Why british people drive on the left side?

Answer 1

Keeping to either the left or the right prevents vehicles moving in opposite directions from colliding with each other. This is so fundamental that it is sometimes known simply as the rule of the road. About 34% of the world by population drive on the left, and 66% on the right. By roadway distances, about 28% drive on the left, and 72% on the right,[1] even though originally most traffic drove on the left worldwide.[2]

In fact, some believe that ancient travellers on horseback generally rode on the left side of the road. As more people are right-handed, horsemen would thus be able to hold the reins with their left hands and keep their right hand free—to offer in friendship to passing riders or to defend themselves with swords, if necessary. This also explains why men's jackets and shirts have the buttons on the right. It was important to be able to reach a weapon inside a cloak, so for a right-handed person, the cloak had the left flap over the right flap and the right hand could easily reach in and grab the weapon.

Answer 2

Why do the other people drive on the right-hand side? Who started first? The British or the others?

Answer 3

Most people are right handed, so the British use their wisdom and figured if a person could shift gears with his left hand, he more than likely was able to pass a road test and be a fairly good driver....while those without the co-ordination would continue to ride horses.

Lots of countries still adopt the British left hand side....like Japan, Malaysia, India, etc.....

Answer 4

In times part - or so most popular theories go - Carriage drivers & horse riders would ALWAYS ride / drive & pass with their RIGHT hand side to each other in order to be able to draw & wield their sword.

No idea if it's true, but 'driving' on the left has always been the case in Britain & British governed lands.

Answer 5

It is a vestige of medieval times when people on horseback would pass each other on the side of their sword hand.

There has been research proving that driving on the left is safer. Countries that have switched from the left to right have had their accident rates increase. This is probably because most people are right handed and right eye dominant. A lot of accidents occur when turning across oncoming traffic. Driving on the left means you turn right across oncoming traffic, whereas driving on the right means you turn left across oncoming traffic. I guess this is where right eye dominance helps.

Answer 6

If we drive on the other side then we run into other people

American people drive on the left side too when they're in Britain for the same reason

Answer 7

Just to add to what everybody else has said, if you are driving a coach & horses you hold your whip in your right hand, therefore you drive the coach on the left side of the road.

Answer 8

It's correct people pass right to right because swords are usually scabbarded on the left. Besides allowing you to attack a dodgy oncomer, it also means that gentlemen carrying swords are less likely to knock one another with their scabbards.
The nice thing is that the revolutionary Napoleon decided to reverse the normal, aristocratic tradition, simply because it was an aristocratic tradition. He conquered most of Europe, and the USA was pretty keen on revolutionary France, so most countries took it up.

Answer 9

left handed people drive on the left side,and right handed people drive on the right side.

Answer 10

for fightning purposes. Most people are right handed so when on a horse and feel like attacking someone then you will need to be to the left of that person. So everyone travels on the left.

This is from the olden medieval days and has stuck ever since