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Jim Gillum Racing
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« on: June 04, 2006, 10:10:40 am » |
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With the heavy influence of the British in our early history, how come they drive on the left side of the road and we the right?  |
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The older I get, the better I was.
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my62ragtop
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« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2006, 01:15:03 pm » |
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I didn't know either so I looked it up on Wikipedia -
Since colonial times, traffic in the United States has always been on the right-hand side, which was greatly influenced by France, a "founder" of drive-on-the-right rule, which indirectly supported American Independence from British colonial rule. There is a common story that this may be due to the construction of Conestoga wagons, which had a high driver's seat on the left side. However, the Conestoga wagon does not date all the way back to the colonial period so this story is likely apocryphal. Many imported RHD cars are also found on the road in the U.S., especially classic cars or other collectors' items.
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Jason Culley
PRA Director of Media Relations
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Jim Gillum Racing
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« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2006, 01:26:13 pm » |
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So before the revolution did we drive our horse and buggies on the left?
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The older I get, the better I was.
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Bruce Tweddle
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« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2006, 03:45:06 pm » |
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With the heavy influence of the British in our early history, how come they drive on the left side of the road and we the right? They drive on the left because they were never conquered by Napoleon. The whole world drove on the left before Napoleon. He hated the Brits so much that he decreed that his entire empire (all of Europe) must switch to the right just to be different. At that time, America also hated the Brits so they went along with it. |
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Jim Gillum Racing
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« Reply #4 on: June 04, 2006, 05:26:20 pm » |
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Well I just so happy we drive on the right. I don't know if I could speed/power shift left handed.  |
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The older I get, the better I was.
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martin
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« Reply #5 on: June 04, 2006, 06:45:04 pm » |
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Apparently Austria had both left and right side driving in the same country not too many years ago, so you needed a map to know when to switch (or watch the signs).
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68 White 2.3 efi turbo 194hp/240tq RWHP no boost!
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madoski
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« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2006, 02:01:18 am » |
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Well I just so happy we drive on the right. I don't know if I could speed/power shift left handed. I like that...now I can blame missed shifts on being left handed! |
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Keith S
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« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2006, 03:53:27 am » |
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Sweden swapped from left to right back in the early 1960s (I believe). To make it easier they decreed that the cars would swap over one week and the trucks swap the next....  Mind you, as anyone who's driven on the 405 at rush hour knows, Californians just drive wherever they want! |
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Ultra VW magazine
Der Kleiner Panzers VW Club
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sinikl
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« Reply #8 on: June 06, 2006, 11:03:53 pm » |
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Well I just so happy we drive on the right. I don't know if I could speed/power shift left handed. i just drove in scotland for the first time on my vacation. upshifting ain't too bad, it's downshifting (into a blind, off camber right hander at 65 mph in a rented golf w/ 6 foot hedgerows on both sides of the road and a lane about as wide as your rented golf) that will kill you. i got the heel-toe part right, but 4th was NOT the amount of engine braking i was expecting. |
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lids_2001
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« Reply #9 on: June 10, 2006, 02:20:07 am » |
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shifting with the left hand becomes natural, its all in the driver training, especially when thats the only hand you have ever used. Driving to europe for Das Drag Day in August this would be the first time i am meant to drive on the right. Any way I thought everybody in the US drove automatics, so wouldn't know what a manual gear shift was if it came up and bit them on the arse.  |
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