Why do we drive on the left in UK when the rest of europe drives on the right?

Answer 1

Because our steering wheels are on the opposite side!!

Answer 2

There is significant evidence that in the days of the Roman Empire everyone drove on the left. (That's one in the eye for Hollywood!).
This was partly because one mounts a horse from its left (we all do) and it was sensible not to be doing this whilst out 'in the traffic'.
Also, carters needed their right arms free to wave swords at would-be attackers. Therefore they sat on the right hand end of the driver's bench. When carts passed each other the drivers needed to be sure that they actually missed each other so they passed "driver to driver". I.e. they drove on the left.
Evidence from Roman gold mines indicates that they drove on the left. The ruts left by the loaded carts leaving the mine are on the left side of the road whilst lighter empty carts entered on their left side.

Everyone in Europe changed to driving on the right when Napoleon started mucking around. We in Blessed Albion were spared the intrusion of the Nasty Little Man so we stay driving on the left.

Incidentally, French main line trains pass on the left too. This is because their railways were mainly built by British engineers. I don't think that they've ever forgiven us for this.

Answer 3

all goes back to the days when we needed our right hands free to hold swords, the other hand for the reins of the horse...


although it is wrong to assume that the rest of Europe drives on the right. Republic of Ireland drive on the left and I think that maybe Cyprus and possibly Malta also drive on the left.

Answer 4

The Tank,

You make some very good points, Napoleon was LEFT HANDED that is why he wanted a universal changeover to driving on the right (better for left handed people only)

Answer 5

Goes back to the days when knights passing each other wanted to keep their right hands free to attack if necessary a knight who turned hostile.

NB Malta and Cyprus still drive on left as they were former british colonies.

In Europe the left was known as sinistre from the latin and was considered to be just that, Sinister, so they did everything on the right, including driving.

Very funny is the Afgan/Pakistan border where afghans drive on the right, pakistanis on left.

Answer 6

Because we want to keep our right hand on the steering wheel when changing gear

Answer 7

it actually goes back to when knights jousted most people being right handed held it in that hand so attacked on the left

Answer 8

As most people are right handed, it makes sence that we do the most important job,steering,with our strongest hand.And the easiest job,changing gears, with our weakest hand.

Answer 9

Because driving on the left is correct for right-handed people the great majority, here is why:

When changing gear in a UK car with the steering wheel on the right , this is of course correct in the UK etc for driving on the left--------your left hand changes gear and your right hand stays on the steering wheel, (this is safer for right handed people.)

The reverse is the case in countries where one must drive on the right.-- in other words if you live in the USA you hold the steering wheel with your left hand and change gear with your right hand because of course the steering wheel is on the left in the USA--------this is dangerous if you are right handed.

Bicycles: Bike riders are in real danger in countries where driving on the right is mandatory again assuming you are right handed----Try mounting a bike in the USA and you will find yourself in the stream of traffic when getting on the bike---- try it yourself---------: Mounting a bike in the UK is done from the sidewalk by right handed people who find it easier to put their right leg over the bike. , Much safer and this must have saved many lives.

Reversing up a steep drive: My drive in the UK is very steep----------when I reverse out I hold the steering wheel with my right hand and look over my left shoulder to the rear window. In a USA car you must hold the steering wheel with your left hand and look over your right shoulder to look out of the rear window.. So you must reverse with your left hand on the steering wheel.. Or stick your head out of the window if you want to use your right hand on the steering wheel. ---Dangerous for the 82% right handed majority.

Right handed people who are also "right eyed" have the traffic coming toward them on their right in left hand driving areas , which is the way "right eyed" people are able to react better. When overtaking on a right hand driving USA road the right eyed/handed driver looks in the mirror with the left eye and also views the oncoming traffic with the left eye. A change of gear is sometimes needed to overtake so he/she is driving left handed while changing gear with the right hand and looking in the mirror and oncoming traffic with the left eye. Of course the gear change should in theory be completed before pulling out but this in practice is not always the case. The prevalence of automatic gear change in the USA may not be just luxury after all but necessity

Perhaps a billion cyclists in right hand driving areas around the world are all risking their lives mounting their bike in traffic. Also In right hand driving areas a greater number of people reverse with their heads out of the window and hundreds of millions of right handed drivers hold the steering wheel at speed with their left hand. There are over 6 billion people in the world today and billions of people using road transport. Driving on the left is safer and provably safer for right handed drivers; however I concede that because over 60% of the world drives on the right there is no prospect of a global change to driving on the left

Answer 10

Because they find it easier to change gear with the right hand?