Why UK's driver side is on the left?

Discussion in 'Free Thoughts' started by Saint, Jun 6, 2021.

  1. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    Looking in front of the car, the driver is sitting on the left,
    why this is different from most European countries?
    Why not UK make it on the right - same as US?
     
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  3. Ssssssss Registered Senior Member

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    Because then the driver would be on the wrong side of the car for good vision.
     
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  5. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    To make it easier to import cars from Japan, where they drive on the left - and in future to import from India, where they do the same.

    In Malaysia, I understand they hedge their bets by driving in the middle, but the snag with that is it doesn't leave enough room either side for a front seat passenger.
     
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  7. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    It has something to do with the way horse-drawn wagons were driven. You can google it as easily asI can.
     
  8. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    Reminds me of when my youngest brother asked why a fencer has a mesh screen over his face, to which one of my other brothers replied, quick as a flash, "So he can see out - you fool."

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  9. Sarkus Hippomonstrosesquippedalo phobe Valued Senior Member

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    Why not make US and everyone else drive on the left?

    The difference is due primarily to scale of horse-drawn transport several centuries ago. In UK you had things mostly drawn by a single horse, where keeping left is more natural (if you're right handed you'd keep your whip or sword in your right hand and so pass on the left). Even ancient Rome considered this the proper way.
    Then came the US and other operators of large transports that used multiple pairs of horses. The driver would sit on the back left horse, which would be most natural for being able to control all the horses.
    (There are other plausible reasons for the adoption of driving on the right, but you can do at least some of the work yourself.)

    Hence you ended up with the two systems, and different countries adopting them.
    Europe tried to standardise, especially as it gets confusing if you cross a border and suddenly have to switch side of the road. But island nations didn't need to. And few have.
    It's also roughly 1/3 of the world's population who (officially) drive on left, not just UK.
     
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  10. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    Very informative.

    As a footnote, it is a curious fact that French trains also use the left hand rails, as do Belgian ones. At the Dutch border, the trains have to cross over. It seems they copied Britain.
     
  11. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    Comparing UK and US system, which is better for a left-handed person?
    I am left-handed.
    Malaysia follows UK, I used my left hand to control gear stick.
     
  12. Sarkus Hippomonstrosesquippedalo phobe Valued Senior Member

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    Neither. Or both. Being left- or right-handed simply isn't a consideration when it comes to driving well / safely.
    If you're concerned, get an automatic. Or electric.
     
  13. gmilam Valued Senior Member

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    I'm left handed. Been shifting with my right hand all my life. Never had any problems.

    Shifting with my left hand when I was in Ireland was annoying. I could do it, but it was just one more thing I usually didn't have to think about.
     
  14. geordief Valued Senior Member

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    I'm right handed . Been shifting changing gears all my life. Never a problem.
    Shifting Changing gears with my left hand when I have been in Ireland is not annoying at all.I can do it .It is just another thing to not think about.

    "The shift" clearly means something different over your side of the pond

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    https://www.dailyedge.ie/getting-the-shift-3332738-Apr2017/
     
  15. Jeeves Valued Senior Member

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    Because the British are a stiff-necked people.
     
  16. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    Japan's driver is sitting on the left too? (looking from front of car)
     
  17. geordief Valued Senior Member

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    Goog
    Google not available in Malaysia?

    (Let us know about Polynesia also when you come back)
     
  18. gmilam Valued Senior Member

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    Was totally unaware of that definition of shift. Always called that stick between the driver and passenger a stick shift. We use it for shifting gears...

    Which, by your definition, would be a bad idea.

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  19. geordief Valued Senior Member

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    That ,well "shifting gear" (without the "s" could also mean" selling on illegal drugs" in this part of the world.I don't imagine it would mean the same in America,would it?
     
  20. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    The gears are actually shifted - i.e. moved - like shifting from one foot to the other. "Changing" gears seems vague. Am I going to need a magic wand for that? I'd like to change the gears to a frog.
     
  21. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    That is not my understanding. Gears are in constant mesh and what changes is which dog clutch is engaged, surely?
     
  22. billvon Valued Senior Member

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    Nope. On most manual transmissions, the gears are physically shifted so that they no longer mesh.

    Were you thinking about automatic transmissions? On those, the planetary gears that make them up ARE always engaged, and brake bands stop certain parts of the transmission which changes the output ratio.
     
  23. sculptor Valued Senior Member

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    not that I'm aware of
     

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