In some countries, they drive on the right. In some other countries, they drive on the left. What happens when a country with right lane traffic is neighbours with a country with left lane traffic? When you drive from one country to another, how is the changing of lanes organized?

For example, from France where they have right lane traffic, through the Channel Tunnel to England where they have left lane traffic. Where is the switch, how is it done?
Or African countries -- in some countries, they have right lane traffic, and in some, left lane.

I have no idea how they solve this.
Someone post a picture of such a junction, please!

In some countries, they drive on the right. In some other countries, they drive on the left. What happens when a country with right lane traffic is neighbours with a country with left lane traffic? When you drive from one country to another, how is the changing of lanes organized?

For example, from France where they have right lane traffic, through the Channel Tunnel to England where they have left lane traffic. Where is the switch, how is it done?
Or African countries -- in some countries, they have right lane traffic, and in some, left lane.

I have no idea how they solve this.
Someone post a picture of such a junction, please!
They don't drive through the Chunnel, Water, the cars are loaded on trains and the drivers ride in coach cars. To the best of my knowledge, that's the only two adjacent contries that have the right/left situation.

I would split up the lanes and do a crossover.

I'd put up a big sign that said, "Do you feel lucky today, punk?!"

Baron Max

I know that in Egypt they drive on the right, while in South Africa, Namibia, Uganda they drive on the left. These countries aren't neighbours, but somewhere, the two kinds of traffic do meet.
Then India -- they drive on the left there, right? What about the countries around India?

I know that in Egypt they drive on the right, while in South Africa, Namibia, Uganda they drive on the left. These countries aren't neighbours, but somewhere, the two kinds of traffic do meet.
Then India -- they drive on the left there, right? What about the countries around India?

In all of Southern Africa, they drive on the left. I've never been to Egypt, and I know they do drive on the right, but I cannot figure out where the transition is. Much digging found this:
[U]nless one has a very good reason for wanting to bring a car into Egypt, it is much cheaper to rent one in Egypt, and better still to leave the driving to the Egyptians.
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/seaorland.htm
All the routes they mention involves ferries.

"...that's the only two adjacent contries that have the right/left situation..."

How is this possible? Surely, all countries with left-hand drive are *somewhere* bordered by countries with RH drive (or, occasionally, another country w/ LH drive).

Unless all LH drive countries are all isolated by water from RH drive countries. (Even if they had bridges, the problem would still arise.)

Your question is very interesting.
I asked myself many times the same question. :confused:

I didn't find any pics but my belives are that the junction can be made very simple throu asmall bridge that changes the right side on the left side.

It still is a funny subject :D

Well, it's a practical problem. But it can easier be solved by a semaphore, I imagine, rather than a bridge.
I'd still love to see a picture of such a junction!

Normally, when you pull up to a customs border crossing at one of the few remaining borders in which left goes to right or vice-versa, there is a customs parking lot that acts as a buffer between the road junctions and a sign indicating the side of the road you should drive.

all you would have to do is separate the two lanes (or however many lanes are in each direction) and then have a stop light for the two one-way roads you have created, and merge them back to one lane after they cross.

a bridge would be much easier, but more expensive.

p.s. that would sure F with your head on a long trip though. imagine driving three hours on the left, and then suddenly being on the right, that would suck.

p.p.s. why is this in sci/tech? its perfect for sci/society

"...that's the only two adjacent contries that have the right/left situation..."

How is this possible? Surely, all countries with left-hand drive are *somewhere* bordered by countries with RH drive (or, occasionally, another country w/ LH drive).

Unless all LH drive countries are all isolated by water from RH drive countries. (Even if they had bridges, the problem would still arise.)

Now that wasn't very nice - or smart - of you to leave off my disclaimer where I clearly said: "to the the best of my knowledge." Sheesh - what a dummy!

There simply aren't that many that HAVE LH driving - and some of those are on islands. (Ireland, for example.)

I don't really see really how much more complicated such a junction would be other than a simple crossover at a checkpoint between the 2 countries.

Or how about a roundabout? I think this should be as complicated as it gets.

most ex-british colonies drive on the left, with the exception of canada, so there certainly are quite a few with LH drive.

a junction between 2 countries would be pretty easy, but the problem would arise from having everyone stay on the corrent side of the road in a foreign country, not to mention how screwed up it would be if everyone was driving by the give-way rules of their own country.
as an example of this, just recently here, 2 americans killed someone in a head on crash, because after coming around a corner they instinctively went into the right-hand lane and continued driving.