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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

Driving on the WRONG side of the road.

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David in Englan

07-12-2006 07:23:56




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Hi Gang;
I was told that we started to drive on the lefthand side hundreds of years ago because most people are right handed, and the drivers of coaches & wagons used the wip (for the horses) in their right hand. By driving on the left, the whip wouldnt get tangled up in the hedges & trees growing alongside the roads & tracks.
Similarly, grass mowers were right hand cut and binders were lefthand cut because the whip would catch in the sails.
Whats the thoughts from your side of the pond?
Ive driven lefthand drive cars in Europe and never had a problem because of tractor driving the gears on the right came naturally.
However Ive nearly come unstuck here several times, driving my lefthand drive WW2 Willys Jeep on the left is very un-nerving especially going around corners !!!
Cheers David

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Sid

07-12-2006 18:49:38




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 Re: Driving on the WRONG side of the road. in reply to David in England, 07-12-2006 07:23:56  
This might have something to do with it. this is a cut and paste. "Another example of how rules from the past influence the present is how the standard gauge, or width, of train tracks came to be what they are. The gauge of the American rail system is actually the same as England's because British engineers were the ones who designed our railroad system.

The width of the English railroad track was based on the availability of tools for making axles for horse-drawn carriages. (Why retool if the machinery already existed?) The carriage axles were designed to fit the ruts that existed on British roads. Since the British roads were originally Roman roads, it was Roman chariots that initially made the ruts." Well I gues the roman chariot was wide enough to accomodate two horses arses. So just like in every thing else the horses arse rules. On the more serious side I have read the reason we Americans drive on the right side of the road goes back to the old teamsters would walk on the left side of their teams they would pass to the right so as both teamsters would be between the two team.

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Rustyj14

07-12-2006 13:39:17




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 Re: Driving on the WRONG side of the road. in reply to David in England, 07-12-2006 07:23:56  
Back around 1950, i bought an MG Midget roadster, with right-hand drive! wow! What an interesting car to drive! I had no trouble adapting to the seating position, and i got to where it really didn't matter, except when trying to pass a slow truck on a 2 lane hiway! When the wife and i would go on a trip, we'd wear sporty yachting caps, and drive up to Lake Erie, or go out along the lake shore, and stay in the hoity-toy places. when the mgrs. found our mailing address was high class Sewickley, PA., we got the classier rooms and treatment! Driving down the hiway, the wife would sit reading the road map, or a newspaper, in the normal driver's seat, and i'd carefully drive along, makiing it look like i wasn't doing anything but sitting there, looking around at the scenery! Talk about disconcerted drivers--they'd give us lots of room!

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Mark in Mizzou

07-12-2006 08:35:09




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 Re: Driving on the WRONG side of the road. in reply to David in England, 07-12-2006 07:23:56  
Although both of your theories are interesting, it’s so you can drink beer with your right hand while shifting gears with your left.
At least that’s my understanding! LOL
Dave, LOVE the pictures. Keep them coming.

Mark Hill
Dearborn, MO



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Errin OH

07-12-2006 07:56:50




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 Re: Driving on the WRONG side of the road. in reply to David in England, 07-12-2006 07:23:56  
My understanding was similar except it was weapons. In England your weapon needed to be on the side you would encounter a potential foe. Thus, you road the left side of the road, your weapon was on your right, where it could be used effectively (on the right side). Here, since we had rifles by the time roads and such came into being here, we stayed on the right, as most shooters, shoulder on their right and shoot across to the left, (easier to swing left than right) where the weapon could be used effectively. Had we had a hand gun vs. rifle it may very well have been different……

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RayP(MI)

07-12-2006 18:32:37




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 Re: Driving on the WRONG side of the road. in reply to Errin OH, 07-12-2006 07:56:50  
Have been told a similar story - A knight on horseback would be carrying his lance on his right side, thus would want to be on the left side of the road to meet opponents on the right (lance) side. On this side of the ocean, a wagon or carrage driver would want to use the reins and whip with his right hand, so would want to be on the left side of vehicle, and have oncoming traffic on his left, to avoid collisions! As far as driving on the wrong side, I've been a driver education teacher for 32 years, traveled about the equivalent of about four times around the world, driving from the right side! And all I have is a brake pedal, if I need a steering wheel, I have to reach over and take control of student's wheel! I've had no problems driving from the wrong side of car! At one school, I would drop kids off at school, and then drive car across town to the bus garage. Often would just reach over, use left foot on accelerator, and drive from teacher's position..... Got a very funny look from the town cop one afternoon!

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Dissertation link

07-12-2006 14:26:22




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 Re: Driving on the WRONG side of the road. in reply to Errin OH, 07-12-2006 07:56:50  
Way to much info here :)



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