WIX Archives

Left side of the road

Posted by Mick on Thu Jan 17, 2002 03:40:58 AM

In reply top Re: Inverted engines... posted by bdk on Wed Jan 16, 2002 08:17:35 PM

"I have no idea, but why do the Brits drive on the left side of the road?"

Why does everyone else drive on the right (wrong) side of the road ?

Well apparently driving on the left goes way back to the time of knights on horseback.
They would hold the reins with their left hand, and keep their right hand free for drawing their swords at short notice, and it was apparently easier to fight if each knight was right side to right side.
So in consequence we drive on the left side of the road to keep our right hands free for sticking a rigid digit or two up at fellow drivers. Due to the lack of swords, well for most of us anyway, that's about all we are legally allowed to do now.
Of course all the above depends on the knight on horseback being right-handed, so I don't suppose lefties lasted very long in an all-out swordfight?

Don't ask me how the continentals and most others got it the other (wrong) way round, but my answer is believed to be historically correct (alledgedly).

TaTa
Mick

Follow Ups: