This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-42703173
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Driving in the UK: Your questions answered | Driving in the UK: Your questions answered |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Why does the UK drive on the left? This was just one of the motoring mysteries our readers asked us about. Here are the answers. | Why does the UK drive on the left? This was just one of the motoring mysteries our readers asked us about. Here are the answers. |
| Why does the UK drive on the left? | Why does the UK drive on the left? |
| Gareth Edmunds, 59, from Bristol, said he was curious as his family hosts English language students from all over the world. | Gareth Edmunds, 59, from Bristol, said he was curious as his family hosts English language students from all over the world. |
| "As I drive them around I hear them wince as they see an oncoming car to our right and think we're going to crash - it's a question that always crops up," he said. | "As I drive them around I hear them wince as they see an oncoming car to our right and think we're going to crash - it's a question that always crops up," he said. |
| "My pet theory is that it's something to do with times gone by when if you met a stranger on the road you'd pass on the left so your weapon arm was on their side." | "My pet theory is that it's something to do with times gone by when if you met a stranger on the road you'd pass on the left so your weapon arm was on their side." |
| Mr Edmunds' theory is one shared by Stephen Laing, curator of the British Motor Museum in Warwickshire. He said it dated back to Roman times. | Mr Edmunds' theory is one shared by Stephen Laing, curator of the British Motor Museum in Warwickshire. He said it dated back to Roman times. |
| "Most people are right handed, naturally mount a horse from the left and so need their right hand free for combat," he said. | "Most people are right handed, naturally mount a horse from the left and so need their right hand free for combat," he said. |
| "Roman armies marched on the left hand side of the carriageway and this is a convention that stayed." | "Roman armies marched on the left hand side of the carriageway and this is a convention that stayed." |
| Motoring author Giles Chapman said Britain's Highway Act of 1835 enshrined driving on the left in law for this country and its colonies. | Motoring author Giles Chapman said Britain's Highway Act of 1835 enshrined driving on the left in law for this country and its colonies. |
| "The rule was exported, for example, to Japan, where British engineers planned its railways to drive on the left, leading to a similar edict for road vehicles." | "The rule was exported, for example, to Japan, where British engineers planned its railways to drive on the left, leading to a similar edict for road vehicles." |
| Why do some other countries drive on the right? | Why do some other countries drive on the right? |
| Richard Mace, 63, who lives near Chatham in the south-east of England, said he had always been curious as to why they drive on the right in the US. | Richard Mace, 63, who lives near Chatham in the south-east of England, said he had always been curious as to why they drive on the right in the US. |
| "The reason I have been given goes back to when wagons were drawn by oxen," he said. He could be on the right track. | "The reason I have been given goes back to when wagons were drawn by oxen," he said. He could be on the right track. |
| In the late 1700s wagons pulled by horses arranged in pairs became increasingly popular, Fraser McAlpine wrote for BBC America. | In the late 1700s wagons pulled by horses arranged in pairs became increasingly popular, Fraser McAlpine wrote for BBC America. |
| The driver sat on the back of the rear left-hand horse, to whip the others right handed. | The driver sat on the back of the rear left-hand horse, to whip the others right handed. |
| The best way for one wagon to pass another without banging wheels was the right hand side of the road, according to McAlpine. | The best way for one wagon to pass another without banging wheels was the right hand side of the road, according to McAlpine. |
| What would it cost to convert the UK to drive on the right? | What would it cost to convert the UK to drive on the right? |
| The government examined such a plan in 1969, two years after Sweden switched to driving on the right. | The government examined such a plan in 1969, two years after Sweden switched to driving on the right. |
| Its report rejected the idea on grounds of safety and costs. | Its report rejected the idea on grounds of safety and costs. |
| In 1969, the financial burden of making the switch was calculated by the government to be £264m. | In 1969, the financial burden of making the switch was calculated by the government to be £264m. |
| That equates to about £4bn in today's money. But given the huge advances in infrastructure since 1969 this would now be an extremely conservative estimate. | That equates to about £4bn in today's money. But given the huge advances in infrastructure since 1969 this would now be an extremely conservative estimate. |
| Stephen Laing, curator at the British Motor Museum, said he could not see Britain swapping sides. | Stephen Laing, curator at the British Motor Museum, said he could not see Britain swapping sides. |
| "I think we are kind of set in our ways," he said. "The infrastructure is built around driving on the left hand side. I can't really see that changing in the future." | "I think we are kind of set in our ways," he said. "The infrastructure is built around driving on the left hand side. I can't really see that changing in the future." |
| The Department for Transport said: "We do not have a policy on this because it's not something we are interested in at this time." | The Department for Transport said: "We do not have a policy on this because it's not something we are interested in at this time." |
| More on UK driving: | More on UK driving: |
| Why do we drive on the left but walk on the right? | Why do we drive on the left but walk on the right? |
| The Highway Code's Rules for Pedestrians dictate that where there is a pavement "avoid being next to the kerb with your back to the traffic." | The Highway Code's Rules for Pedestrians dictate that where there is a pavement "avoid being next to the kerb with your back to the traffic." |
| As we drive on the left, obeying this rule means walking on the right. | As we drive on the left, obeying this rule means walking on the right. |
| The code states: "If there is no pavement, keep to the right-hand side of the road so that you can see oncoming traffic." | The code states: "If there is no pavement, keep to the right-hand side of the road so that you can see oncoming traffic." |
| However, as the BBC's home editor Mark Easton wrote: "The British have little sense of pavement etiquette, preferring a slalom approach to pedestrian progress." | |