Why do the British drive on the wrong side of the road?

Answer 1

When ever possible, I take MY half of the road right down the center.

Answer 2

Firstly, explain what you mean by "wrong".

Secondly, I see you're getting all the old chestnuts about swords and spears, etc.

Here's the real reason. In some countries (like this one), the driver of a horse-drawn vehicle would sit on the front of the vehicle. If he had a team of four or more, his whip would be quite long and would need a lot of room to swing it. So the driver (who would usually be right-handed) would sit on the right, and to see the road better he would drive on the left. Other countries favoured the "postillion" style of driving, where the driver would sit, not on the vehicle, but on one of the horses. To control all of them with his right hand, he would therefore sit on one of the left-hand horses. To see the road better, then, he would drive on the right. The world didn't suddenly change from horse-drawn vehicles to motor vehicles overnight - there was a period of transition where both were using the road (which is still going on if you think about it), so drivers of motor vehicles had to follow the same rules, and before long it was made law. (The law of "rule of the road" wasn't necessary before motor vehicles, because (a) drivers did it anyway, and (b) there wasn't an issue of safety.)

You might be interested in the next bit.

Whips were only part of the way drivers controlled horses - it was mostly done by verbal commands. "Come on" meant "left" (come on to the kerb), and "get off" meant "right". (Well, HORSES understood it.) That's why the "offside" of the road is so-called. The left side of the road
was called the "onside", but was changed to "nearside" by car drivers. There are many driving terms that are leftovers from the horse-drawn days - even the word "driving" itself. "Drive" is something you do to an animal - it means to "urge" or "encourage" - you can't do that to an inanimate object like a car. But we still use the word anyway. And what about when you "pull up" outside someone's house? That's how you stop a team of horses - you "pull up" on the reins.

Answer 3

Of course we don't drive on the wrong side of the road, the rest of the world does. I went to America recently and it was madness. The rest of the world should learn to drive on the left side of the road (which is the proper side) and then we could avoid any confusion when I go on holiday to foreign countries.

Answer 4

Sorry young lady but you need educating. We Brits are the most educated, intelligent and sophisticated race on planet Earth. This is an indisputable fact. Therefore logically we can do no wrong. We drive on the left which is the right side, many others drive on the right which is the wrong side. Before you argue may I point out that as the superior species there is no point in arguing with us as we know we are never wrong. Terribly sorry if I sound pedantic but I am British which gives me the right to be right when I'm wrong. Have a nice day.

Answer 5

About a quarter of the countries in the world drive on the left hand side of the road. Most of them were British colonies.

The most generally accepted explanation is that in more (?) violent times, when those on horseback tended to carry swords, it was preferable to have your sword arm closer to your opponent. As most people were right handed, that meant that you wanted your right hand close to your opponent, so you rode on the left.

Another explanation of this practice derives from the use of horse-drawn vehicles. To pass each other on the narrow roads, the driver positioned his vehicle so that he could see the edges of the vehicles, especially the hubs of the wheels that projected and were most likely to snag each other.

As continental practice (especially in France) was to have 2 or 4 horse teams driven by postillons. For them, the horses were easier to control if they steered the left leader, leaving their right hand free to control the right and for use of the whip. So, as they were seated to the left, it made sense for them to be on the right hand side of the road.

In the American colonies, British practice was originally followed but then came the revolution .. throwing off yoke of former masters (!) by discarding traditions, etc, etc. so Americans decided to drive on the right. Or maybe it was just the influence of European continentals and there were lots of them in Pennsylvania in 1792 when the first law stating what side of the road to drive on was passed in the US.

No matter what the reason, it isn't the 'wrong' side of the road, it is simply the 'other' side of the road.
Trust me .. try going to Britain and driving on the 'right' side of the road. You will quickly see that you are on the wrong side there!

Answer 6

Not only the British and the old empire drive on the left, but the Imperial Romans used to as well.

There is good evidence that Roman waggons drove on the left on their excellent roads. (That's one in the eye for Hollywood).

Until Henry Ford's mass produced cars several US states drove on the left too.

Answer 7

no i think everyone else drives on the wrong side of the road we drive on the correct side

Answer 8

we do not drive on the wrong side of the road we drive on the left ,we also have the hardest driving test i hear that in poland if you pay the examiner he /she will give you a licence ,i think anyone coming into this country should be made to take a test

Answer 9

The version I read was that the English cavalry favoured the sword, as most people were right handed keeping to the left was custom so as to keep your sword hand closer to your opponent for thrusting and slashing whereas the rest of Europe favoured the lance so by keeping to the right, the lance could be held securely across the riders body and the back of the horses neck.
So many stories but this one seems the most feasible to me

Answer 10

It is not just Britain that drives on the left - other countries do too, and not just those with a historical connection to the UK - Japan is a good example. Britain is just the most obvious. Besides, a right hand drive car like those in Britain means that when you change gear the steering wheel stays in your right hand - surely safer in a largely right-handed world?