tangled with the right leg.

We wore swords on the left hand side because we would draw them and wield them with the right hand - hand across body to draw sword - if you wear a sword on the right side and draw it with the right hand you are holding it backwards!

So we drive on the left because we are right handed.

Logical - Why do the Yanks drive on the right?

Answer 2

One of the more accepted reasons is that, since most people are right-handed, then in order to ward off highwaymen and other undesirables, back in the old days of horse and cart/carriage, driving on the left of the carriageway/cart track, freed the driver's right hand for using a sword.
There is some logic behind this explanation because the right hand of the majority of people is their natural 'controlling' hand (think of using a mouse), hence steering a car with the right hand is probably more sensible, leaving the left hand free for manual gear change, etc. Also, in most fighter aircraft, the control column is operated by the pilot's right hand, and the throttle/s (power lever/s) by the left. It is such a natural configuration.

The (apparent and believable!) reason why Europeans drive on the left stems from Napolean's wish to be different from his arch enemy, the English - so he ordered that carriages, carts, horses would use the right side of the 'road'. No doubt in gratitude to the French for their invaluable assistance during the War of Independence, the Americans adopted the same 'drive on the right' convention, too!

NB There are many countries in the world where driving on the left is the convention - not just the UK.

Answer 3

a large element of the global drives on the left. it really is in elementary words the Americas and the continent which make up the overall public for driving on the right. We were first as popular because of the technicality of being waiting to apply ones sword contained in the right hand so requiring the safe practices of being on the left of any route, song or street at the same time as assembly all of us who will be a foe.

Answer 4

Because thats what we chose to do. The British were the first to implement the idea of driving on a specific side of the road - its everyone else that chose to go the opposite to us!

The Brits leading the way as usual (or at least as we used to do)

Answer 5

We are not alone as question implies. The majority of countries in Africa, Oceania and Asia drive on the left too. This not only includes all former British Colonies with sole, exception of USA and Canada, but also the future emerging major economies of the world like Japan, Red China and India.

Answer 6

Oh, for goodness' sake - here's the real answer:

We didn't always have motor vehicles - they were only invented about 100 or so years ago. Before that we had horse-drawn vehicles, and even then they shared the road with motor vehicles till they died out.

The driver of a horse-drawn carriage or wagon sat on the vehicle and controlled the team with a whip, which had to be long enough to reach the front horses. Holding it in his right hand (the majority of course were right-handed), he had to sit on the right to have enough room to swing it. That meant, to see further along the road, he would keep to the left (driving a team needed you to think well ahead).

On the continent, they tended to favour the "postillion" position, where the driver sat on one of the horses, and controlled them directly with his right hand (of course). That meant he would sit on the left-rear horse, so he would keep to the right of the road.

When motor vehicles came on the scene, most of the traffic was still horse-drawn, so they had to keep to the same rules.

Simple, really.

Answer 7

Originally horsemen rode on the left so they could if need be use their right arm (usually the stronger) to defend themselves with their sword. Then when Napoleon came to power in France, he was left-handed and insisted his troops rode/marched on the right to suit him.

French colonies in the Americas followed his requirement and that idea eventually spread to the rest of America.
The British took no notice of Napoleon's odd little quirk (and beat him too).

As far as I recollect, about 75 countries drive on the left and about 165 on the right.

Answer 8

same reasons why Americans drive on the right and not the left

Answer 9

Because we prefer to drive on the left.

Answer 10

It goes back to when we had horses as a means of transport,If the horse bolted the driver could jump off without landing in the middle of the road.