Why Does the UK Drive on the Left? 🚗 🇬🇧

[@AdventuresAndNaps]

Thanks to Milanote for sponsoring this video! Sign up for free and start your next creative project: milanote.com/adventuresandnaps

[@southerneruk]

Romans work both sides of the roads, and it all depend on where you are, There are other counties that drive on the same side as UK like Japan, bits of China, Australia, New Zealand, 1/3 of Africa, Caribbean islands Atlantic Islands few Med Island and Pacific Island, a bit of South America

[@alfresco8442]

If you look at any picture of a stage coach, or watch any western movie, the driver always sits on the right and the guard is on the left. Again, it's a handedness thing; if they sat the other way around the the driver would clout the guard on the head every time he used his whip (mostly). Britain simply kept up this right hand drive tradition, thus driving on the left...putting the driver near the centre of the road where it's easier to see around the vehicle in front. The whip being used in the middle is also less likely to get caught in any nearby shrubbery.

[@jimp514]

"When the rest of the world doesn't"......Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, Australia, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bermuda, Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, East Timor, Fiji, Grenada, Guernsey, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Kenya, Lesotho, Macau, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, The Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United States Virgin Islands, Zambia, Zimbabwe....has entered the chat 😉

[@MixedUpChocolate]

I’m glad you took the time to highlight this because I was only going to mention Jamaica 😅

[@ziggarillo]

Absolutely

[@andyt8216]

And at one time half of Europe did. The reason former Dutch colony Indonesia drives on the left is because their former Dutch masters did, the same with formerly Portuguese Macao and so on

[@afrocomber]

Don't forget to mention that 4 of those countries are amongst the 8 highest populations in the world (India, Indonesia, Pakistan & Bangladesh), together just those four account for over 2 billion people & >25 % of the global population. That may be a minority, but it's a large minority!

[@johnrhodez6829]

The reason is quit simples Alanna! Two lines of cavelery coming toward each other. Which side do you wear your sword.... yes on the left, so if you are fighting the other column then you have to wheel the horses round because when you draw you sword it is now in the right hand. If you ride on the left the drawn swords are on the correct side, and you can get on with it. As I said Simples!!

[@PaulMGleeson]

An interesting and well researched video. In the early 80s I was performing at a folk festival based around 3 villages in very rural, then, West Germany. The locals would drive on the left in the confines of the 3 villages swerving over to the right as they left. It was all quite frightening.

[@speleokeir]

There are safety benefits to driving on the left. Any time you just have one hand on the wheel .e.g changing gear, adjusting the stereo, sat nav, etc your right hand remains on the wheel.

[@Elwaves2925]

Unless your left handed.

[@stephenlee5929]

@@Elwaves2925 Sinister people.

[@Elwaves2925]

@@stephenlee5929 Hee-hee.

[@DomingoDeSantaClara]

No, the right hand is holding a coffee or sandwich, the knee keeps the car straight while changing gear...which is difficult as the left is the phone hand.😉

[@williamgardner2739]

@@DomingoDeSantaClara I hope that is a joke, because every thing you said is breaking the highway code.

[@robertmartin8602]

As a British colony, parts of Canada drove on the left until the 1920's. Newfoundland was the last holdout - they drove on the left until in 1947.14 Feb 2013

[@stephenheathfield6057]

I love how your sense of humour always shines through, keep it up. 👍😎👍

[@angelique_cs]

All the peppery pedantry in these streets when we could all be together just vibing with Alanna 😂 Fun video as always, lady

[@daehrm]

Fun fact: I believe the only road in England where you drive on the right hand side is Savoy Court leading to The Savoy hotel in London for ease of dropping off passengers. However it is on private land.

[@AdventuresAndNaps]

Interesting!

[@nickbarber2080]

There have been several roads in the UK which drove on the right...usually as part of some kind of traffic management system. Until recently The Hale in Tottenham was an example.

[@peterwilkins7013]

It dates back to Queen Victoria who didn't want to walk across the road as it was raining. So she ordered the car to drive up the right side and it stuck (as in driving on the right stuck. Not the car got stuck). And if you believe that you'll believe anything cos I just made it up.

[@ItsHailee7]

There's a road in Hammersmith, London where the only way to enter the bus station is to drive on the right.

[@kendee4421]

Correct, but most of the private cars that drive down past the theatre to the hotel are super prestige vehicles and are usually dropping off the incredibly wealthy, nobility, top celebrities etc. at the theatre or hotel.

[@Theinternalrewrite]

I've always thought keeping to the left when walking makes sense so when approaching another person you can shake hands, bump fists, high five, link elbows and dance in a circle, etc, whatever you like. It's a good way to greet people.

[@Al8minium]

Aah yes, I remember fondly the days when we used to dance in a circle.

[@caz12345]

Really interesting about why we used to walk on the left in the UK, and the horse thing, I didnt know that! 😊 Thank you for all of your research! Fascinating! 👏👍👌

[@billydonaldson6483]

Even in St. John in the US Virgin Islands they drive on the left, the donkeys have the historic right of way and use the right hand lane going up and down the hills.

[@jonhewitt3]

Have you also noticed, the railways, they travel on the left in the UK! Any railway systems around the world, if the trains travel on the left, it was usually installed by the British 😊

[@katrinabryce]

Or the French. They copied the British, had the first high speed rail system in Europe and set the standard for high speed rail in Europe. And, along with the Japanese who also drive on the left, in China.

[@peterroff8527]

just thinking the same thing.

[@grantparman4705]

I love this channel's history lessons about random topics!

[@AdventuresAndNaps]

Glad you like them!

[@grantparman4705]

🙂

[@vijay-c]

​@@AdventuresAndNapsThey're great at teaching me the answer to questions I didn't know that I had!

[@howardkey1639]

Fun little video Alanna. Personal I am glad we have stuck to the left here in the UK as I would get extremely confused if they were ever to swap us over to the right. Having said that I get the feeling that a lot of people on the roads these days haven't got a clue what side of the road they are supposed to be on anyway. 😆

[@AdventuresAndNaps]

😂 thanks pal! It's super weird switching from one side to another!

[@jonevansauthor]

It's true that whatever country your in, those people are common.

[@petealmond5378]

the inaccuracies of early weapons meant due to the trouble with highwaymen to ensure better pistol accuracy and be closer to your target travelling on the left meant the right hand would be closer to the target.

[@sjbict]

@@petealmond5378 and the right arm was usually the sword arm easier to fight

[@EBR-UK]

Hi,here's something that may not be true but I will post it anyway. Owners of horse drawn carriages like taxis in London swapped from sitting on the left (Kerb side) to the right (Middle of the road) to stop pedestrians getting hit with whips. As petrol taxis started to replace horses the steering wheel was put on the right hand side because that's where the taxi drivers were used to sitting.

[@jillbryant1145]

Because we drive on the correct side, sighting with our right eyes, and drive with our dominant right hand and chahge gear with our left hand.

[@RobertWorrillow]

That's a slur on Left handed people.

[@KeithWilliamMacHendry]

@@RobertWorrillow 🤣 It's meant to be, they're wrong un's! 😆

[@chrisives2152]

Great little Blue Peter type topic, well done 👏

[@brianharrington4045]

Thanks Alanna that was insightful and amusing.

[@JimmyTheRake]

I found in Malta that drivers will travel on whichever is the shady side of the road. This can be terrifying as you wait for the other driver to switch to the left!

[@lucyj8204]

We've always been told that having the driver on the right of the car is safer, particularly for manual cars, because you keep your dominant hand on the steering wheel. I'm surprised this didn't come up in your research (but it did come up in that 1969 report you mentioned). Countries that drive on the left have marginally lower accident rates.

[@petegarnett7731]

Perhaps it is a hangover from the days when you shielded your lady at your left, while keeping the sword arm free to defend her honour.

[@petegarnett7731]

@@Dionysos640 So would I.

[@jumperpence]

​@@petegarnett7731and why men's hats always had a feather on the left hand side so an not to interfere with any potential sword play.

[@mYmUSICmILL]

I fully agree. And not only the gear lever, but most of the controls. I am an extreme right-hander; I have, for example, tried to write with my left hand, but it is simply impossible for me. I have my driving license since 1965, and, living in Germany at the time, I had of course LHD cars. In 1974 I bought my 'dream car', a 1959 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite. And it had RHD. I quickly realized that driving a RHD car was easier for me. And from 1974 until 1996 I had both LHD and RHD cars. Visiting the UK I never had problems to drive on the left, both with RHD and LHD cars. But I had always problems to switch back to driving on the right side. In 1996 I moved to the UK, and since then I have owned only RHD cars. In 2004 I decided to move to Cyprus, and one important reason for choosing this country was that in this country cars drive on the left. Now I would not dare to drive on the right again. (Do left-handed people have the opposite experience???)

[@Peter-mw3wj]

I thought it is because most people are right handed and when people were on horseback it was safer and easier to draw your sword on the left side.

[@TG-mr6bc]

As well as the list of drivers on the left below; Thailands 70 million drive on the left, and pause for thought; add America and Canadian population together and you have over a billion more in India alone. India drive on the left.

[@moparcorvette8056]

I Approved this message 👍🏻

[@Cayles764]

I heard that one of the reasons Samoa switched to driving on the left is they wanted to buy cars straight from Japanese factories. Of course Japan also drives onthe left and thus has their wheels on the right.

[@hairyairey]

The US Postal service buys its vehicles from Japan as it's easier to get out on the right hand side for deliveries

[@Cayles764]

@@hairyairey Wow, I had no idea! What a fun fact.

[@philipslighting8240]

My car has wheels on both sides ?

[@hairyairey]

@@philipslighting8240 steering wheel! Anyway, not all cars have wheels on both sides...

[@hairyairey]

@@Cayles764 I am surprised that this isn't more common in other countries. I am looking at buying a left hand drive car, not just for fun but useful for recording inadequate traffic lights.

[@sirjosephwhitworth9415]

The 'left' bias also features in left handed spiral staircases in Castles, which made it easier for the defenders using swords, but more awkward for the attacker.

[@Senior_City]

Exactly.

[@RobertWorrillow]

No. That's a myth perpetuated by people who don't like not knowing.

[@stuarts1219]

Great research Alanna! I don't think you mentioned that on rivers and canals in the UK you stick to the right bank when passing other boats.

[@AdventuresAndNaps]

I had no idea! That's so interesting

[@Pippins666]

because that is the rule of the sea - the same is true in UK estuaries or anywhere else at sea. Interestingly, some European rail lines run the left side. I noticed it in Portugal, but some other countries do too

[@nobbynobbynoob]

​@@Pippins666The British built their railways. :)

[@Pippins666]

@@nobbynobbynoob true! I hadn't thought of that

[@mykota2417]

Hah I spent a week over 30yrs ago on a canal trip... I never realised..

[@Lando-kx6so]

About 35% of the world drives on the left & a couple of countries that currently drive on the right will likely switch in the coming years like Myanmar, South Sudan, & Rwanda due to majority of cars on their roads being made for left hand traffic & majority of their neighbours driving on that side. Also Kiribati & Okinawa in Japan switched to driving to the left in the 1970s

[@midnightwind8067]

Yep. So much better without the glasses. The eyes communicate so well. Has to be good for the channel to have that ability to connect. Happy for you.

[@hvee4]

Interesting fact, the 70’s sci fi series UFO had pre and post 1970’s clips and the cars in the flashbacks were right hand drive while the modern cars were left hand drive and the reason was at the time of making the series it was generally thought that the uk would switch sides sooner rather than later… that theory went well

[@hvee4]

@@TrickyDicky2006 yep… oops 😅

[@Judgles]

Interesting video, Alanna. Japan drives on the left, despite never being associated with the UK. It means a lot of second-hand Japanese cars have the steering wheel on the right, which is handy for countries that import them - including Samoa!

[@Lando-kx6so]

Samoa switched sides to driving in the left in 2009 the latest country/territory to do this

[@outerheaven8797]

Yeah am in the UK, but have a Japanese car- anything Japanese is totally cool

[@markwatson8714]

It is actually associated with the UK. Japan hired English engineers to build their first railroads in the 1870s, and those engineers naturally built the rails for left hand travel. The Japanese simply adopted what they were doing on the rails to the road when the automobile turned up a few decades later.

[@andyt8216]

same with Thailand and also Indonesia and Macao… in the last two cases, because their former masters Holland and Portugal used to.

[@cadifan]

@@markwatson8714 That's correct. Most Asian countries that drive on the left is because of early British influence.

[@terryomalley1974]

Canada drives on the right primarily because until the 1970's, nearly all cars sold in Canada were manufactured by the "Big Three" North American automakers (GM, Ford & Chrysler). Considering that the Canadian car market is roughly only a tenth the size of the American market, it made no sense to make cars with the steering wheel on the right just for Canadians. Also, our highway systems are interconnected.

[@isaacplaysbass8568]

Loving the deep dives, utterly fascinating. I've heard a lot about the history of Left/Right driving, but still you manage to find new gems. On the subject of diving.. Have you considered an A&N series whereby you learn new skills or have new experiences a la Blue Peter? I think an "Alana tours a Kentish brewery and is taught how to make ale", or "Alana learns scuba in the waters off the British coast", or "Alana makes cheese at a traditional creamery" etc. might be quite the draw for fans new and old.

[@PURPLEGHOST2023]

I am British and I have just joined your channel you probably know more then most brits so thank you so much for great and informative and entertaining content I am here to stay

[@BOABModels]

Many countries which continue to drive on the left are islands (UK, Ireland, Japan, Australia etc) or have large coastlines (India, South Africa) therefore have few or none road links with right sided driving countries. As you say, Sweden switched to driving on the right in 1967 as both their neighbours, Finland and Norway, drove on the right. Look up the confusing pictures of the changeover day (Högertrafikomläggningen) - some are quite funny.

[@jjjones4982]

It took BC 3 years from 1920-23 to change from left to right hand driving. That must have been an exciting 3 years.

[@AdventuresAndNaps]

Wow that's such a long time for a single province

[@petersmitham8273]

Between 68 and 76 countries also drive on the left…(depending on who supplies the correct information 😂)…. Either way it amounts to a third is the world’s population driving on the left…..😮🎉❤

[@AdventuresAndNaps]

Yup! That's in the video ☺️

[@RushfanUK]

@@AdventuresAndNaps It's not in the title though is it.

[@d.s2660]

@@RushfanUK I never watch the videos. I only read the thumbnails and judge the creator accordingly.

[@havoc6_1_6]

​@@d.s2660Bless, you'll learn to when you've left school...

[@petersmitham8273]

@@AdventuresAndNaps..clickbait working well 😂❤

[@fmcb269]

There's a KZbin clip somewhere documenting Sweden's left to right driving changeover. One night at midnight all traffic was stopped, then set off again on the opposite side. Brilliant!

[@trevorla7542]

A very interesting and well presented video, Alanna 👍

[@tommymacias5434]

Thank you 🙏🏼 for incredible video I live Northern California retired disabled garage man have always dreamed of going to East Anglia I watch a lot of KZbin your awesome my wife is from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 thank you 🙏🏼 again for your hard work I’m hooded on your channel 😊🙏🏼🇺🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@moparcorvette8056]

Most Countries that drives on the left was former British colonies only a few bunch countries that's not British colonies that drives on the left (Indonesia, Thailand, and Japan). Not all British colonies are left hand traffic like (Canada, Nigeria, and etc).

[@dacco2]

Keeps our sword hand free, especially for Canadians who don’t like mince pies and twiglets

[@AdventuresAndNaps]

Can I have a pork pie instead? Or a sausage roll? 🥹

[@dacco2]

Only with Marmite on them, or the sword hand comment still stands.

[@RobertWorrillow]

No. That's a myth perpetuated by people who don't like not knowing.

[@paulharrison8379]

I first learned about Sweden changing from the left to the right on Blue Peter. That is what Blue Peter is for.

[@nobbynobbynoob]

And Iceland, another Nordic country, made the same change the year after Sweden did it.

[@jameskvo]

8:05 - Czechoslovakia changed its name to Czechia ('Check-Yuh') in 2016 😁

[@romulanwang]

To switch between left and right, you really have to consider what this would entail, and really it means changing DIRECTION, ie you do NOT switch "sides", but you change the direction that you travel in each carriage way. So on a motorway, to get the change to work, on a slipway between two motorways you have to set things up that you transfer between the motorways using the same slipway, but travelling in the oposite direction, ie slipway X from motorway A to motorway B will instesad be used to transfer from motoroway B to motorway A. So all the exits from motorway service stations not become the entrance, and all the entrances become the exits.

[@harrybarrow6222]

I have a Britannica Book of the Year for 1967. It has photos of the traffic in Sweden switching sides at the appointed hour on 3 September 1967. Wikipedia has one photo of the same event in an article named “Dagen H”.

[@tommullinerart]

I wonder if there's a link between driving on the left and jousting. Most knights were (I imagine) forced to hold their lances in their LEFT hand with their sheilds on the right, therefore they would pass each other with their opponent on their right. This is similar to driving on the left of the road. Perhaps it's just a co-incidence? The positioning of the steering wheel (relative to the car) however, helps with overtaking cars in front. In order to see if the road is clear ahead of the other car, one only has to pull out a safer, smaller amount than if the sterring wheel was in the middle or the other side of the car.

[@mccpcorn2000]

This was really informative! It's always great finding out something new! Thanks for sharinging!

[@Al8minium]

Another reason why it may feel natural to drive on the left is because that's how we read and write. We start from the left, reach the end of the line, and then jump back to the left for the following line. (apart from Arabic) The margin is also typically on the left.

[@oaktreeman4369]

In the northern hemisphere, if you look south, the sun will rise on your left, and set on your right. And that's also how we write. Semitic languages, on the other hand, follow the moon, which waxes and wanes from right to left.

[@ozelhassan8576]

I really enjoyed this Alanna, I love history and it was fascinating, thank you.

[@davidpierce3217]

This was really interesting. Thanks!!

[@richardcrossan6637]

Also if you look 👀 at some early American films the cars were rhd love your informative vids

[@octeight7977]

Escalator etiquette around the world could be a 'fun' follow up to this 😊

[@kendee4421]

Standing on the right is so you can hold on with the right hand.

[@ianworley8169]

I moved to Europe years ago. So long as the car is designed to conform with the road lay-outs, there's really no difference. I also have a right hand drive Land Rover, which I only use off-road on single track roads, where there is no right or left, so no problem.

[@harrybarrow6222]

Sorry. One more comment: I lived and worked in the USA for almost 14 years. I made business trips to the UK periodically, and I found it very easy to switch sides. It was easy because the steering wheel is on the other side too.

[@deanosaur808]

My friend is bi, the often switch sides too 😛🤣 Sorry, bad joke 😅😅

[@peakproofuk]

One factor was motor car safety related. Most people are right handed, driving on the left means your strongest hand stays on the wheel while changing gear with the left hand.

[@SteveMikre44]

Thanks Alanna! I learned a lot...😊🚦

[@monacophotographyevents2384]

I live in Monaco, but I fairly frequently drive to the UK. As soon as I get off the ferry, I automatically, without even realising I'm doing it, switch to the other side of the road. Driving in the UK, is easier than over here.

[@michaels640]

In addition to getting on a horse being easier on the left for right handed people, it’s even more so if you are wearing a sword, which hangs down your left leg for a right handed person. The only way to mount the horse is to put your left leg in the stirrup and swing your right leg over, and ooh, your facing forward and on the left side of the road. It’s why castles have stairs up towers going round the the right, so attackers going up had the right arm restricted by the central column, whereas defenders facing down had plenty of room for defending with their right.

[@educatednumpty71]

There is also the suggestion that driving on the left dates back to when Britain was ruled over by Rome. The Roman soldiers used to march on the left.

[@RoyCousins]

Sinister 😁

[@No1sonuk]

Fun fact: Several years ago, right-hand drive Jeeps became a lot cheaper for a while because the US post office ordered a batch of right-hand drive vehicles. The reason: When stopping at the road side, the driver gets out on the pavement side of the vehicle. Many US post office vehicles are RHD for this reason.

[@heskeyisgod8039]

Great video Alanna! Really interesting. I learnt a lot 🙂

[@alistairbaird3711]

In most cowboy films, the coach driver sits on the right of the roof, holding them reins. If that's the case, when did the US move the driver to the left for motor cars?

[@timjackson1904]

My mother was left handed, but at school in Scotland, the teachers would smack her hand painfully with a ruler if they saw her using her left hand! Left handedness was seen by some as witchcraft in those days. Great video ! !

[@cadifan]

New Zealand 1966 when I started school my mother made sure the teachers knew that my left handness was NATURAL and was NOT to be "corrected"!

[@michaellovell1368]

The Latin word for "left" is "sinistra". It's where we get the word Sinister. The Roman Church (and the Anglican) can be held responsible for kids getting clumped for using their left hand for writing. Thankfully we are a bit more enlightened these days (I hope) !!

[@jonevansauthor]

Just to be clear, it wouldn't have been for stuff that requires both hands, it would have been for really important stuff like handwriting and eating with a knife and fork... yeah it's still horrible but it's not like they weren't allowed to use their left hands at all. Probably the least awful reason they got beaten too. :(

[@Sofasurfa]

Yup my mum told me when I started school back in 1963 they tried to get me to use my right hand. I don’t remember it myself.

[@jonevansauthor]

@@Sofasurfa it does make sense for handwriting because of how the hand moves across the page left to right but they didn't need to be such swines about it. More flies with vast piles of rotting meat and all that... wait, I may have that saying wrong. Being nice to people gets better results would be another way to put it.

[@robinhazell6019]

Many countries drive on the left. Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and many other Asian countries. So, just on World Population, nearly 50% of the people drive on the left.

[@iainmalcolm9583]

I've driven Citroen's for many many years. There are elements that show that they are designed to be driven on the right and 'converted' for the UK market. As an example, centuries ago cars were unlocked by the key being turned in an actual lock in the door (none of this modern 'remote' magic). The locks would be in both front doors but Citroen decided that to save money they would only put the door lock on the drivers door. Of course, here in the UK, that meant the only door lock was on the passenger side.

[@luxford60]

There was a similar issue with some British cars exported to countries that drive on the right and so the door with the lock being on the wrong side there.

[@MS-19]

A very good breakdown of this topic, Alanna! Did you know that mounting of horses on the left is also the reason why we board a passenger aircraft on its left side? I've driven in South Africa, where they drive on the left too - apparently having a British driving licence was sufficient. When you said "why not just drive down the middle?" I immediately chuckled as I remembered that line from the original Karate Kid movie: "Walk on the road - walk right side safe, walk left side safe. Walk in the middle and sooner or later... get squished just like grape." So I'd hazard the guess that this is why we don't drive down the middle, though there is anecdotal evidence that people did so during the World War 2 blackouts when lights were forbidden on cars and streets. People literally had to drive blind if they had no choice but to go out at night....

[@jonevansauthor]

Most countries have some kind of authorisation to drive using your licence from other countries. For instance, you can visit the US and drive with your British driving licence and unless you do something egregious the police are unlikely to want to charge you because of the paperwork. That is not an excuse to misbehave of course. Plus they're extremely likely to shoot you in the face so it's best not to interact with them at all.

[@brihe7029]

Was it Canada where it was suggested that changing to the right was to be phased in? For first 6 months only busses and heavy trucks would drive on the right.

[@foddy0]

So, can you explain why motorcycle side-stands are on the left in the US/Canada?

[@capitalb5889]

My father remembers being in a car on small roads in Ireland, possibly in the 19030s, and if you met another car (if!) you just worked it out at the time who drove on which side.

[@admiralcraddock464]

On our canal system boats pass each other on the right.

[@MadTamB]

When I was in Prague, someone asked me why we drove on the left. I should have asked him why he drove on the right!

[@gordonwallin2368]

Another sweet video, Alanna, thank you. When I was a kid, I thought that all Eglish and Japanese were Left handed, and that's why they drove on the left. I thought that was cool, 'cause I'm left handed. Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.

[@AdventuresAndNaps]

Thanks for watching!

[@ekspatriat]

I heard Ireland changed from right to left but phased it in slowly so as to not confuse paddy.

[@danielferguson3784]

People are mostly right handed, & so also mount horses on the left. Carriage drivers sat on the right to clear the whip hand free, & to face oncoming traffic. It was Henry Ford, building cars on an assembly line , made them left hand drive, which hence spread with his cars around the world.

[@Mark2024Hola]

Just a thought, I've had a lot of pub conversations about this - most people are right handed and right eye dominant, so your 'main' eye is in the middle of the road and your main hand is on the steering wheel when you operate the stick shift. I'm left eye dominant but right-handed BTW but I'm weird 🤣🤪

[@MarkARhodie]

Love your educational videos missus.

[@petertyson4022]

Remember when I was a kid. People would walk on left. .not now. But I do. Very interesting subject. 👍😊

[@malcolmsymon2139]

Not a guess: Rules of Chivalry. You carry your shield on the left, so 2 knights passing offer mutual defence. Was practice all over Christendom since about 500 AD. Also means reading road signs it brings your eyeline back to the road.

[@johnhoward2430]

On top form Leafy! Missing the bins already tho ? X

[@brianthomson9403]

The apocryphal story I heard as a child was that it is all due to the relative importance of cavalry and infantry in UK and continental Europe. In the UK, infantry was predominant (shield wall at battles of Hastings and Stanford bridge in 1066; archers and heavy infantry at Agincourt 1415 etc). In the UK, kings and commoners fought on foot. So right handed people in the UK pass to the left so your weapon points toward the approaching stranger. In continental Europe, cavalry predominated, especially amongst the nobility where fighting on horseback was a status symbol. The cavalry carried shields, which often were decorated with coats of arms to identify the bearer at a distance. Shields were carried in the left hand for a cavalryman. So you approach a stranger to your right so your shield points toward the approaching stranger for (i) identification and (ii) defence. So in continental Europe they pass to the right. Basically, in the UK the decision-makers were infantry whereas in Europe the decision-makers were cavalry.

[@iainjones5002]

I read nany years ago in some car related magazine article about the history of mass car manufacturing, that Henry Fordcwhen he developed the Model T Ford, he wished to follow the British 'model' of Right Hand Drive vehicles. But when his production lines were manufactured ahead of Day 1 of manufacturing, they'd been constructed in the opposite way, and it wasn't feasible to have the changes made in time, hence why they became Left Hand Drive. I regret not having retained that magazine article, as this question arises from time to time. Maybe it's true, maybe now been historically corrected, but it makes sense in a way.

[@stephenlee5929]

Hi Alanna, You mention, Ford's Model T, with its steering wheel on the left, but his 1st car the 1903 Ford Model A, had the steering wheel on the right.

[@dougbrowning82]

The earliest cars had a tiller, in the middle.

[@peckelhaze6934]

You are adding 'becoming a British historian' to your talents. I feel quite certain that British Commonwealth countries, including Canada of course, drove, and some still do, on the left. I have a great interest in WWII and the Nazis. I have read many books on Hitler and the Austrian Anschluss and have never read about Hitler changing the other half of Austrian roads to drive on the right. I had to find out and checked photos of Austrian roads in 1920 and they show Austria, roads of driving on left. After the Anschluss they drive on the right. Thank you for pointing that out, it something else I have learnt.

[@markdobbin6893]

Swords and the horsey thing, there's a secondary reason for mounting from the left as with most people being right handed this ment most people wore the sword on the left, this keep the sword from interfering when mounting the horse. If you mounted the horse with a sword at your side between you and the horse this would only interfere when throwing you leg across the horses back it would be almost impossible to mount in this manner sword between you and the horse when standing side by side facing the same way

[@chrisjolly6954]

Well I am right handed so gripping the steering wheel with that hand whilst changing gear with the left hand makes sense. 👍😃 Or I can only assume then that Canadian "shift stick" cars have very difficult gear changes requiring the use of the right hand! 🤣 BTW I lived in Ontario for a few years!

[@necronom]

Exactly what I was just going to say. Being right handed makes it much easier to steer with that hand when changing gear, radio station, putting heater on, etc.

[@ElliotDooleysmith]

Left just makes more sense for Manual cars as well. Most people are right handed, keep you dominant hand on the wheel when changing gear.

[@rogerwitte]

I think there was one road in Canada that remained 'drive on the left' long after the rest of the country changed because I vaguely remember it changing in my lifetime (I am 63). I think it was in a port on the east (Atlantic) coast. They had a special junction which swapped the two halves of the road where it met the inland Canadian road network (the other end was the dock).

[@peterthomas5792]

How on earth can the wear on the stones in Pompei indicate which side of the road they were driving on? How do you know which direction they were facing?

[@philipslighting8240]

At school In Sandwich kent we had to always walk on the left.

[@southerneruk]

You missed out the most important thing, why countries will not change to the right by those that are on the left, it's because when at sea you pass a ship on the same side. By the way Antarctica is also pass on the same side

[@Mariazellerbahn]

THE MAIN REASON FOR LEFT OR RIGHT .... Everyone drove on the left (a throwback from what you mention) BUT when cars and buggies became enclosed then the driver, handbrake and gearchange moved across to the left (in a central position). The gearchange and handbrake were typically mounted outside to the driver's right but when the handbrake and gearchanged moved to a central position, the driver moved across so that control was still maintained with the right hand.

[@f0rth3l0v30fchr15t]

The other thing that archeologists find consistently is that tracks leading away from mines are more heavily rutted on the left, indicating that the laden carts were driven on the correct side of the road.

[@nigelwest3430]

When I worked at Aston Martin back in the 90s we had an order from Japan for a Vantage, Japan like the UK drive on the left side of the road, but the buyer wanted a LHD car even thought its country of origin drives on the same side a Japan because it is apparently seen as more exotic to have LHD

[@richardcrossan6637]

The same rule appled to castles if the stairs went anti clockwise it was easier for defenders to defend

[@clivehill4470]

And I always thought that early gear boxes were difficult to use so the Americans made the switch to drive on the right, so they could sit in the left and use their stronger right arm to change gear.

[@brianwhittington5086]

I looked at the same question years ago Alanna. I found that some scientific research had found that the majority of people would always subconsciously move to the left to avoid something coming towards them. Presumably, better to go into a ditch at 30mph, than a 60mph combined head on collision ? It probably all dates way back to medieval times too, when castles and other defences were built with access routes favouring those defending from above. People were predominantly right handed back then. If I remember correctly, the left hand was known as sinister in Latin and heraldry, meaning left handed people were mistrusted. This also meant chess paths and stairs tended to be built spiralling clockwise going up, as it would leave right handed attacker's at a disadvantage when climbing and using weapons.

[@robertgrant4987]

One observation, as you know.. most people are right-handed, and most of the cars here are manual ok So, let's say, just as you are changing gear or turning the radio on or anything, you are doing it with your left hand, leaving for those moments your dominant right hand controlling/steering the car you know..the important bit! Say if someone opened their car door in front of you just as you were changing gear, you might need to react quickly by swerving to avoid so which hand would you rather be in charge at this moment? Your welcome 😊

[@Swansea32]

Spiral staircases curve right when going up to make it more difficult to swing a sword when attacking

[@ricahrdb]

But when I stand on the left side of the tube escalators people get angry at me. 😕

[@dougbrowning82]

The left side of escalators is for people who run up/down. Standees keep right.

[@steveknight878]

I have no authoritative source, but my understanding of why France drove on the right (much of Europe before Napoleon drove on the left, because you mount a horse on its left side as you mentioned) was because of the difference in the way carts are driven. In Britain, for instance, carts were driven from a seat on the cart. The best place to sit when driving a horse and cart is on the right-hand side of the cart - because if you use a whip, and you are right handed, you sit to the right of the cart so that you don't get the whip tangled up in the cart itself. When you meet oncoming carts, you want them to pass you on your right, so that you can more easily see what you are doing. In France, they tended to lead the horse, rather than ride in the cart. Naturally, you want to hold the horse with your right hand. In this situation you want oncoming carts to pass you on your left - so that you can more easily avoid hitting them. When Napoleon defeated countries, he decreed that they ride on the right like they did in France.

[@littleannie390]

I think it’s the same reason why we still use miles instead of kilometres. When we joined the EU it was decided it would be too expensive to change all the road signs so we just stuck with miles.

[@nobbynobbynoob]

The Irish did it by simply not erecting new imperial signs for a long time - when I was in Ireland in 2000 all the Imperial signs were clearly OLD AND RUSTY, while newer signs used km - then replacing them on a set "K Day", with the notation "km/h" on all the speed limits so they could not be mistaken for mph. There was a case in Britain for simply retaining Imperial across the board, but then, why decimalize the currency (1971)? or convert weather forecasts to °C (1962)? or join the EEC (1973) even, when we already had the EFTA & Commonwealth trade preferences?

[@Forest_Fifer]

Let's face it, there are enough idiots around to ensure that if we ever did change signs to km, they would soon either be torn down or vandalised to put miles back.

[@jameshurst8006]

I think thats why so many countries that keep right go auto. It just doesn't feel right to change gears with you right hand.

[@dhdavidholloway]

There are quite a few videos from the start of the 1900s on KZbin of places like Toronto and Vancouver where you can see vehicles being driven on the left. Newfoundland didn't change until 1947 which is within living memory of a lot of people.

[@moparcorvette8056]

2 years after Indonesia Independence 🇮🇩🇨🇦

[@markhemzy8433]

From the many dash cam channels I subscribe to around the world I don't think it makes a lot of difference what side people drive on. There are angry, bad, impatient, thoughtless, blind, dangerous and unthinking drivers all over the globe. Interesting video.