Why are we going from the right?

Why do the British drive on the “wrong” side, that is, on the left? The question is asked wrong: initially the whole world drove on the left! But why do we and most countries drive on the right? This has to do with politics and above all two dictators who have imposed their will on many countries. It should be noted: Historically, there has been a lot of disagreement, Blick names the most common versions.

Even in ancient times the world was traveling on the left side of the road – because 90 percent of people are right-handed (unspecified reason). One swung the sword on the right and went around the sword on the left, led the animals on the right and ran towards them on the left. The ship’s rudder was to the right (hence the “starboard”), directed to the left, usually with its back to the left. This gave you a better view of ships on the right, and when anchored you tended to do it to the left (port) because of the rudder.

Pope bet on the left

On Roman roads, traffic probably flowed on the left. In 1300, the Pope asked pilgrims to go left. At the end of the 18th century, the French Revolution turned class society upside down. The workers began walking from the right (as we did on the roadside for safety reasons) to meet face-to-face with the nobles in their wagons on the left. In the 1790s this resulted in right-hand traffic for Paris – so everyone is equal.

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) made the right-handed traffic of Paris through the republic for the purpose of unity movements. And he introduced her wherever he walked. In 1798 he transformed the Old Confederation into the Helvetic Republic. Cantons such as Aargau or Thurgau arose, the term canton became binding – and on the right, horseback riding and running.

Hitler was right wing

By the time the first cars came alongside in 1886, the right lane had already become the norm on continental Europe. The side of the road was often a political symbol: the French colonies drove on the right, the British on the left. Elsewhere, practical reasons prevailed: where railways ran on the left, road traffic sometimes followed (eg in Japan).

In Europe, Adolf Hitler (1889–1945) broke the last resistance. For example, the right-wing dictator ordered Germany’s right-hand traffic to the Austrians after their reunification – because they had turned left again after Napoleon. This remained so after World War II. By the way: The blue light (more on that here) also goes back to the Third Reich.

Sweden was one of the last countries in Europe to transit: at 4:40 am on September 3, 1967, everyone had to stand on the left, had to switch sides at 4:49 am and continued at 4:50 am. on the right. Only the British remained stubborn. Islanders continued (and still do) driving on the left. In the late 1960s, an amendment was reviewed by the Minister of Transport, but rejected on the grounds that it was not possible.

Driving on the left is not uncommon

Driving from the left is not a marginal phenomenon: 165 countries and regions drive from the right. But 75 left! Even the United States went left before state after state went right. In Europe today, the British and Irish, as well as the former British territories of Malta and Cyprus, are on the left. Worldwide, for example Australia, India, Japan, Thailand or South Africa.

Meanwhile, for traffic experts, right-handed traffic tends to be more dangerous because you shift from the right, meaning the weaker left hand (right-handed) steers more. Looking back, we’re glad that the steering wheel in the rental car was “wrong” there (and depending on the country – in Japan, for example – and the manufacturer, the turn signal and wiper arms switch sides with it). But thankfully, at least the order of the pedals is the same everywhere today.