Why do Americans drive on parkways and park on driveways?

Question

Bit odd ain't it

Answer 1

I have know idea and I am an American. lol

Answer 2

The serious answer: Parkways are avenues through park areas or green spaces and the name is intended to convey the impression of a scenic route.

Driveways are the area between the street and the garage or carport, which you drive on to get to the place you park.

It is a bit strange, now that I think about it.

Answer 3

I think I found the answer:

In the United States, Parkways are defined as follows:

1. A type of road.
1. A broad landscaped thoroughfare; especially : one from which trucks and other heavy vehicles are excluded.
2. A roadway in a park : a landscaped thoroughfare connecting parks.
3. An expressway located on a strip of land legally constituting a public park and therefore not open to heavy vehicles.
2. A landscaped strip of land paralleling or running in the center of a thoroughfare.

Parkways are fairly common in New York City and its environs, and rarer in most of the USA. In the interest of promoting the use of public transportation and other High Occupancy Vehicles - Buses, Taxis and Limousines were added to the list of authorized vehicles in the late 20th century, in many places. These exceptions to the commercial or heavy traffic rule tended to blur the distinction between parkways and freeways.

Driveways are commonly used as a path to a garage or house. Or, in the case of large estates, a driveway may be the road that leads to the house from the public road, possibly with a gate in between. There are examples of one driveway that splits to service two or more garages maintained by different owners. Driveway can also refer to a small apron of hardscape in front of a garage and including a curb cut sidewalk, sometimes too short to fit a parked auto.

Often, by choice or by local regulation, cars are parked in longer driveways to leave streets clear for traffic. For example, the city of Pasadena, California forbids parking on residential streets from 2 am to 6 am, which results in deeper driveways having been built and remaining usable. Residential driveways are also frequently used by their owners for such things as a garage sales, auto washing and repair, and for recreation, most notably in North America for basketball shooting practice.

Answer 4

basically its down to their use of the English language, a parkway is a strech of road you are allowed to park on and a drive way means an access point from which you can drive onto or off a main road or street. you may also ask yourself why are there villages in england called street's?

Answer 5

I drive on the road. I'm American and have never heard of a "parkway"

Answer 6

Yes, a bit odd....but they're called highways most of the time...wondered it myself a few times.

Answer 7

Why do European Countries, drive on the left side of the road?

Answer 8

Yet aren't allowed to get stoned on highways but they celebrate by placing their hands on walkways ;)

Answer 9

What's a parkway?

Answer 10

a sincere belive that all Americans are inbreed