Don't we all think we drive on the correct side of the road? Be it left or right?
This is an interesting map yet it does not tell the full story. I expect the figure is skewed by highly populated African countries and India, but 35 percent of the world's population drive on the left hand side of the road from the right hand side of their cars.
Worldly experts I am sure can tell me the name of the two South American countries that drive on the left. Why? Former British colonies?
Most of the left hand drive countries are former colonies of Britain, but there are some odd exceptions, to me being Japan and Thailand. Neither were colonies, not even any real British connection. Google tells me Japan drives on the left because of the side a samurai would pull out his sword, which is much the same as why Britain drives on the left hand side. Roman chariots and all that.
Your trivia for the day is that the rear left hand door of a Japanese taxi is motorised and when a taxi stops for you to climb in, the door opens for you and then closes once you are inside. In left hand drive countries, that would be right hand side rear door. While I was mentally prepared for it, my normal inclination to open the door was so strong.
Thailand? I really don't know. Former colony Burma drove on the left, but it has changed to the right hand side.
In 1967 Sweden switched from driving on the left to driving on the right. Tram lines had to be changed and a huge effort was required for the change. In 2009 Samoa changed to left hand driving to match Australia. But American Samoa continues to drive on the right.
I really can't see any reason why driving on the left or right would be better than the opposite. They are just different and the human brain cleverly and quickly adapts from one to the other, mostly. I qualify this with young human brain. I would not attempt it now.
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We are, when all is said and done, creatures of habit. Interestingly while in Antarctica I spent a happy hour watching commonwealth penguins, who definitely used the left side of the road when laboriously climbing an iceberg before sliding down to the sea again.
ReplyDeleteEC, that's an interesting observation. We can learn from nature, as we know.
DeleteOne of the strangest things I ever observed was when in Vladivostok, a very busy city on the far east of Russia with heavy traffic, the vehicles were a mixture of left hand drive and right hand drive. The roads were extremely busy and it was endless traffic jams. The mixture of the two struck me immediately but when I mentioned it to some other Brits that I met they looked at me as if I was mad and were not interested. The right hand drive cars were Japanese imports with Japan relatively nearby and the left hand drive were Russian. I suppose I am a bit unusual in that, like you, transport interests me, along with trams and trains.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite place names Rachel. Sister and I could have each other in hysterics by just saying the word and the inflections you can put on it. That must feel crazy. Left hand drive cars are used here but rarely and I don't think they can get normal car registration. Can you please add to each blog post where you mention catching a train the model of the train please, oh and plus a comfort rating? Thanks
DeleteIt is hard when I try to drive overseas. Not so easy for me lol. Corpus callosum is not so well developed for me
ReplyDeleteThat's a good pun Roentare, left and right side of the brain.
DeleteThirty years ago I had to get used to driving on the right when we lived in Tenerife. It didn't take me long to adjust back then but I have trouble even driving on the left these days.
ReplyDeleteJayCee, I know what you mean. In the last few years I've become rather less confident when driving. What other drivers do frightens me.
DeleteA bit of trivia. On the night of the changeover, Swedish TV hosted a big night of entertainment so people would stay at home. Frida from ABBA made her TV debut on the show. The video is good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFQNsTjI4qw&ab_channel=FRIDA%3AENSAM
ReplyDeleteCued ready for viewing tonight in bed James. I do remember there was tv entertainment to keep people at home. It was quite remarkable how the change was successfully managed.
DeleteMostly travelling in foreign countries is easy, even though the currency is strange, the language different and the food may be unusual. But only driving on the "wrong" side of the road is potentially fatal.
ReplyDeleteHels, I've heard of how people look the wrong way when stepping out to cross the road. I am very cautious about that.
DeleteHence the signs from the airport all the way down the touristy roads.
ReplyDeleteIt makes no sense why one over the other (apart from the historical one with chariots and warriors and swords and things).
Caro, very noticeable on the Great Ocean Road. Sometimes the change of sides is curious, say Burma, which probably gets most of its cars from Japan. I would guess left hand drive cars cost more.
DeleteGuyania and Suriname. Guyana was under British rule at one point. Suriname mainly was under Dutch rule, except for a few years when it belonged to Britain. (PS: I had to look it up. You raised my curiosity as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Debby. I had a feeling Guyana was one, which I think was once British Guyana. Suriname is from left field.
DeleteShows how much I know. I thought driving on the left-hand side was like the metric system, socialized medicine, and gun control, something the whole world did except for the United States. For a change, my country is in the majority. I have to renew my passport.
ReplyDeleteKirk, yes we are the odd ones out this time, not you. I wonder how much of right hand driving is due to the once powerful US motor car manufacturers.
DeleteI drive on the right, so I don't think so much right and left, but right and wrong.
ReplyDeleteI kid! Whichever side upon which you drive, do so safely.
Bob, we all like to 'have a go' about the right and wrong side to drive. Yes, indeed do so safely.
DeleteInteresting that so much of the world drives on the right. I thought it was just USA and maybe a couple of others.
ReplyDeleteRiver, pretty well the the US, Canada and most of South America, most of Asian and Europe. We are the odd ones out I'm afraid.
DeleteMust be hard at first for people driving on the wrong side of the road when they are used to the other side of the road.
ReplyDeleteMy sister did in the US Margaret and she said it was hard but she didn't muck it up. The US with big wide roads is harder for right hand drivers than the UK for left hand drivers where the roads are smaller and the traffic slower.
DeleteI've never thought much about it but assumed that most of the world drove on the right-hand side of the road.
ReplyDeleteAnd so they do JB. Country wise, quite dominant but population wise, a bit less.
DeleteI drive on the right side (had to think before) but I think I am made to drive on the left side, because sometimes people in my car scream that I am not in the UK, there is an invisible ghost who pulls me to the left ! I think it's due to my dyslexia I mix up left with right. Toby always shows me left and right with his arms !
ReplyDeleteGattina, that is a bit strange. Good to have Toby on board to guide you.
DeleteI have switched this up a couple of times. One thing that surprised me most, was shifting the transmission with the opposite hand - the first time in a car with a manual transmission, shifting with an unfamiliar hand takes a bit of concentration.
ReplyDeleteTP, I struggled with gear shifting with my usual left hand to gear change in the UK. I can't even think about changing gears with my right hand. When I used to drive manual cars, there were three gears, at times four. Manual gear changing with six gears is just too much.
DeleteFor to drive left or right really is the same, they are only different traditions, and different cars. The curiosity ever is for the tourist that rent a car for first time in a country with different system. Then needs to drive with máximum atention.
ReplyDeleteJ. S., they are wise words and age affects your ability to adjust too.
DeleteI have only lived in countries (Scotland, England and New Zealand) with cars driving on the left hand side of the road. I've never found any problems (except when overtaking on narrow roads) when driving in the rest of Europe where I have covered a fair few miles (or kilometres) in my time.
ReplyDeleteGraham, I think it perhaps easier in Europe than America, with its big open roads. Generally I think it requires more skill to drive in Europe and drivers are used to more give and take.
DeleteI'd probably have trouble adapting now. ~nods~ I'm a living example of the saying, You can't teach an old dog new tricks. lol Best wishes to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteDarla, so far as driving on the opposite side, I think I am an old dog too.
DeleteI'm sure someone has already answered your question about South America, but that's Guyana (once a British colony) and Suriname (a Dutch one). I don't know why Suriname drives on the left. News to me!
ReplyDeleteBeing American, I learned to drive on the right, but when I went to New Zealand years ago I found it was pretty easy to adapt to left-hand driving. I haven't tried it in the UK as we don't have a car here.
Yes, the question was answered Steve, but thanks.
DeleteI think the key to you easily adapting to right hand drive was your relative youth.