Even before the invention of the automobile, man noticed that following the general agreement to drive on one side of the road helps reduce vehicle collisions and traffic jams. After driving became common, most governments adopted an agreement that drivers drive on the right side of the road. However, some states, due to various characteristics, preferred driving on the left. More details about how many countries have made this decision and why can be found in our review material.

What influences the choice of destination in different countries

Today, a third of the world's population drives on the left, and almost as many of the world's highways are left-hand drive. Thus, driving on the right is used much more often. This is explained by historical traditions and the fact that most people on the planet are right-handed. Thus, when traveling in a horse-drawn carriage, the rider could quickly maneuver to the right (to, for example, avoid a collision with another carriage or a traveler on a narrow road) than to the left, since it is the right hand that is stronger and better developed.
Later, when horseless carriages operated by levers appeared, drivers also had to make considerable efforts to control them. It was better to control with my right hand. Most likely, it was this physiological feature that served as the reason for the fact that right-hand driving became traditional, and later standardized.

Important! Despite the assurances of right-hand drive supporters that driving on the left is safer, experts argue that the direction of movement in no way affects the number of accidents. Safety on highways can only be ensured by proper transport and strict adherence to traffic rules.

However, there are other versions that claim that moving along the left edge of the road appeared earlier (in particular, this is how people moved in the Roman Empire). And the first documented law that ordered citizens of the country to stick to the left was the bill passed in England in 1756. It talked about the norm of moving this way across London Bridge. The law also established a fine for violation - a pound of silver.
A quarter of a century later, in Britain, at the legislative level, it was prescribed to drive on the left side of all roads in the country. Later, since Great Britain became a colonial power, all its colonies also had to obey this law and switch to driving on the left. Thus, the tradition of such riding came to India, Pakistan and Australia, where the influence of England was very high.

If we talk about the factors that influenced the choice of direction of movement in Europe and the USA, then historians argue that France and its authority among the world community during the Napoleonic era played a huge role here. Thus, countries that supported the policy of the French emperor (in particular, Switzerland, Holland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain) followed the French and legalized right-hand driving.

Those who did not share it and were in opposition to the head of France preferred to move to the left. We are talking about countries such as the UK already mentioned above, as well as Austria-Hungary and Portugal.
Historical traditions to influence the choice of direction of movement did not stop at the above countries. Next in line was Japan - the land of the rising sun. According to historians, samurai fastened their sword on their left side. And so as not to touch each other when racing on horses, they separated, turning to the right. The national rule of driving on the left was formed in the 18th century. And the Japanese finally approved it at the legislative level in 1927.

An interesting fact is that America was at first a supporter of “leftism,” but under the influence of the French general Marie-Joseph Lafayette in the 18th century, it preferred right-hand driving.

There are also a number of countries that, over time and probably under the influence of neighboring powers in the 20th century, replaced driving on the left with driving on the right. These include, in particular, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Korea, Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone.
The reverse transition - from left-hand drive to right-hand drive - was made by only 2 countries: Samoa and Mozambique. The first is because a significant number of used cars intended for right-hand driving were brought into the state. The second is under the influence of neighboring powers.

Did you know? The Swedes have been preparing to switch to driving on the right for 4 years. On September 3, 1967, at 4:50 a.m., traffic stopped, and from 5 a.m. all drivers moved to the other side of the highway. In Swedish history, this date is called “N-Day”: from Swedish.« högertrafik» - « right-hand traffic» .

How the direction influenced vehicle design

At the dawn of the automobile industry, there was no clear placement of the steering wheel on the left or right - cars were produced with different placements. However, over time, the tradition of placing the steering wheel on the left became entrenched - it was more convenient to disembark taxi passengers when driving on the right and more comfortable to see when overtaking. In addition to the actual placement of the steering wheel and driver's seat, there are other structural differences in cars that are influenced by this fact. Thus, the design of the wipers responsible for cleaning the windshield is different. In left-hand drive cars, at rest they are folded to the right, in right-hand drive cars - to the left. The wiper switch on left-hand drive vehicles is located on the right side of the steering column.

As for the turn switches, today they are located the same in all cars (although until recently there were models where they were on the left).

It should be noted that manufacturers of modern cars for the mass consumer do not follow the lead of drivers who are accustomed to driving on the left, and to save car costs they produce models with only one difference - the location of the driver's seat.
The remaining parameters for left-hand drive and right-hand drive cars are usually the same (with the exception of certain brands).

Did you know? The sports car manufacturer McLaren in 1992-1998 produced a model called the McLaren F1, in which the steering wheel and driver's seat were located in the center of the cabin. From 1993 to 2005 it was the fastest car in the world.

List of countries with left-hand traffic, current for 2018

Below is a current list of countries where only left-hand traffic is legal.
Countries marked in green on the map - with right-hand traffic, yellow - with left-hand traffic

Europe

Among European states there are only 4 ardent representatives left with legalized left-hand driving:

• United Kingdom;
• Malta;
• Ireland;
• Cyprus.

Asia

There are quite a few countries in Asia where people drive on the left side of roads. These include:

• Bangladesh;
• Brunei;
• India;
• Indonesia
• Japan;
• Malaysia;
• Maldives;
• Nepal;
• Pakistan;
• Singapore;
• Thailand;
• Sri Lanka;
• East Timor.

Africa

On the African continent, as well as in Asia, there are 13 powers and island states that adhere to the “leftism” when traveling by car.
Among them are:

• Botswana;
• Kenya;
• Lesotho;
• Mauritius;
• Mozambique;
• Namibia;
• Seychelles;
• Republic of South Africa;
• Swaziland;
• Tanzania;
• Uganda;
• Zambia;
• Zimbabwe.

South America

On the South American continent, the vast majority of countries have rules requiring people to stay on the right side when driving cars.
And only 2 countries prefer to drive on the left side of the road:

• Suriname.

Important! If a person going on a trip plans to travel to other countries in his own car or rent a car, then he needs to first become familiar with the direction of travel in the areas he is going to visit.

Oceania

Among the states and islands of Oceania, the left side is followed when driving on highways:

• Australia;
• Fiji;
• Republic of Kiribati;
• Republic of Nauru;
• New Zealand;
• Papua New Guinea;
• Samoa;
• Solomon Islands;
• Kingdom of Tonga;
• Tuvalu.

In addition, people drive on the left edge of the road in the Bahamas, the Lesser Antilles: Antigua, Dominica, Barbados, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent, as well as in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Virgin Islands, Saint Lucia and Jamaica.
Thus, various historical reasons influenced which half of the road people travel along in a particular country in the world. Residents of 53 countries stick to the left side of traffic on roads. Driving on the right is considered traditional. Accordingly, much more left-hand drive cars are produced. If a person is planning to travel to another state by car, then he definitely needs to familiarize himself with the traffic rules in force on his territory. Switching to the “opposite” steering wheel is not easy - you also need to change the road signs.

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I’m sitting in Cyprus now and thinking that I don’t know history well if I can’t remember how Cyprus ended up driving on the left. In general, this division in the world into right-hand and left-hand is very strange. Why not come to a general agreement despite some historical prerequisites. It's both simpler and safer. YES, and in any case, is it more convenient in one version or is it absolutely the same, does it all depend on habit? I didn’t dare rent a car here - I was afraid that I would get confused along the way!

By the way, let me find out, and you will remember how the division into two types of traffic arose in the first place and how left-hand traffic turned out to be in Cyprus.

It is not known for certain which side they traveled on in ancient Greece, Assyria, etc. (as stated above, the rules for traveling soldiers are not a decisive argument). There is only evidence that the Romans drove on the left. Around 1998, a Roman quarry was found in the Swindon area (Great Britain), in which the left (from the quarry) track was much more broken. Also on one of the issues of the Roman denarius, dated 50 BC. e. - 50 AD e., two horsemen are depicted riding along the left side.

Cyprus

After they stopped driving on the roads with weapons and suspecting everyone was an enemy, right-hand traffic spontaneously began to take shape on the roads, which was mainly due to human physiology, a significant difference in the strength and dexterity of different hands in the techniques of driving heavy horse-drawn carriages drawn by several horses. The peculiarity of man affected that most people are right-handed. When driving on a narrow road, it was easier to direct the carriage to the right to the side of the road or the edge of the road, pulling the reins with the right, that is, stronger hand, holding the horses. It is probably for this simple reason that the tradition and then the norm of passing on the roads arose first. This norm eventually became established as the norm for driving on the right.

In Russia, back in the Middle Ages, the rule of right-hand traffic developed spontaneously and was observed as natural human behavior. The Danish envoy to Peter I, Just Yul, wrote in 1709 that “in Russia everywhere it is customary for carts and sleighs, when meeting each other, to pass each other, keeping to the right side.” In 1752, the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued a decree introducing right-hand traffic for carriages and cab drivers on the streets of Russian cities.

In the West, the first law regulating left- or right-hand traffic was the English Bill of 1756, according to which traffic on London Bridge had to be on the left side. Violation of this rule was subject to an impressive fine - a pound of silver. And 20 years later, the historical “Road Act” was published in England, which introduced left-hand traffic on all roads in the country. The same left-hand traffic was adopted on the railway. In 1830, traffic on the first Manchester-Liverpool railway line was on the left.

There is another theory about the appearance of initially left-hand traffic. Some historians suggest that it was more convenient to ride on the left side in the days when horse-drawn teams appeared, where the coachmen sat on top. So, when they were driving the horses, the whip of the right-handed coachman could accidentally hit passers-by who were walking along the sidewalk. That is why horse-drawn carriages often rode on the left.

Great Britain is considered the main “culprit” of “leftism,” which then influenced some countries of the world (its colonies and dependent territories). There is a version that she introduced such order on her roads from maritime rules, that is, at sea, an oncoming ship allowed another one to pass, which was approaching from the right. But this version is erroneous, since to miss a ship approaching from the right means passing on the left sides, that is, according to the rules of right-hand traffic. It is right-hand traffic that is adopted for the divergence of ships following oncoming courses in the line of sight at sea, which is recorded in international rules.

The influence of Great Britain affected the order of traffic in its colonies, therefore, in particular, in countries such as India, Pakistan, Australia, left-hand traffic was adopted. In 1859, Queen Victoria's ambassador, Sir R. Alcock, persuaded the Tokyo authorities to also adopt left-hand traffic.

Driving on the right is often associated with France, with its influence on many other countries. During the French Revolution of 1789, a decree issued in Paris ordered that people move along the “common” right side. A little later, Napoleon Bonaparte consolidated this position by ordering the military to keep to the right, so that anyone who met the French army would give way to it. Further, this order of movement, oddly enough, was associated with big politics at the beginning of the 19th century. Those who supported Napoleon - Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain - drove on the right in those countries. On the other hand, those who opposed Napoleonic army: Britain, Austria-Hungary, Portugal - turned out to be “leftists”. The influence of France was so great that it influenced many countries in Europe, and they switched to driving on the right. However, in England, Portugal, Sweden and some other countries, traffic remains on the left. In Austria, a curious situation has developed. In some provinces, traffic was on the left, while in others it was on the right. It was only after the Anschluss in the 1930s by Germany that the entire country switched to right-hand drive.

At first, there was left-hand traffic in the United States. But by the end of the 18th century there was a gradual transition to right-hand traffic. It is believed that the Americans were “convinced” to switch to driving on the right by the French general Marie-Joseph Lafayette, who made a significant contribution to the fight for independence from the British crown. At the same time, in a number of Canadian provinces, left-hand traffic remained until the 1920s.

At various times, many countries adopted driving on the left, but they switched to new rules. For example, due to the proximity to countries that were former French colonies and drive on the right, the rules were changed by the former British colonies in Africa. In Czechoslovakia (formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), left-hand traffic was maintained until 1938.

One of the last countries to switch from driving on the left to driving on the right was Sweden. This happened in 1967. Preparations for the reform began back in 1963, when the Swedish parliament formed the State Commission for the Transition to Right-Hand Driving, which was supposed to develop and implement a set of measures to ensure such a transition. On September 3, 1967, at 4:50 a.m., all vehicles were required to stop, change sides of the road, and continue driving at 5:00 a.m. For the first time after the transition, a special speed limit mode was installed.

After the advent of automobiles in Europe, different countries had different driving regulations. Most countries drove on the right side - this custom has been adopted since the time of Napoleon. However, in England, Sweden and even part of Austria-Hungary, driving on the left reigned. And in Italy, different cities had different rules.

It turns out that there are cats in Cyprus too:

And now a few words about the English history of Cyprus.

In 1878, the Cyprus Convention of 1878 was concluded between the British Empire and Turkey, a secret Anglo-Turkish treaty on a “defensive alliance” directed against Russia. The treaty was signed on June 4, 1878 in Istanbul before the opening of the 1878 Berlin Congress. Great Britain pledged to help the Ottoman Empire “by force of arms” if Russia, having retained Batum, Ardahan and Kars, tried to acquire new territories in Asia Minor. In exchange, Türkiye agreed to the British occupation of the island of Cyprus. The convention was annulled by the British on November 5, 1914 due to Turkey's entry into World War I on the side of Germany and the annexation of Cyprus by Great Britain.

The island was finally annexed in 1914 during the First World War. Real power in Cyprus passed into the hands of the British governor, and a self-government body was formed - the Legislative Council.

In 1925, Great Britain officially declared Cyprus its crown colony. Already in 1931, riots broke out among the Greek population demanding enosis (unification with Greece), resulting in the death of 6 people and the arson of the British administration building in Nicosia. During the suppression of the unrest, 2 thousand people were arrested.

The colonial authorities, resorting to divide and rule tactics, maneuver between the two main communities of the island; To suppress the October Uprising of 1931, which engulfed the Greek Cypriots, “reserve police” recruited from Turkish Cypriots were used.

During World War II, Greek Cypriots took part in the British war effort, fighting alongside the British. This raised widespread expectations that Britain would recognize the island's independence at the end of the war, but these hopes were dashed.

After World War II, there was a growing movement among the Greek population to unite the historical Greek territories, including Cyprus, with Greece (enosis, Greek for “reunification”). In January 1950, a referendum was held in which the Greek majority voted for enosis. Britain refused to recognize the results of the referendum.

The position of the Communist Party of Cyprus (AKEL) is strengthening. However, the communists are accused by many Greek Cypriots of abandoning enosis.

During British rule, a railway was built in Cyprus (en: Cyprus Government Railway), which operated from 1905 to 1951 and had 39 stations. On December 31, 1951, the railway was closed for financial reasons.

In 1955, the first armed conflict between the Greeks and the British led to the founding of EOKA (Greek Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston, a union of fighters for the liberation of the nation). During the first series of attacks on British soldiers and officials, up to 100 Britons were killed, as well as a number of Greek Cypriots suspected of collaboration. The EOKA attacks did not affect the Turkish Cypriot reserve police, but caused increasing tensions between the two communities.

In September 1955, Greek pogroms take place in Turkey, and the Volcan paramilitary group is formed to fight EOKA. In 1956, Britain increased the number of its troops in Cyprus to 30 thousand and carried out massive repressions.

In 1957, with direct help from Turkey, Turkish Cypriots formed the TMT military organization. Britain supports the emergence of TMT as a counterweight to the Greek EOKA.

By 1959, the EOKA movement managed to get rid of the British, but the main goal - joining Greece - was not achieved.

British heritage in Cyprus includes driving on the left and two remaining military bases that are under British sovereignty.

The island's electrical networks are built according to British standards. They have British style sockets (see BS 1363) and the voltage is 250 volts. I had to buy this adapter:

The division into the right and left sides of the movement began even before the appearance of the first car. Historians still argue among themselves which movement in Europe was the original. During the existence of the Roman Empire, horsemen rode on the left so that the right hand in which they held the weapon was ready to instantly strike the enemy riding towards them. Evidence was found that the Romans drove on the left: in 1998, a Roman quarry was excavated in the UK near Swindon, near which the left track was broken stronger than the right, as well as on a Roman denarius (dated 50 BC - 50 AD) two horsemen were depicted riding along the left side.
In the Middle Ages, it was more convenient to mount a horse when driving on the left, since the sword did not interfere with the landing. However, there is an argument against this argument - the convenience of riding in the left or right lane when riding on horseback varies depending on the riding method, and there were not so many warriors compared to the rest of the population. After people stopped taking weapons with them on the road, traffic gradually began to change to the right. This was explained by the fact that most people are right-handed, and with the advantage of the right hand in strength and dexterity, it is more comfortable to do many things while moving on the right side of the road.
When walking on foot (without weapons), when driving a horse and cart, it is more convenient to stay on the right side. From this side, it is more convenient for a person to be close to oncoming traffic in order to stop to talk with oncoming traffic, and it is easier to hold the reins with his right hand. Knights in tournaments also rode on the right - they held a shield in their left hand, and a spear was placed on the back of the horse, but there is an argument against this argument - tournaments were just demonstrative “shows” and had nothing to do with real life.
Depending on the type of horse-drawn carriage, the convenience of right- and left-hand traffic varies: for single-seat carriages with a seat for the coachman in the front, it is preferable to ride on the right side, since when traveling with another carriage, the coachman needs to pull the reins harder with his right hand. Crews with a postilion (a coachman who drives a team while sitting on one of the horses) also stuck to the right side - the postilion always sits on the left horse to make it easier for himself to mount and control with his right hand. Multi-seat and open carriages drove on the left side of the road - so the driver could not accidentally hit a passenger or passerby walking along the sidewalk with his whip.
In Russia, even under Peter I, right-hand traffic was accepted as the norm; carts and sleighs passed, as a rule, keeping to the right, and in 1752, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna issued an official decree introducing right-hand traffic for carriages and cabs on the streets of Russian cities. Among Western countries, the first law on the direction of movement was issued in England - it was a bill of 1756, according to which traffic on London Bridge should be on the left side, and in case of “driving into oncoming traffic” a fine of 1 pound of silver was levied. And only after 20 years, the English government issued the historical “Road Act”, which prescribed the introduction of left-hand traffic. By the way, the same movement was adopted on the Manchester-Liverpool railway line that opened in 1830. According to one of the assumptions, England took this from the rules of the sea, since it was an island state, and the only connection with other countries was shipping - through them the ship passed another ship that was approaching it from the right.
Great Britain is considered the main “culprit” of “leftism,” which subsequently influenced many countries of the world. According to one version, she brought the same order to her roads from maritime rules, that is, at sea, an oncoming ship allowed another one to pass, which was approaching from the right.
The influence of Great Britain affected the order of traffic in its colonies, therefore, in particular, in countries such as India, Pakistan, and Australia, left-hand traffic was adopted. In 1859, Queen Victoria's ambassador, Sir R. Alcock, convinced the Tokyo authorities to also accept driving on the left.
Right-hand traffic is often associated with France, with its influence on many other countries. During the Great French Revolution of 1789, a decree issued in Paris ordered moving along the “common” right side. A little later, Napoleon consolidated this position by ordering the military to stay on the right side. Further, this order of movement, strange as it may seem, was associated with big politics at the beginning of the 19th century. Those who supported Napoleon - Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain. On the other hand, those who opposed Napoleonic army: Britain, Austria-Hungary, Portugal turned out to be “leftists”. The influence of France was so great that it influenced many European countries and they switched to right-hand traffic. However, in England, Portugal, Sweden and some other countries, traffic remained on the left. In Austria, a generally curious situation has developed. In some provinces, traffic was on the left, and in others, on the right. And only after the Anschluss in the 30s with Germany, the whole country switched to right-hand drive.
In the beginning, driving on the left was also common in the United States. But, probably, the Americans’ love of freedom expressed, in contrast to the British, doing the opposite. It is believed that the Americans were “convinced” to switch to the right-hand movement by the French general Marie-Joseph Lafayette, who made a significant contribution to the struggle for independence from the British crown. At the same time, Canada continued to drive on the left until the 1920s.
At various times, many countries adopted driving on the left, but they switched to new rules. For example, due to the proximity to countries that were former French colonies and drive on the right, the rules were changed by the former British colonies in Africa. In Czechoslovakia (formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), left-hand traffic was maintained until 1938. North Korea and South Korea switched from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1946, after the end of the Japanese occupation.
One of the last countries to switch from driving on the left to driving on the right was Sweden. This happened in 1967. Preparations for the reform began back in 1963, when the Swedish parliament formed the State Commission for the Transition to Right-Hand Driving, which was supposed to develop and implement a set of measures to ensure such a transition. On September 3, 1967, at 4:50 a.m., all vehicles were required to stop, change sides of the road, and continue driving at 5:00 a.m. For the first time after the transition, a special speed limit mode was installed.
After the advent of cars in Europe, real leapfrog was happening. Most countries drove on the right side - this custom has been imposed since the time of Napoleon. However, in England, Sweden and even part of Austria-Hungary, driving on the left reigned. And in Italy, different cities generally had different rules!
As for the location of the steering wheel, on the first cars in most cases it was on the “wrong” right side for us. Moreover, regardless of which side the cars were driving on. This was done so that the driver could better see the car being overtaken. In addition, with this steering wheel arrangement, the driver could get out of the car directly onto the sidewalk, and not onto the roadway. By the way, the first mass-produced car with a “correct” steering wheel was the Ford T.

It's no secret to avid travelers that in many countries the traffic vector on the roads differs from the way they are used to. Before traveling abroad, it is important to remember which countries drive on the left, especially if you plan to rent a car.

Reasons influencing the choice of direction

There is practically no historical evidence of how our ancestors moved. Apparently, this topic seemed obvious, so chroniclers and ordinary people did not consider it important to make notes on it. The rules of behavior on state transport routes were first regulated legislatively only in the 18th century.

Currently, 28% of highways around the world are oriented to the left, and 34% of the world's population travels along them. The reasons why these territories have retained their traditional methods of regulating traffic are the following:

• Historically, they were colonies or dependent regions of Great Britain and Japan;
• The main transport used was carts with a driver sitting on the roof.

The list of regions changed rapidly after the United Kingdom lost its status as an “empire where the sun never sets” and the end of World War II. The last country to adopt the new orientation was the Independent State of Samoa in 2009.

Full list, current for 2018:

1. Australia and New Zealand, including external territories and states in free association (Cocos, Norfolk, Christmas, Tokelau, Cook, Niue);
2. Continental southeast Africa (Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tonga, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana, Malawi);
3. Bangladesh;
4. Botswana;
5. Brunei;
6. Butane;
7. United Kingdom;
8. Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom (Anguilla, Bermuda, Saint Helena and Ascension, Cayman, Montserrat, Maine, Pitcairn, Turks and Caicos, Falklands);
9. British and American Virgin Islands;
10. East Timor;
11. Guyana;
12. Hong Kong;
13. India;
14. Indonesia;
15. Ireland;
16. Independent countries of the Caribbean;
17. Cyprus;
18. Mauritius;
19. Macau;
20. Malaysia;
21. Maldives;
22. Malta;
23. Micronesia (Kiribati, Solomon, Tuvalu);
24. Nauru;
25. Nepal;
26. Channel Islands;
27. Pakistan;
28. Papua New Guinea;
29. Samoa;
30. Seychelles;
31. Singapore;
32. Suriname;
33. Thailand;
34. Fiji;
35. Sri Lanka;
36. Jamaica;
37. Japan.

Traditions of movement

The methods of driving on roads for ordinary people in ancient times depended purely out of convenience because the population density was low. Peasants and artisans carried loads on the right shoulder and walked so as not to touch each other, while warriors preferred the opposite side in order to be able to protect themselves from enemies by drawing the sword from the sheath on the left thigh.

With the advent of vehicles, driving rules also changed. Carts with one horse and a driver on the front goats were more convenient to control with the working hand, as the stronger one, and at the same time maintain maneuverability on the left.

This type of transport was common in France, and during Napoleon's reign, driving on the left spread to all the regions of his conquests.

How did the movement influence vehicle design?

Due to differences in behavior on the highway, depending on orientation, different countries use cars with the steering wheel on the side farthest from the curb. At the same time, the location of the control levers remains the same in all models.

However, for the convenience of specialized machines, this rule may be broken. For example, In the official transport of postal employees, the driver's seat was located on the side closest to the sidewalk so that the postman delivers letters and parcels without leaving the car. So in the USSR, since 1968, the Moskvich 434P with right-hand drive was produced.

Another important aspect related to the direction of traffic is crossing the border in states with opposite accepted traffic rules. In such cases, there may be a simple displacement on the route if the road is narrow, as between Laos and Thailand, or a large-scale labyrinth of paths if we are talking about large-scale crossings, such as between Macau and China.

Why do people drive on the left in England?

Since there is no written evidence of how people traveled on roads in ancient times, researchers are turning to archaeological methods. At an old quarry near Swindon, Wiltshire, traces of a Roman-era street were discovered, the degree of subsidence of which indicated that traffic was driven on the left.

Historians also associate this direction of traffic in Great Britain with traditional carts, including cabs, on which the right-handed driver sat on the roof and, accordingly, held a whip in his strongest hand.

The first piece of legislation regulating the rules of movement around the city was a law in 1756, which obligated vehicles to drive on the left side of London Bridge, and violators were subject to a fine of a whole silver pound. Later, in 1776, the Road Act was adopted, extending the rule to all streets in England.

Since it was the British who became the first railway power, many countries still have similar traffic in the subway and at railway stations, with the opposite rules for cars.

Which traffic in Russia is right-hand or left-hand?

For a long time, there were no rules in Russia that would tell people exactly how they should drive carts so as not to collide with each other. In 1752, the first Russian Empress Elizabeth ordered the drivers move along the right side streets inside cities.

And so it happened, it is accepted throughout the Russian Federation right-hand traffic . However, in large cities you can find certain sections where the direction of traffic flow is changed, which is usually associated with the convenience of the interchange in a particular place.

Examples of such places are:

• Leskova Street in the Bibirevsky district of Moscow;
• Embankment of the Fontanka River in St. Petersburg;
• Semenovskaya and Mordotsveva streets in Vladivostok (August 2012 - March 2013).

It is interesting to see how political and economic reasons have influenced which countries drive on the left and which drive on the right. One simple point on which people cannot agree and come to a common decision creates differences in economic trends and poses major challenges for architects and administrations of cities and regions.

Video: Which part of the road is used in different countries?

In this video, Oleg Govorunov will tell you why in different countries it is customary to drive on different sides of the roads:

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Why does England drive on the left and which movement is considered more “correct”?

In Russia, as in the vast majority of countries, right-hand traffic is accepted on the roads. However, there are countries where traffic on the streets is organized in reverse. In addition to the UK, left-hand traffic is used in Japan, Ireland, South Africa, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and some other countries. Interestingly, Hong Kong is an autonomous region within China, and in China itself, traffic is on the right.

The traditions of driving on the left or right side of the road themselves originated in the Middle Ages, when cars were not yet in the thoughts of the most brilliant futurists. There is a version according to which right-hand traffic in Europe arose in the Middle Ages: mainly riders on horses traveled along the streets and narrow roads. Since most of them were armed, and in their left hands they held a shield for protection, it was more convenient for them to stick to the right side of the road. According to another version, right-hand traffic arose in Europe by itself: horse-drawn carriages passed on the left sides, since it was easier for the coachman to direct the cart to the side of the road to the right - this required pulling the reins with the right hand, and in people it is usually more developed. True, the opposite version is also associated with horse-drawn carriages: the coachman usually held a whip in his right hand and, waving it while driving the horses, could accidentally hit pedestrians. Therefore, it was safer to stick to the left side of the road. Since those distant times, these traditions have come down to us.

There is another version of the development of events, according to which Napoleon legalized right-hand traffic in Europe - in spite of the “left-hand drive” British. And while in France itself traffic was actually on the right, Napoleon forced Austria and Hungary to move on the right side of the road. And in Russia by this time there was no clear procedure for oncoming travel, and during Napoleon’s invasion its rules were simply adopted by the Russians.

It is believed that England was the founder of left-hand traffic in Europe. Already in the Middle Ages, England was a powerful maritime power; both military and commercial shipping were actively developing. In order to streamline traffic at sea, the English Maritime Department issued a decree according to which ships were to diverge on opposite courses with their starboard sides. Later, this rule was transferred from the sea to land and was established in all countries where the British Empire dominated. With the loss of England's colonies, many of them remained faithful to the traditions of driving on the left, while some countries that adopted the “English” version of the movement switched to new, more common rules. This was done, for example, by many African countries neighboring former French colonies.

And in North and South Korea, driving “in English” was approved by the Japanese during the occupation, and in 1946, after the end of the occupation, they switched to right-hand traffic.

Much later than others, Sweden was one of the last to switch from driving on the left to driving on the right. This was in 1967. Preparations for such a significant innovation, with an already large fleet of cars, began 4 years in advance. A special state commission was formed, which developed and implemented a set of measures to ensure a safe transition, and on September 3, 1967 at 4:50 am, all vehicles on the roads had to stop, and within 10 minutes change the side of the road and continue movement. There were even special speed limits in effect throughout the country.

In Russia, right-hand traffic was approved in 1752 by Empress Elizabeth, who issued a corresponding decree for cab drivers and carriages.

For safety reasons, tourists who are not accustomed to driving on the left are advised not to rent a car, but to hire local drivers. And in England, at many pedestrian crossings there are signs “look right”, and in the middle of the road - “look left”, so that foreign pedestrians do not forget about this English feature and, God forbid, do not get hit by a car.