Why do people drive on the left in England? Avtomagadan

Left-hand traffic or... How to find out what is better, more convenient, what is more efficient in operation, finally?

For the first time in England

Essentially, there is no difference between right- and left-handedness. big difference. Left-hand traffic first began in England (in many European countries, on the contrary, right-hand traffic is accepted). And so it happened that in the former English colonies the left-handedness was preserved, since the change required reformatting the psychology of the inhabitants and was also quite expensive!

Left-hand traffic in Vladivostok

He focuses on what he knows and seeks certainty and single, definitive answers. It now appears that the left hemisphere is strictly aware of only the right half of our visual field, whereas right hemisphere knows about the whole field. So, for example, if you are driving on the left, it is the left hemisphere that knows about oncoming traffic; If you are driving on the right, it is the right hemisphere that performs this role.

All this offers me several interesting questions. Maybe this is, for example, part of the explanation of how people drive in right-hand traffic and left-hand traffic countries? Is driving on one side of the road inherently safer than driving on the other? Samoans are bracing for chaos this month as the Pacific island nation becomes the first country in decades to force motorists to drive on the wrong side of the road. On the morning of September 7, do drivers switch on the right side of the street?

Also the railway traffic. In Argentina - left-hand drive, and in many European countries, although cars obey right-hand drive! This is how it happened, this is the tradition.

Countries where cars drive on the left

Most residents globe- right-handed. Therefore, the expediency of mostly right-hand traffic is beyond doubt. But also countries in which it is legalized Left side traffic, it turns out, not so little. 28% of all roads on the planet are left-hand drive. 34% of the entire earth's population travel on the left side, and this is not so little. As already mentioned, the main reason for this was colonial policy in England. Driving on the left has spread to former British colonies and territories once dependent on Great Britain.

Where about two-thirds of the world's traffic moves on the left, to open the country to inexpensive used cars from left-wing trucks Australia and New Zealand. Concerned about the increasing number of accidents, tens of thousands of Samoans protested against the plan. As a self-American lawyer against the switch said in the London Times: "Cars will crash, people will die, not to mention the enormous cost to our little country."

And now a few words about the English history of Cyprus

It remains a curiosity and a bit of a historical mystery, why the world is divided over something basic, which side of the road to move on from. The fact that most people are right-handed has a lot to do with it; Therefore, for most of history, travelers have been stuck on the left. Ancient Romans using chariots are believed to have held the reins with their right hands and the whip with their left to avoid whipping oncoming drivers, they preferred the left - On the right side of the road. It was also easier for right-handers to mount a horse on the left, so riders gravitated to that side to avoid oncoming traffic as they climbed in and out.

Here are the European countries where cars drive on the left: Great Britain, Malta, Ireland, Cyprus. In Asia, these are Japan, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Macau, Pakistan, Thailand, Nepal, Hong Kong, Singapore and some others. As you can see, there are quite a lot of them! In Oceania: Australia, Fiji, Zealand. In Africa: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique. IN Latin America: Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, Suriname. Driving on the left side of the road in Japan. You can list and list!

Finally, knights and other armed travelers gave preference to the left, so that they could fight if necessary with their good hand. So why do most people today travel on the right side? Theories vary, but there is no doubt that Napoleon had a major influence. The French have been using the law since at least the late 18th century. Some say that before French Revolution the aristocrats rode out in their carriages on the left, forcing the peasantry Amid the upheavals, the terrible aristocrats sought to merge with the proletariat, also traveling on the right.

A little history

There were even precedents in history when entire states switched from left-leaning to right-leaning and vice versa. The country of Sweden replaced left-hand traffic with right-hand traffic within one day. This happened in 1967. America, in an effort to disown its “English dependence,” made it simpler - not like in England. Namely, this country has made an undeniable contribution to the development of the global automotive industry. And many countries on the planet took their example from her!

Regardless of origin, Napoleon led right-hand traffic to the peoples he conquered, including Russia, Switzerland and Germany. The right-wing conquests, like Great Britain, retained their left-wing tradition. The driver mounted the rear left horse to use his whip with his right hand; To get a clear view of opposing traffic, the teams headed to the right. One of the final moves to standardize driving directions in the United States occurred in the 20th century when Henry Ford decided to mass produce his cars with left-hand controls.

Let us add that in modern cars the driver’s seat is located closer to the side of oncoming traffic: on the right in places with left-hand traffic, on the left in countries with right-hand traffic, respectively. This creates additional comfort for the driver, expands the field of view and gives the ability to react faster.

And one more thing from history: in Russia in the Middle Ages, the rules of traffic (right-hand drive) developed by themselves and were observed as the most natural. And Empress Elizabeth, back in 1752, issued a decree on right-hand traffic on the streets of Russian cities for cab drivers and carriages.

China and former colonies such as Australia and India are among the few remaining remnants Western world. Some Asian countries, including Japan, also use left-handed ones, as a legacy of samurai warriors who carried their swords left-handed and didn't want to hit anyone? Although in many places both right-hand drive and left-hand drive cars are used.

Despite widespread opposition to change in Samoa, the government insists it is prepared for the movement. Liu Apiloma, the village chief, told the Journal that he had no reason to worry: It will be hard at first, but will we learn?

And in the West, the first law that would regulate traffic on the streets was the English bill of 1756, in which traffic had to be carried out on the left side.

Have you ever wondered why people drive on the left in England? Well, in all well-known and frequently visited countries, drivers drive on the right side, but otherwise. Why?

We're not stupid. Currently, about 66% of the world's population lives in countries that drive on the right side of the road, usually in cars with the driver's seat on the left. On the left are 76 countries, territories and dependencies. There are many theories about why some canadian generic viagra countries move to the left and some to the right. Although no one knows for sure the exact reasons, it appears that traveling to the left of the road has become obvious choice ancient times. Horse travel in often brutal times is key to why left field riding has become popular.

A tribute to tradition? But where did this habit come from and why did it stick?

In general, it should be noted that the tradition of moving along the street arose long before humanity invented the car.

According to one of the main versions, it could have arisen back in the days medieval Europe. It was then that courageous and strong riders rode their horses along fairly narrow roads connecting populated areas. And, of course, each of them was armed.

The rider carry their sword in a scabbard on the left side, which they will draw, and use with the right hand. Therefore, it made sense for the right hand when the sword was closer to a potential opponent and further away when it was sheathed. This made traveling to the left the safest and most obvious method.

In addition, right-handed people usually mount the horse from the remaining animals, and it would be difficult to do otherwise if the sword was carried on the left. Obviously it is safer to mount and dismount on the side of the road rather than in the center, so if the rider is on the left, it makes sense for the horse to ride on the left.

Imagine such a warrior: a middle-aged man, dressed in armor, proudly sits on a well-coordinated horse, in whose left hand glistens in the sun gigantic sizes shield. Let's think further. Most people on the planet are right-handed. It naturally follows that in the event of the slightest danger, the right hand was ready at any moment to snatch the sword from its sheath. Accordingly, we had to stick to the right side when moving. It is more comfortable.

These carriages had no seat for the driver; instead, the driver mounted the left rear horse so he could hold his whip-wielding right hand to pounce on the crew. Since he was sitting on the left, the driver has best view distance between his vehicle and oncoming traffic, keeping to the right. Before the revolution, it was customary for the aristocracy to travel to the left of the road and to force peasant traffic to move more slowly to the right. After the storming of the Bastille, the aristocrats adopted a lower profile during the journey and joined the peasants on the right.

But why didn’t the inhabitants of present-day Great Britain follow this principle? Let's look at another hypothesis.

Why do people drive on the left in England? Version two

There is an opinion that this fact is directly related to driving horse-drawn carriages and carriages. The streets were so unsuitable for driving that it was impossible for two drivers to pass each other. Someone definitely had to give way. For this purpose, they came up with a special rule, according to which, when meeting, everyone had to direct their crew towards the right side of the road.

Countries that changed the movement

Later, when Napoleon conquered nations, he would force them to adopt right-hand driving, which spread the right hand across Europe. Despite the transition to correct movement, Britain adhered to the left-handed rule, and countries that were part of British Empire, were made for a sequel. This is why India, Australasia and former British colonies in Africa continue to drive on the left. The only exception is Egypt, as this country was conquered by Napoleon before becoming a British dependency.

Why right? Most likely, this was again due to the fact that for the majority of the inhabitants of our planet, the right hand still dominates the left, which is why the reins were pulled with it.

This happened throughout Europe, so historians came to the conclusion that the tradition was preserved even after the advent of radically new means of transportation, the first cars.

Other colonies also adopted their mother country's driving style. Some countries continued to switch sides right up to the present day. Below are the countries that move from the left. The rest of the disk is on the right. Majority leftist countries Drivers drive cars with the driver's seat on the right.

The main differences between right- and left-hand traffic

List of Left Driving Countries Countries Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Australia Bahamas Bangladesh Barbados Bermuda Bhutan Botswana Brunei Cayman Islands Christmas Island Cook Islands Cyprus Dominica East Timor Falkland Islands Fiji Grenada Guyana Hong Kong India Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Jersey Kenya Kiribati Lesotho Macau Malawi Malaysia Maldives Malta Mauritius Montserrat Mozambique Namibia Nauru Nepal New Zealand Niue Norfolk Island Pakistan Papua New Guinea Pitcairn Islands St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Seychelles Singapore Solomon Islands South Africa Sri Lanka Suriname Swaziland Tanzania Thailand Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda United Kingdom Virgin Islands.

And this option, apparently, by some completely absurd accident, also did not affect Foggy Albion.

Why do people drive on the left in England? Version three

Now I propose to think about why neither the first nor the second version works in this state. But it is precisely this that is the legislator of left-hand traffic. It probably has something to do with its island location. The country was, and continues to be, connected with the continent mainly through sea routes. Shipping was actively developing there. Those. The life of the country was largely subordinated to the maritime department, which once issued a decree that all ships must keep to the left when moving.

The word "Right Hand" means that the car is on the right side of the road. Although initially most of the traffic was directed to the left side of the world, but now about 66% of the world's countries are right-hand drive countries, and 34% are left-hand drive countries. In all countries, each country defines a uniform road transport: left-hand traffic, in which traffic is kept on the left side of the road, or right-hand traffic, in which traffic is directed to the right.

Vehicles are manufactured in left-hand and right-hand versions, keeping in mind the placement of the driver's seat and controls in the vehicle. In left-hand drive vehicles and right hand there's no big difference. It's just a matter of changing the position of the driver's seat, setting the blades and adjusting the equipment.

After some time, this law extended to the roads that appeared everywhere, and later to countries that different time came under British influence.

I also had to deal with such a point of view that, they say, the government of a given country was very concerned about the safety of its pedestrian citizens, therefore, in order not to accidentally hit a pedestrian with a whip whipping up a horse, the driver had to drive his cart or carriage, sticking to the left sides.

One uses the right hand to change gears. The first is in the upper left corner, the second is down, the third is up and to the right, etc. To reverse, you need to push the lever far and then forward. In left-hand traffic, the predominantly effective right eye is used to monitor oncoming traffic and the driver's wing mirror. Some right-hand drive drivers find this a little more difficult when they try to drive a left-hand drive car.

One uses the left hand to change gears. The first is in the upper left corner, the second is down, the third is up and to the right, etc. to reverse, pull the lever closer and then back. In right-hand traffic, oncoming traffic and the driver's wing mirror are processed primarily by the weak left eye.

In which countries does driving on the left still exist?

I note that in our country, a single right-hand traffic (for pedestrians, cab drivers and carriages) was adopted in 1752 as a result of the decree of the Russian Empress

In general, there have been quite frequent cases in the world when the entire country had to re-adapt to new rules. Why? If any state was a neighbor and actively supported economic relations with its neighbors driving on the right, sooner or later the government had to decide whether to general norms. For example, the former British colonies in Africa had to do the same. And after the end of the Japanese occupation, the direction of movement was changed to South Korea and North Korea.

Some instructions for traffic on the right side. Pedestrians crossing a two-way road first face traffic on the left side. Most dual carriageway exits are on the right.

All traffic is necessary to prevent bypass.
Tracking movements are visible on the left.
Left turn traffic must intersect.
After stopping, a right turn may be allowed when the light is red.
Movement on the carousel goes counterclockwise.
On roads without a footpath, pedestrians may be advised to walk on the left.
On the right is the lane designated for normal driving and turning.

Some instructions for left hand drive traffic.

The most recent country from this list It turned out to be Sweden, whose government approached this issue very consciously and carefully planned the entire necessary list of actions in advance. Four years before the introduction of the reform, a special commission was created, which was supposed to develop and then implement a whole range of necessary measures. And finally, at the beginning of September 1967, at exactly 4:50 local time, all transport in the country was obliged to stop and 10 minutes later resume movement, but on the right side of the road. In addition, at first a special speed-limiting mode was introduced.

Disadvantages and advantages of driving on the left

All traffic is generally necessary to stay clear, if not overtake. Most road signs facing motorists are on the left side of the road. Pedestrians crossing a two-way road first face traffic on their right side.

Oncoming traffic appears on the right.
Straight turn traffic must cross.
After stopping, a left turn may be permitted when the light is red.
On roads without a footpath, pedestrians may be advised to walk on the right.
On the left is a lane intended for normal driving and left turns.
To the left is most of the dual carriageway exits.

Kenya, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan, Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Mongolia, Peru, Saudi Arabia, United States, Vietnam, Switzerland, Burma, South Korea, France.

Are there any other countries that drive on the left? Yes. Moreover, these states are located quite far from each other. Judge for yourself: Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, Ireland, Singapore, South Africa, Japan and a number of countries on the African continent.

Residents of these countries, of course, take this unusual direction of travel for granted, but tourists are most often advised not to take risks, but to try to resort to the services of local drivers or taxi drivers.

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Is car traffic in Russia left-hand or right-hand? The answer to this question is quite simple. But what about other states? How do they drive on the roads of Africa, Britain or distant Australia?

Geography of the phenomenon: countries with left-hand traffic

The origin of a particular geographical phenomenon (incident) can be explained based on historical features, features of the national mentality or random factors. Thus, all countries of the world are divided into two groups: states in which people drive on the right side, and those in which driving on the left is common. There are much more of the former, since right-handed people predominate among the world's population. For such people, driving on the right is much more natural. But not all countries and peoples went “with the flow”, adopting left-hand traffic.

In which countries on the planet is it common? They drive on the left side vehicles in 47 countries of our planet (or about 34% of the world's population). These countries are mainly concentrated in Oceania, South-East Asia and South Africa.

The most famous example of a state where driving on the left is accepted is Great Britain. In this country, it was officially legalized back in 1756. Other famous examples- these are Australia, India, Jamaica, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, South Africa. Most of these countries are in Asia (17). In Europe, only three countries drive on the left side of the road: Great Britain, neighboring Ireland, and Malta.

All countries that drive on the left are marked in green on the map below.

Why is that? Hypotheses for the emergence of left-hand traffic

Driving on the left originated in Britain. There are two main versions of why the British decided to drive on the left side:

marine;
knightly.

Everyone knows that Britain is a maritime power. Traditions and rules open ocean very firmly entered into the everyday life of the British. According to old rules, British ships had to pass each other exclusively to the left. It is assumed that later this rule migrated to land.

The second hypothesis can be considered rather legendary. Knights of medieval England preferred to ride on the left side of the road: it was supposedly more convenient for them to greet other riders passing by, or to meet an enemy with a weapon in his hand.

In the 18th-19th centuries, the tradition of driving on the left also spread to other countries of the world. Almost all of them were connected with Britain in one way or another: they were its colonies (like Australia), or were friends with it (like Japan).

States that changed the movement

There are many examples of countries changing their traffic patterns. This happened for various reasons: political, geographical or completely pragmatic.

The most significant example of a transition to the opposite traffic system in Europe can be considered Sweden, which decided to take this step in 1967. This day (September 3) went down in the history of the state under the name N-Day. The reason was purely geographical: all the countries neighboring Sweden were right-hand drive, which created a lot of problems when crossing the border. By the way, on the borders of countries with in different directions traffic on roads, special and impressive traffic junctions are built. These exist between Thailand and Laos, Brazil and Guyana, China and Hong Kong.

Some states switched to a different traffic pattern solely on the principle of “annoying yesterday’s occupiers.” This is what Korea did in 1946, freeing itself from Japanese occupation. The USA did the same in 1776, declaring its independence from Britain.

There are also examples in the world when countries switched from right-hand traffic to left-hand traffic. This is the island state of Samoa. The reason for this move is quite pragmatic: the country was oversaturated with used cars from Australia, in which the steering wheel was on the right hand side. The decision to switch to left-hand traffic in Samoa was made in 2009.

As for Russia, right-hand traffic initially took root here. True, on Far East In many cars, the steering wheel is located on the right side. The thing is that there are a lot of used cars here that came from Japan (where, as you know, the left-hand traffic pattern is adopted).

Finally

Researchers still cannot unambiguously answer the question of how left-hand traffic arose.

In which countries of the world is it common? Everything is simple here. First of all, this is Great Britain, as well as 46 other countries. Almost all of them were, to a greater or lesser extent, related to former empire historically, and therefore brought this unusual “habit” into their lives.

I travel a lot, including to European countries, and have driver license category B. Once, in one of the countries with left-hand traffic, I had to rent a car. At first it was pure hell - it was impossible to get used to the fact that you can calmly and even brazenly turn left, but then let everyone through when turning right. Having difficulty getting to the hotel, I wondered where this “fashion” for driving on the left actually came from?

Why do people drive on the left in England?

It all started back with Romans. Since ancient times, Roman warriors were accustomed to holding their weapons in their right hand, which is why in the event of an unexpected meeting with the enemy, the most advantageous position for them was on the left side of the street. An enemy in such a position would immediately come across a sharp spear, pilum or gladius.

After the Roman conquest of the British Isles, driving on the left side came into use. However? legislatively secured this order is only in England in 1756.

Which countries still drive on the left?

As everyone knows from history, England has always been a powerful empire with many colonies scattered throughout the world. But even after the countries gained independence, the order remained the same.

There are only three left-leaning countries in Europe:

Concerning Asia, then the list of adherents of this type of movement includes 17 countries, in Asia there are 14, in South America– 3, in Northern – 4, in Oceania – 8.

Therefore, do not forget about this important detail for drivers when going on vacation to countries such as:

Mozambique;

Countries that have changed the type of movement

Answering the question why in England there is left-hand traffic, one cannot help but tell that there are states that once abandoned the left side. That's what they did USA, immediately when they gained independence from Great Britain. I behaved in exactly the same way Korea after World War II, freed from Japanese occupation. Several African countries We changed traffic to the right side because of our neighbors - former French colonies, who were accustomed to driving on the right side. There was a special story with Sweden. One fine day - Day "N" - all the cars went in the other direction for economic reasons: cars were produced in this country, most of them with left-hand drive.

Notes to the driver

Two days later, my suffering over the inconvenience of what was happening suddenly resolved - I simply got used to it. But, having returned home, having driven the car in the left lane to my heart's content, I started having problems. Now our usual right-hand traffic seemed terribly uncomfortable to me. In the first few minutes, I generally drove in the oncoming direction, parked on the left and even almost got into an accident, having come to my senses in time that when making a left turn you need to give way to oncoming traffic. That's why be vigilant and rebuild gradually without losing your head!

Have you ever wondered why people drive on the left in England? Well, in all well-known and frequently visited countries, drivers drive on the right side, but otherwise. Why?

A tribute to tradition? But where did this habit come from and why did it stick?

In general, it should be noted that the tradition of moving along the street arose long before humanity invented the car.

According to one of the main versions, it could have originated during medieval Europe. It was then that along fairly narrow roads connecting each other settlements, courageous and strong riders rode their horses. And, of course, each of them was armed.

Imagine such a warrior: a middle-aged man, dressed in armor, proudly sits on a well-groomed horse, in whose left hand a gigantic shield glistens in the sun. Let's think further. Most people on the planet are right-handed. It naturally follows that in the event of the slightest danger, the right hand was ready at any moment to snatch the sword from its sheath. Accordingly, we had to stick to the right side when moving. It is more comfortable.

But why didn’t the inhabitants of present-day Great Britain follow this principle? Let's look at another hypothesis.

Why do people drive on the left in England? Version two

There is an opinion that this fact is directly related to driving and crews. The streets were so unsuitable for driving that it was impossible for two drivers to pass each other. Someone definitely had to give way. For this purpose, they came up with a special rule, according to which, when meeting, everyone had to direct their crew towards the right side of the road.

Why right? Most likely, this was again due to the fact that for the majority of the inhabitants of our planet, the right hand still dominates the left, which is why the reins were pulled with it.

This happened throughout Europe, so historians came to the conclusion that the tradition was preserved even after the advent of radically new means of transportation, the first cars.

And this option, apparently, by some completely absurd accident, also did not affect Foggy Albion.

Why do people drive on the left in England? Version three

After some time, this law extended to emerging everywhere. car roads, and later on countries that at different times came under the influence of Great Britain.

In which countries does driving on the left still exist?

I note that in our country, a single right-hand traffic (for pedestrians, cab drivers and carriages) was adopted in 1752 as a result of the decree of the Russian Empress

In general, there have been quite frequent cases in the world when the entire country had to re-adapt to new rules. Why? If a state was neighboring and actively maintained economic relations with its neighbors driving on the right, the government sooner or later had to decide to adopt common rules. For example, the former British colonies in Africa had to do the same. And after the end of the Japanese occupation, the direction of movement was changed to South Korea and the DPRK.

The very last country on this list was Sweden, whose government approached this issue very consciously and carefully planned the entire necessary list actions. Four years before the introduction of the reform, a special commission was created, which was supposed to develop and then implement a whole range of necessary measures. And finally, at the beginning of September 1967, at exactly 4:50 local time, all transport in the country was obliged to stop and 10 minutes later resume movement, but on the right side of the road. In addition, at first a special speed-limiting mode was introduced.

Editor's response

If there were no England, there would be no right-hand drive. The legitimacy of this statement has been debated in automotive circles for decades.

AiF.ru tried to figure out why the left-hand traffic pattern took root in Great Britain and how this affected other countries of the world.

Why is it common to drive on the left side of the road in England?

The rule of driving on the left side of the road was legislated by the English authorities in 1756. For violation of the bill there was an impressive fine - a pound of silver.

There are two main versions that explain why in the middle of the 18th century England chose to drive on the left.

Roman version

IN Ancient Rome Stick to driving on the left. This approach was explained by the fact that the legionnaires held weapons in their right hands. And therefore, in the event of an unexpected meeting with the enemy, it was more profitable for them to be on the left side of the road. The enemy thus fell directly into the chopping hand. After the Romans conquered the British Isles in 45 AD, "leftism" may have spread to England. This version is supported by the results of archaeological expeditions. In 1998, a Roman quarry was excavated in Wiltshire in southwest England, near which the left track was broken more than the right.

Marine version

Previously, the British could only get to Europe by water. Therefore, maritime traditions have become firmly entrenched in the culture of this people. In the old days, English ships had to pass on the left side of an oncoming ship. Subsequently, this custom could spread to roads.

In modern international rules For shipping traffic, right-hand traffic is fixed.

Photo: Shutterstock.com

How did English “leftism” spread throughout the world?

Most left-hand drive countries have chosen this particular traffic pattern due to the following circumstances:

Colonial factor.

Even in the middle of the last century, Great Britain was an empire on which the sun never set. Most former colonies scattered around the world decided to continue driving on the left after gaining independence.

Political factor.

During the Great French Revolution, a decree was issued which ordered all residents of the republic to move on the “common” right side of the road. When did he come to power? Napoleon Bonaparte, the traffic pattern became a policy argument. In those states that supported Napoleon - Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain - right-hand traffic was established. On the other hand, those who opposed France: Great Britain, Austria-Hungary, Portugal turned out to be “leftists”. Subsequently, left-hand traffic in these three countries was preserved only in the United Kingdom.

Political friendship with Great Britain contributed to the introduction of “leftism” on the roads in Japan: in 1859 Queen Victoria's Ambassador Sir Rutherford Alcock convinced the authorities of the island state to accept driving on the left.

When did right-hand traffic become established in Russia?

In Russia, the norms for right-hand traffic developed back in the Middle Ages. Danish envoy to Peter I Just Yul in 1709 he wrote that “in Russian Empire Everywhere it is customary for carts and sleighs, when meeting each other, to pass each other, keeping to the right side.” In 1752 Empress Elizaveta Petrovna enshrined this norm in law by issuing a decree on the introduction of right-hand traffic for carriages and cab drivers on the streets of the empire’s cities.

Countries that changed traffic

History knows many examples when countries switched from one traffic pattern to another. States did this for the following reasons:

“To spite yesterday’s occupiers”

The US switched to driving on the right side of the road after declaring independence from Great Britain in 1776.

Korea switched to driving on the right after the end of the Japanese occupation in 1946.

Geographic feasibility

Many former British colonies in Africa switched to driving on the right in the mid-1960s and early 1970s. Sierra Leone, Gambia, Nigeria and Ghana did this for convenience: they were surrounded by “right-riding” former French colonies.

Sweden was the last country in Europe to change direction. In 1967, the so-called H-Day took place there, when all the cars in the kingdom changed lanes. The reason for the transition to “law” lay not only in geography, but also in economics. Most countries where Swedish-made cars were sold used left-hand drive.

Swedish "H" day. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

In 2009, Samoa switched to driving on the left. This was due to big amount used right-hand drive cars that were supplied to the country from Australia and New Zealand.

"Left" exceptions

In right-leaning countries there is room for left-wing exceptions. So, on the small street of General Lemonnier (350 meters long) in Paris, people move on the left side. There are small areas with left-hand traffic in Odessa (Vysoky Lane), in Moscow (passage on Leskova Street), in St. Petersburg (embankment of the Fontanka River) and in Vladivostok (Semyonovskaya Street on the section from Aleutskaya Street to the intersection with Okeansky Prospekt, as well as on Mordovtseva street).

Which movement is safer?

According to experts, which side you drive on does not affect the degree of traffic safety - it is just a matter of habit.

Countries with left-hand traffic

The global ratio of right-hand to left-hand roads is 72% and 28%, with 66% of the world's drivers driving on the right side and 34% driving on the left.

North America