Why The Left

[trumper]

Could somebody please tell me why, in the UK, we drive on the left? when most of the rest of the world drive on the right.

[Lonnie]

There are numerous explanations, even more on this site, it seems no-one knows for sure.

http://www.starimage.co.uk/scda/reference/driv e_on_the_left.htm

[knockavacca]

Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
Bahamas
Bangladesh
Barbados
Bermuda
Bhutan
Botswana
Brunei
Cook Islands
Cyprus
Dominica
Falkland Islands
Fiji
Grenada
Guernsey
Guyana
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Isle of Man
Jamaica
Japan
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho
Macau
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Malta
Mauritius
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
New Zealand
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Seychelles
Singapore
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Suriname
Swaziland
Tanzania
Thailand
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
United Kingdom
Virgin Islands (British + US)
Zambia
Zimbabwe

MORE THAN YOU THINK DRIVE ON THE LEFT

[fairkatrina]

Coz we make the damn rules!

[heathfield]

Ships (and boats!) have always been driven on the left, too.

[Grunty]

There are now more people in the countries that drive on the right. It only took one country to change, and tip the balance - China about 50 years ago. Since many people in the high-population countries do not drive, it is possible that more people still drive on the correct side of the road. Since then, Sweden has also changed to driving on the right.

[heathfield]

Lengthy and informative website discusses the subject here

[Bellringer]

To digress a little.
Heathfield: Ships (and boats) should always keep to the starboard (Right) of the channel. If they are on the Port (left) they are on the wrong side of the road.

[reinganum]

My understanding is that the USA drive on the left for the following reason: (American ABers, please feel free to correct me if I am wrong)
The main form of transport in the early days (other than being a single rider) was the coach-and-six, with the coachman either riding on top of the coach or more often mounted on the rearmost left hand horse. This was because, most people being right-handed, it was easier to control the rest of the team with the whip.
When driving along a road it was easier and safer to steer if two such coaches passed each other "port-to-port", to avoid any possible collision (the right hand side being the driver's blind side). Hence the general rule about driving on the right evolved and passed into law.

[cloudcity]

I remember learning this during childhood. Centuries ago, people's main form of transportation (other that on foot) was on horseback. As the majority of human beings are right handed, items required by someone sat on a horse were located so they could access them quicky and effortlessly with there right hand and be presented on their right.

A perfect example would be a knight, draws his sword and holds it in his right hand (leaving his left hand for the reigns) and could defend or attack easier to his right. Therfore travel, or passing folk would be made on the left thus leaving the immediate danger/threat/confrontation to the right.

But I doubt we'll never know who is right or wrong if this sort of tradition goes back so far.

[octopus]

In olden days the nobility would ride on the left so their sword hand, usually the right hand, would be on the same side as an oncoming horseman. Conversely, with armed nobility riding around, it made sense for peasants to walk on the right, facing the oncoming traffic.
It is my understanding that it was at Napoleon's instigation that driving on the right was enforced throughout Europe.

[Thicko2006]

It's quite simple - we drive on the left because the French drive on the right

[claguey]

What you mean is why do other countries drive on the 'wrong' side of the road...?!

[gregwithnail]

The way I rationalise it is this: Most of us are right-handed. Of the two main hand operations in driving (gear changing and steering) steering is the most crucial to safety. So, when changin gear, we want the "best" hand on the wheel and the "worst" one fumbling with the gear stick. I think this is an excellent reason, (and maybe goes some way to explaining why manual shift is so little-used in the US??)
I once heard (don; know if this is true) that we have "eyedness" as well as "handedness" and that, as with hands, the right is usually dominant. Hence, overtaking would be safer for drivers here than in, say, France, as our right eye has a slightly better view before pulling out. As I say, I don't know whether the eye thing is true, but if it is, that's pretty good reason.

[BBWCHATT]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drive_on_the_left

[NiceCupOfTea]

I'm with the sword arm argument on this one.