Anyone know why the Japanese drive on the left?

[GundamW]

Now this begs the question:

Is there any country that have:

left driver seat and drives on the left? OR
right driver seat and drives on the right?
or is that not possible?


By comparison:
US/Canada/etc: left driver seat and drives on the right
Asia/Europe/etc: right driver seat and drives on the left

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: GundamW
Now this begs the question:

Is there any country that have:

left driver seat and drives on the left? OR
right driver seat and drives on the right?
or is that not possible?


By comparison:
US/Canada/etc: left driver seat and drives on the right
Asia/Europe/etc: right driver seat and drives on the left

It's possible. I've seen mail cars in the US with seats on the right. THe reason why it's not a good idea though is when passing people instead of edging out a few inches you have to pull the car out way too much to see if the way is clear.

 

[amnesiac]

HEre's the explanation I heard -
Back in feudal europe, when royalty was on the road, all those lower class were required to move off the road to the left to make way for them. This convention was carried over to driving rules.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: amnesiac 2.0
HEre's the explanation I heard -
Back in feudal europe, when royalty was on the road, all those lower class were required to move off the road to the left to make way for them. This convention was carried over to driving rules.

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: GundamW
Now this begs the question:

Is there any country that have:

left driver seat and drives on the left? OR
right driver seat and drives on the right?
or is that not possible?


By comparison:
US/Canada/etc: left driver seat and drives on the right
Asia/Europe/etc: right driver seat and drives on the left

Actually most of Europe drives on the right with a left seat driver, UK is the only exception ive seen so far.

 

[Maverick]

The Romans actually began the convention. Pilgrims on the way to the vatican traveled along the European roads built by the Romans. Travelers stayed on the left side so they would have easy access to their swords (carried on their left side for right handed swordsmen). This was so if the person coming towards them on the road was a bandit, they would have easy access to defend themselves.

 

[Shelly21]

USPS have funky jeep with the steering wheel on the wrong side... does that count? must be a conspiracy!!!! (if there is no such thing as a conspiracy..why is there a word for it?)

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: GundamW
Now this begs the question:

Is there any country that have:

left driver seat and drives on the left? OR
right driver seat and drives on the right?
or is that not possible?


By comparison:
US/Canada/etc: left driver seat and drives on the right
Asia/Europe/etc: right driver seat and drives on the left

There were atleast.
In Sweden before 1967 everyone drove on the left side and the drivers seat were also on the left side.
Then we switched side over night (after much preparation) in 1967.

To make the transition easier the heavy trucks were alowed to drive on the right side a week earlier.






(The last sentence was a joke. But the rest is true)

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: Jellomancer

Originally posted by: amnesiac 2.0
HEre's the explanation I heard -
Back in feudal europe, when royalty was on the road, all those lower class were required to move off the road to the left to make way for them. This convention was carried over to driving rules.

Anyway, what does the peasantry moving off the road have to do with left/right sides?

 

[PsychoAndy]

Here's my idea, circa 1900:
England : Ah, yes, old chap, how about we drive on the left, yes? Afterwards we can satiate ourselfs with a spot of tea.
US: Aw fvck you, we don't need no instructions to know how to rock. England sucks. We're badasses, we're driving on the right, AND we're gonna drink coffee! USA USA!

And after that, respective countries decided to pick as they saw fit. The End.

 

[lowtech1]

All of South East Asia

Left drive - Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia.

Right side - Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, ,

Seemed quite even to me.

There are a few other exceptions that are close to SE Asia such as the backward Ozzies & Kiwi that drive on the wrong side of of the road.

 

[rootaxs]

Originally posted by: dionx Not. In the philippines, you drive in any lane you want, even if its meant for oncoming traffic. stoplights? those are just for consideration. you are considered weak if you stop for those. when approaching a stop light, all you do is slow down, and beep to see if other cars are coming. if someone beeps back, proceed with caution. if there are no beeps, cruise through that stoplight without delay. hehe. 4 lane freeways (in one direction) are so packed that its not uncommon to see 6-8 lanes arise from them from everyone squeezing together. traffic is very bad there.

Do not generalize.

 

[Cyberian]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser <In Sweden before 1967 everyone drove on the left side and the drivers seat were also on the left side.
Then we switched side over night (after much preparation) in 1967.

My Dad was there for that and he said that there was more than a bit of confusion.
Imagine people driving on the left for 20-40 years and having to switch overnight!

 

[Maharaja]

Getting back to the original question, according to The Straight Dope the Japanese drive on the left because...

The English minister to Japan achieved the coup of his career in 1859 when he persuaded his hosts to make keep-left the law in the future home of Toyota and Mitsubishi.

 

[tom3]

I've also heard the theory that Japan modeled itself after Britan when they began industrializing...

 

[AndrewR]

Now try it without, and manual stick too, whilst changing gear...not so easy then.

Simple -- buy a new car.