🚘 Why do the British drive on the left?
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One of the most disorienting things about being in England is watching people drive on the left since the majority of the rest of the world drives on the right. What is the reason behind this difference and when was driving on the left established?
🎬 Key Points:
📌 There's no single definitive reason, but a combination of historical factors.
📌 One theory is that people rode horses on the left side of the road in medieval times. This way, right-handed riders could keep their sword arms free in case of conflict.
📌 In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII supposedly mandated keeping left for pilgrims traveling to Rome.
Large wagons pulled by multiple horses became common in the 18th century. The driver would sit on the left rear horse to control the team, again making left-hand traffic more practical.
📌 Traffic congestion in London in the 18th century led to a law requiring left-hand traffic on London Bridge, which later became the national standard.
📌 The British Empire's influence spread left-hand traffic to many former colonies.
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🚘 Why do the British drive on the left?
🎥 Video Chapters:
0:00 - It all started in the Middle Ages
1:27 - Napoleon preferred to ride on the right
2:25 - New York made it official by regulation
3:22 - Left-hand driving becomes mandatory in Britain
3:33 - SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
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#InterestingEgineering #uk #driving #british #history #cars - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
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In India, we drive on whatever is left of the road.
So true🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
💀
😂
😂😅
Copied statement
I once asked a guy from Trinidad what side of the road did they drive on. His reply "man, we drive in the shade"
🤣😂🤣😂
That joke is told about Malta, too.
@jack lal Hello buddy
Could someone help me with this joke?
@@josdinjose5844 me too
It’s not just the UK and their former colonies. Other countries, such as Indonesia, Thailand and Japan also drive on the left even though they were never British colonies.
Fun fact: Mozambique is a former Portuguese colony, but they drive on the left because most of their neighbours do so; it is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations
In West Africa it is the other way round. The former French colonies drove on the right so the former British colonies have changed to right side driving (more or less)
Well... Before Netherland we Indonesian was colonized by england & Portuguese ...even spain & France...
@@arisishmaelselain belanda mah bentar doang penjajahannya, itupun daerah kekuasaannya gk sebesar indonesia/hindia-belanda, secuil doang yg dijajah portugis, inggris ama perancis. Selain belanda, mungkin cuma portugis yg masih ada pengaruhnya ke indonesia
I was born n raised in Hong Kong, a former British colony. I have been to many Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh n Japan. They all drive in same British direction. So that is the “Normal” way
India has joined the chat.
I am joining the chat wait
Asia joined the chat.
South Africa 🇿🇦
Suriname 🇸🇷
Singapore has joined the chat.
So driving on the left is historically correct, safer and more practical. Glad to have that confirmed.
Went to a car muzium in Mulhouse France. Saw many early European brand cars there have their steering on the right.
@@cutieb00tie You need to listen to the video again! And if you consider ignoring violent dictators like Napoleon and Hitler, traditionalism, then I am all for it.
@@cutieb00tie It is an American site.
@@cutieb00tie your wrong but sure.
Whole world drives left expect for America I guess 😜
I notice there was no mention of the right foot - the stronger leg - being used for the lever-brake of carriages, which would necessitate the driver sitting on the right. This would result in a clearer view of oncoming traffic passing in the right hand lane. Pretty sure this is the case for stage-coaches and wagons in all the Westerns I've seen.
I thought the steering wheel on the right hand side of the car was more natural as you could use your right hand for the steering and left hand to change gears.
Most people are right handed and steering is more important than changing gears so the dominant hand is always on the steering wheel.
One can steer with belly or elbow, but not change gear.
@@jorgej8855
Sorry that doesn't make any sense.
Flying a Boeing 747 is nothing whosoever like driving a car.
It doesn't matter which side of an airplane cockpit a 747 pilot sits on because not only are they very highly trained, but the person flying only flies the plane with both hands on the yoke and the copilot adjusts the thrust.
I concur
@@sonnylatchstring
I'd like to see you try to quickly steer out of the way of an animal running out in front of you using your belly or elbow lol.
In the UK I drive on the left unless Im near an American air force base, then I drive on the pavement to be safe.
Especially if your on a Motorbike!
You’re always driving on the pavement. You mean the sidewalk.. 🇺🇸
@@HailAnts
Pavement or "FOOTPATH" you uneducated what ever.
@@robertgrey6101 Only roadsigns and violent OAP's call a Pavement "footpath", because it's not even accurate XD.
(as funnily enough only Snails and amputees have just one "foot", and push chairs, mobility scooters, wheel barrows & much more don't have any)
@@HailAnts No, he's speaking English, not American.
Shouldn't the video title be "why do the US drive on right" since driving in left dates back to hundreds of years?
We had cars hundreds of years ago? News to me!
@@bltvd yes, we did, mostly horse driven.
Then it will be much shorter video.
Don't worry, they'll will make video about "why some countries use metric system"
@@bltvd yeah we had
The first automobiles in the US had the steering wheels on the right side. We have a photo of my great grandparents in their 1906 Caddy with the steering on the right.
Driving on the left made so much sense to me when I did my driving lessons in Kenya. I learned to drive on a manual transmission and using my dominant right hand to steer and left hand to change gears felt natural. I can't imagine doing it the other way.
That’s why the us has automatic cars
I drove on the wrong side 6 months in Australia, gear shifter was easy driving on left was not. Getting home I had to learn the right side all over again😃🇨🇦
Currently doing my driving lessons in Kenya
@@DielaAlbert All the best bruv 👍🏽
It’s exactly the opposite. You need your dominant hand for shifting gears and be faster and more accurate. You are supposed to keep both your hands on the wheel when going through a bend. Gear shifting are done before approaching a bend and not during.
India, Japan & Oz has joined the chat!
Indonesia joined already
Thailand?
Nepal joined long time ago
Actually, most Asian countries, South Africa, and Suriname ride on the left hand side of the road.....
Mauritius 🇲🇺 too
The actual question is "Why do you drive on the right"?
Yeah driving on the left has a deep history.
Well.. FORD.!
@@amllemans Really, the clip just goes to show that 65% of countries are WRONG.
Napoleon would kick you in the balls if you didn't.
@@jimfiggerty833 He might bite me there Jim, or kick me in the shin!!
As a right driver I can't imagine how dangerous and complicated must be driving in a left side country (and vice versa) at least the first hours.. Roundabouts must be a pain.
What is completely glossed over is that the “shotgun” position for western stagecoaches was the right hand seat, again since most people shoot right-handed. Placing the shotgun position on the right gives the shotgun man a better shot to the left (in front of the driver) even while seated. If the shotgun man was in the left seat, he’d have to stand or lean well in front of the driver to shoot to the right.
This makes more sense then everything in the video.
So that’s where the term “riding shotgun” came from….!
Thanks for that little bit of innocuous info…👍
Interesting! Thanks for sharing this
Americans and their Guns
In Ireland we drive in the middle of the road because we're well balanced and we like to follow the dotted line. Much kinder for cyclists as well. In Dublin, where we drive on the left by day, and on the right at night, a pedestrain is knocked down every 20mins....and he's getting bloody sick of it.
No the reason we drive in the middle of the road is to follow the grass down the middle of the road.
To be sure, to be Sure.......Follow me , I’ll be right behind you.
🤣🤣🤣
😂🤣😂👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Cool !
In Australia we drive upside down, so technically we drive on the
Right.
You're a funny guy!
According to flat earthers
Oh, wait. Australia is a conspiracy and it doesn't exist according to flat earthers.
The US is wrong driving on the right.
@@AshayGupta If I don't exist, then how am I type on youtube
Add to this that people use the right hand for clean stuff, eating etc so that walking on the left and using the left hand for hand rails makes sense too.
Fun corollary: because the UK was enshrining LHD as railroads were emerging, it also meant that the railroads also adopted this practice of running trains to the left where two tracks of opposing directions ran. When British rail expertise spread to nations such as France and Japan, they **also** started running their trains on the left too. This set up an odd mix in France where wagons and later autos standardised to run on the right, but trains continue to run on the left (The Paris, Lille, and Rennes Metros are exceptions in France where they run on the right; Lyon Toulouse, and Marseilles run on the left). In Japan, car practice followed from train habits so despite the emergence of a US auto industry in the early 1900's, it was just easier for the Japanese to drive on the left as their own car market developed.
Lies again? MILF Division Google Drive
America: Majority drives on the right. Why are British wrong?
Also America: Uses Imperial measurements.
U.S. Customary Units*. The UK and Canada aren’t fully metric, they pretend to be. Other countries also still use inches and pounds. Inches for screen size and pounds for grocery shopping, but also weight. Feet and knots (non-SI-units) are also used in aviation worldwide. Several industries in the United States have adopted the metric system and students usually know the metric system.
@@VieleGuteFahrer that was a joke, but if you are being pedantic, the foot/mile and pound used in the US are actually standardized to metric. Other nations do use foot or other non-metric units commonly, but the nationwide standards are strictly defined using SI. Scientists and engineers in the US have learnt to use metric the hard way, after multiple mishaps. But until the US quotes distance in miles, I am not convinced that America is not stuck in the 19th century.
@@VieleGuteFahrer imperial length are mostly used in construction and furniture related industry, but never encountered weight or volume in imperial units outside of us, Canada and UK.
Edit: also their temperature.
@@manumukhesh6116 Germans still use Pounds (Pfund) to weigh their meat sometimes. A pound is 500g. Inches are always used to measure the size of a screen. I've never heard someone say "That screen is 125 centimeters!". It may be included in stickers or in the product description, but nobody really measures it with centimeters.
@@VieleGuteFahrer There’s a reason why metres exist. No one would normally say 125 centimetres. It’s commonly 1.25 metres.
In the UK even today it's important to keep one's sword hand free and nearest the point of attack, given the standard of some driving :-)
It's worth noting that the reason the woman always walks on the right of the man is to minimise the risk of him slashing her when he draws his sword, which is usually on his left side.
@gavmusic it's still better than the US
🤣😂
In the US, that would be the pistol hand. :)
Especially the Drivers of Audi 3 & BMW 1 Cars !!
The USA's postal service uses right hand drive delivery vehicles, because in many areas the mail/postal box is on the right side of the road, so the driver pulls up to the box and places the mail/post into it without leaving the vehicle.
In Egypt, they tend to drive somewhere in the middle, occasionally switching to the left or the right hand side of the road, depending on what mood they’re in that day.
Donkey and cart?
That's much the same as in Malta and Gozo, although there it's mostly to stay in the shade
I lived in Vietnam for 3 months, and rode a scooter for most of that time.
I still have no idea what side of the road they’re supposed to drive on.
@@Natashahoneypot Yes, it's a well know fact that the rest of the world only use donkeys and carts. 🙄
Yes, I noticed that too when I visited. In Cairo, 3 lane roads had 4 lanes of traffic, and out of the cities, people just drive where they want. I saw an old man get knocked over, right in front of a policeman directing traffic. The man just got up with help from the officer, and then they all just carried on. No details taken, no insurance claims, no suing anyone. Such fun!
India is the largest country with left hand driving rules.
Country only No rules
@@r.arulkumar7349 Fools don't follow rules. People do follow
@@lokeshwaranvr but fools are even citizens 😂.
@@goodsaint_001 and fools are majority too... 😄😴
@Mubashshir Rizwan lol.
Plus changing gears is easier when the gear stick is on your left.
The question isn't "why do the British drive on the left?", rather "why does everyone else drive on the right?".
I learned to drive in the U.S. but lived in UK from age 19 to 21. I didn't find adapting to be difficult. I had more difficulty when walking and remembering to look right first for oncoming traffic when crossing the street.
When in London, plenty of the curbs are painted "look right." It's just too easy to forget where you are. You look left and get run over. :/
And what did you think about roundabouts?
@@roachtoasties that is not just useful for overseas visitors as a lot of roads are one way.
I heard a story of a British spy in World War II Germany who gave himself away by instinctively looking first to the right.
Well, in the UK we're taught to look right, then left, then right again. Not just in one direction, even on a one-way road, as there can be contraflow bicycles/buses or vehicles just going the wrong way. 😉
Although personally, I often look left first at the opposite site of the road, to see if it's even possible to start crossing without being stuck in the middle anyway, before looking right for nearby vehicles (although peripheral vision means you can see a bit to both sides already).
It’s easier to drive with your left hand on the steering wheel, while holding your sword out of the window with your right hand. That’s why we’ve had cars named Rapier, Scimitar, Sabre. The yanks had a Cutlass but it proved difficult to charge.
Great comment - well done :-)
And we have both the Challenger and the Charger; the present iterations also have insanely powerful V8 options, even the basic V6 models can hit 0-100 MPH/160 KPH in under 30 seconds.
Brilliant! 🤣🤣🤣
@@piercehawke8021 Woosh...
@@wessexdruid7598 Ngeeeeeeouw!
Obviously being British we are completely normal and always wondered why you lot drove on the right but thanks - very informative😊
Because the British think they are special, they feel different from the European continent or the world. That's it
@@tomorrowtomorrow8525being British, I can confirm this.
@@tomorrowtomorrow8525the British are superior
@@tomorrowtomorrow8525 We don't think we are special , but we do know Americans are stupid.
As a South African, I agree. Everyone else is driving on the wrong side.
Exactly! Hulle ma se poes!
As an Indian I agree too.
Right?
@@talatsonsurong3238 Right
Choon dem
When I was 16 I visited the Cayman Islands. My brother in law and sister rented a car. I was in the back seat and noticed he was on the right side. I said: "Isn't this a British owned island and we should be on the left?" As soon as he moved over a car came down the road. He turned to me and said: "I knew you were good for something". Getting backhanded compliments from alcoholics is awesome!
You can tell by where the driver sits.
It gets a lot more trippy in countries/territories like the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands etc, because although they drive on the left, importation and use of left-hand-drive vehicles is very common because of geographical proximity to north America. Rentals however tend to be right-hand-drive, as not to confuse tourists on which side of the road they should drive on
@@Cyril_Squirrel
Except on Myanmar's busses which are right hand drive and force passengers to disembark into traffic.
"He turned to me..." Typical spam driver, doesn't keep his eyes on the road!
Why do Americans care so much about others’ alcohol consumption?
While most territories in Germany waived laws, in 1862 Bavaria required all wagons to swerve to the right of oncoming wagons. As the streets became more and more crowded, the German Empire adopted this regulation in 1910
Recent research has shown that in an emergency situation right handed people instinctively swerve to the left, which is safer as the driver is not swerving into oncoming traffic.
Emergency slopes (the road where vehicles with sudden brake failure takes when driving down a slope) is to the left of the main road. I saw these when travelling on a road with 10-25% slopes.
In Japan we drive as British. I drove so often in UK, it was so easy. But when I wanted to make a turn, instead of indicator, window wipers started working. We operate the indicator by the finger of left hand, wiper by right hand. I also drove in US. Sometimes I confused when I rushed to the crossing and turn to left. So I always keep in mind not to be aggressive at the crossing, keep go slowly.
Australian vehicles (RIP), like Japanese vehicles, also had indicator stalks on the right.
I've seen indicators on both left and right of the steering wheel, i think it depends on the manufacturer. Most commonly though left side indicators i think in the UK, wipers on the right
Also for the same reason, most people are right handed so it makes sense to accommodate the majority and train the minority to adapt. Left handed warriors in the UK were forced to fight right handed, Boney forced his armies to fight left handed out of vanity because he was left handed and he lost because of it.
British built cars in the 1960s and 70s had the indicator/dip on the right. It makes sense to be able to operate the turn signal or headlight dip while the other hand may be involved with changing gear. However the extinction of the UK-owned motor industry and economies of scale means that all steering columns are made for left-hand drive cars and shifted over to the right for UK cars. Here in the UK at least.
Here in India Ford used to supply vehicles which have wiper buttons at right to the steering wheel. But now they've changed it like others to the left of steering wheel. Not no confusion at all.
Why ride on the left?
- Coz it's right.
No its
-Because they’re right
Two ways of driving:
On the right side of the road.
On the correct side of the road.
Driving on the left is the natural way and driving on the right because of Henry Ford is incredibly childish. If you look at all westerns, the stagecoach drivers always sit on the right.
Because they are wrong. Its not like you would want to have your dominant arm doing all of the work or anything.
If steering wheel on the right, i can handle the car better with right hand, and left hand on the shifting stick
We drive on the right of the car. It's port/starboard - steer board (rudder) was on the right and port was dockside - boats steered to right and they didn't collide
In South Africa you also drive on the left and pass on the Right.
Hitler : drive on the right.
America: understandable, have a good day.
Like in WW2 till the day they were attacked 😂
Henry Ford...Nazi sympathiser...now I understand.
Y’all are a bunch of idiots ! In America traffic kept right long before there was a Henry Ford or a Hitler !
@@hereintranzit yeah yeah, America was formed by Nazis and Hitler lived in Brazil after his fake death, Bill gates is a Satan worshipper.
I blame Trump..
In earlier times in Australia we were taught as children to keep to the left even when walking on a footpath. But to walk on the right shoulder of the road if there was no designated footpath as the pedestrian would be walking facing approaching traffic which was deemed a safer practice.
We were taught the same in England, by our mothers and by the infant schools. It IS safer. It's not taught now, though, and people seem to be too dull-witted to see it. They persist in walking on pavements to the right of oncoming people, so that those people are forced to keep to the dangerous kerb-edge with their backs to the traffic. Perhaps it's an instinct for those who have never given a thought to the subject, in that those who are seeing traffic coming towards them tend to keep across, as far away, in as safe a place, as they can. But of course that requires putting others into unnecessary danger. Personally I think western peoples are being dumbed-down by current education and culture so much that they are losing whatever ability they once had to think clearly.
@@robwilde855 I too grew up in Britain, and went on country hikes with my parents. This is one of the first rules driven into me: face oncoming traffic. And if you thinkabout it, it is absolutely logical. For the same reason here in Greece where I live, I walk on the left, to keep to the same rule.
I am an Englishman living in The Philippines, and I have the greatest difficulty convincing my wife to walk on the left, facing the traffic.
Incidentally, although left-hand drive vehicles may be driven in Australia under certain conditions, there is a 50,000 peso fine for driving a RHD vehicle in The Philippines, so vehicles are not stolen to order from countries where driving on the left is the rule of the road.
Why in earlier times? The same advice holds good today.
@@littleblacksambo8447 My opening phrase - 'In earlier times' was to say that that norm seems to have fallen away these days, in many instances, and was to suggest that what we were taught way back when may now not be being taught and emphasized in the current school system and family life. It wasn't to imply that what stood true and safer as a better practice in time past should now not be followed. -- I often go walking for exercise in urban areas and see many fellow walkers on the shoulder or nature strip on the wrong side of the road. [Possible exception : There are times where vegetation, terrain or road infrastructure design doesn't allow for walking facing oncoming traffic but to do that should be the exception to the rule and extreme caution exercised to avoid being run over.]
It is possible that the custom of driving on the left dates back to pre-history and may later have been used as an early road safety measure. At a time when the main danger on the roads was mugging, careful travellers would pass on-coming strangers on the left with their sword arm towards the passer-by.
There's naval link as well. If 2 ships approach each other head on they turn to port (left as viewed towards the front the ship) to avoid each other. If you they were on a canal you could say they drove on the left as they passed.
You were half correct regarding the sword arm.
You didn't mention mounting the horse, the sword would be on your left hip so you would mount to horse on the left so you could swing your right leg over the horse without the sword getting in the way.
This would mean the horse would be standing on the left side of the road, so when you set off, you would start on the left.
Plus try jousting .... then it crystal clear.
He did mention something about mounting horses, or the scabbard not getting in the way?
Can you calculate how many in total of people in the world who drive on left vs on right side of the road?
Is that percentage of 65% based on total population or total countries?
I'm Indonesian and fully support driving on the left (right steer)
Stand with UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, Malaysia, Thailand, South Africa etc. We'll never change! 😄
Thank you for staying on the left side of the road Indonesia, the proper side. 🥰
Some people get geared up over the silliest things.
Pakistan, Bangladesh and many more Ex colonies of Commonwealth 🙂
I'm waiting for Myanmar to change back to the left side of the road
It is little bit difficult change it. In sweden they had change it In one night In 1967. Sweden is between Finlandia and Norway. It was not nice to drive Finlandia to Norwey trought sweden.
There was not very much People and traffic.
A survey once said that people generally look left first on shopping aisles.
I wonder if this was international.
In Thailand, people also drive in the left too.
"Driving on the right comes from Napoleon Bonaparte and Hitler"
Well that was unexpected
@Carl Carter i meant right sorry
@Carl Carter Yes he did . He said Hitler forced two countries in Europe to drive on the right .
@@sebastianbernabe3800 Do not apologise, you are correct . Hitler forced two countries to drive on the right .
@Carl Carter Bro can u listen? He litteraly said FORCED
As a Malaysian (who drives on the left), that was expected
Japan, Thailand, India, South Africa , Bangladesh, New Zealand and many other countries also all drive on the left.
Interesting that some people in Switzerland, whilst driving on the right, prefer a steering wheel on the right so they can more easily avoid the rocks and barriers on mountain roads. I realise that for Americans these small things can be confusing when they are "visiting" other countries.
Australia also...
In South East Asia, many of the countries follow their former colonial masters with some exceptions.
Singapore and Malaysia drive on the left because they were former UK colonies. Indonesia is a exception because it also drives on left even though it was a former Dutch colony. Thailand drives on the left as well, its the former French colonies surrounding it like Vietnam and Laos which drive on right
I’ve always thought as I’m right handed I want my stronger/more accurate arm controlling the steering wheel and my weaker left hand just handle the gear changes which doesn’t require as much precision.
It’s easy to adjust.
I’m a Brit but I have driven in France (including in Paris in rush hour) and Belgium.
As long as you keep in mind drive on the other side and look twice as often at junctions it’s easy.
Worst time I found was first thing in the morning when it’s easy to forget for a moment of the road is empty
what about Roundabouts ???
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I learn new things each day.
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Even in Nepal we drive on the left and we weren't even colonised
Its because India had big influence on Nepal until recent days and most of cars in nepal were imported from India I guess
@@callingbell-ix5se Well that's true but our earliest cars were imported by Noble elites during British rule in India so I guess maybe that's a factor too???
We tried and failed so we just recruit from you instead.😊
You watched too many British movies !
@@davidkamen erm, not really before the 21st century. If you see western news reports from the 2000s you'll see that most young people back then had bad English and with an awkward Nepali accent. Before 2000s we watched only our movies and Bollywood.
Jeremy Clarkson of Top gear calls it " the right side " 😅
I went to Ireland 35 years ago and drove about 1500 mikes in 2 weeks. I adjusted really quickly. But when i came back to the states i swear i had a harder time readjusting. Strange.
The frustration watching this as a Brit.
I want a video with the title: Why do Americans drive on the right?
The real question is why the Brits are so obsessed with sword fighting that anything from their roads to their parliament are designed for it.
@@Taladar2003 because it's cool duh
Why do the Americans drive on the right?
Why do the Americans use a measuring system that was invented by people who married their own cousins?
Why do the Americans spell kilometre “kilometer”
Why do the Americans believe the virus is fake?
Why do the Americans think the earth is flat?
It’s all very hard to explain.
We’ve all got wacko cousins that we try to accept.
@@stevenstart8728
1. Because old transmissions needed strength to shift .
2. Because we have no real need to change it, and it’s more intuitive when you’re not using math.
3. Because we use older rules of English that aren’t influenced by French. Latin uses -er and -or whereas old French uses -re and -our.
4. Most Americans don’t, hell most of us already caught it.
5. Americans don’t think the earth is flat. The pictures most people show to flat earthers were mostly taken by NASA.
Why do brits always think they are right despite having perpetually incorrect information?
Jimmy Mcjimmy now that’s a question us Aussies ask as well.
you talk as though practically no one else drives on the left, when it's still 1/3rd of countries
this video is intended for American who think what they did is normal thing and any other countries who didn't follow them are an oddball
@@illyasvielemiya9059 Thank god for that. I was about to worry which third of this country I was in and where I'm meant to drive.
@@illyasvielemiya9059 Yes, just like the stupid medieval system of measurements that they use which they only share with Myanmar and Liberia and the values in Myanmar are even different to the US and Liberian ones. The rest of the world uses the very logical and simple to understand metric system. They also think that tipping is compulsory in places such as restaurants so you don't pay the menu price but must pay extra. Another astonishing fact is that when you see something advertised for sale for, say, five dollars in a shop that it is a given that it will actually cost you more than five dollars. 'Weird' does not explain it. Fun fact, the last country that changed driving sides was Samoa who changed from driving on the right to driving on the left.
A third of the worlds population still drives on the left. Even countries in Europe, pre WW2 , drove on the Left.
@@fifthof1795 IF that's accurate, and I'm going out on limb here, maybe it was the influx of American vehicles and influence which fixed it in place afterward?
Well Japan, Indonesia and others drive on the left as well
Nice piece of information
If we drove on the right we would collide with the oncoming traffic .!
He's right y'know....
LOL!
In South Africa we drive on the left but the taxis drive wherever there's a gap on the left or right, even over pavements to get through traffic.
😂😂😂👍
40% of the world drives on the left. What a misleading title
You can shake hand with right hand when you meet people on the road
I come from a former British colony where driving in the left is still the norm. To me, US driving seems disorienting.
Every time I drive into the traffic in the US, my mind will scream, "We are on the wrong side of the road".
I know right
The US is just weird brooo
@@maheskumaarra4773 That's the rest of us trying to drive in the UK or territorys.
0:06 yeah, exactly
the biggest mystery is why the uk is singled out on this issue ? why do all other countries drive on the side they do ? why has the uk to be acountable and no one else is ?
I will keep my sword ready in my right hand in case some one attacks.
😏🗡️😏☑️🗡️
Ur such an anime
In gurgaon you need to
I keep mine in its scabbard (cane actually).
I'm left handed so this doesn't work
Not only Britain, but many African country’s, Australia, New Zealand, Japan India Cyprus, Malta, and many more,
I read that napoleon banned soldiers from riding on the left because they would get drunk and duel with each other since most people are right handed riding on the right stopped the practice of dueling since their sword hands were now opposite of the opposite opponents
When this Brit lived and worked in Brazil, he drove on the right. Now he’s back on the left. He loved it best when he worked on a farm and drove a thumping great tractor down the middle of the road with gear sticks between his legs and the pedals either side of the drive shaft. With a fork on the front he felt like a knight in armour. Now he drives a Vauxhall Mocker!
Brits drive on the proper and natural side of the road ,in a CLOCKWISE DIRECTION. See their roudabouts!
How nice, to see an unbiased analysis. Thank you. Driving in the U.S. for us pommies though, is not that difficult.
Driving on the left for Americans in the UK is very dangerous, they turn out of military bases and kill motor cyclists, then leave the UK under diplomatic immunity and get away with it. So much for us being allies.
We drive on the left in Japan,too. Winker on the right and wiper on the left. I get confused whenever I drive in the States and come back home in Japan after a while.
Kenya is one of the Country where we still drive on the Left. The rule is Keep Left unless when overtaking :-)
Overtaking who, the government or traffic ?
Because it was a british colony
Same as Australia
Same here in Trinidad
Same as in most of Southeast Asia... 6 of 11 countries.
The question should be, “why does much of the world NOT drive on the left?”.
the majority of un member states drive on the left. 114 left, 78 right.
As someone who drives on the left in Australia and drives on the right in Italy, I can definitely say that driving on the left is more natural for me.
Cuz im not British
@Inkasso Meddl Interesting. Nobody in Australia has any problem driving a manual car.
We have rights and you don't
It's a joke
It's not a thing now, but I couldn't imagine reasoning that shifting with your left hand would be the best idea.
I don’t really mind which side of the road I drive on. But it would be neat if we made a global effort to all drive on the same side of the road.
‘Why do the British drive on the left’ - Because on the right the cars are coming towards you!! lol
Even more telling: the trucks and buses are also coming straight at you!
I remember reading a scientific paper long ago that stated that when a person is instinctively reacting to oncoming danger, avoidance by moving to the left was the most used direction, from punches and everything else. I assumed this was thinking for the natural tendency to avoid by turning towards a pavement (sidewalk) where the danger (to the driver) was reduced.
For the vast majority of people, the leading eye is the right one. So having that looking down the centre of the road makes sense too
There is evidence that this is why the island structure on aircraft carriers is on the right, because most pilots tended to veer left if the landing went wrong. The Japanese tried putting the island on the left, once... and never did it again.
And of course needing our right hands to hold our swords! 😂
...that does not fit here. I mean water taps , the left one is the cold and the right hot. It would make sense if the right one is cold as most people are right handed. So in terms of car steering, the right hand has relatively more in control than left hand if you are right handed that is. So in the UK steering is on the right, leaving your left hand free to change gears or radio control . I had be interested in reading this scientific study or paper if possible.
What’s with the background distraction called music? Almost got through it, but gave up after half way through.
Plenty of countries other than Britain drive on the left. Certainly here in Australia, also New Zealand, even Thailand and Japan.
Was my first time in Europe with my future wife. We were living in L A and flew to Amsterdam, a city that was part of my dream. At the time had an uncle living and working there as the boss at Bank of Brazil. When we got out of customs,had a guy holding a piece of paper with my name. On the way to our hotel he said, you don't like trains and wait or run not to be late. We had in mind to stay 3 months , he said buy a car have a friend that sell cars not expensive and in good shape. Next day we had a car, a few more days there and London here we come. The car was normal, driver on the left, driving from Dover to London on a highway all happy. Roll one,,,was just 20 a good driver until we had to exit and drive on regular roads. When i saw the circle my head went off, stop the car and for 20 minutes looking at it had no idea how to go buy.
In Australia you drive on the left as well.
Noooo, you don't say. Next thing you're gonna tell us is that you didn't watch the video where it mentions former British colonies part. I wonder when a Kiwi will enlighten us that they too drive on the left? Or maybe some one from the Bahamas or Cayman Islands will also chime in...
I thought you guys driving upside down 🙄
@@FirstLastOne Britain even colonized USA. They right sided.
I thought upside down😅😅😅
@@FirstLastOne Canada is also part of the commonwealth, but drives on the right. I believe Gibraltar drives on the right as well.
Others: Why does 60% of the world drive to the right?
@Steve Solomon So true
😂Africa
@Ocean Blue Canada is part of the British Commonwealth, but drives on the right (like the neighbouring USA).
@@heronimousbrapson863 they fought and won their freedom
Napoletler effect
Driving on the left is very nice , that's why Japan is producing many car models, many designs come with the right hand drive cars,and also many sport rally cars like Subaru, mitsubishi Evo, McLaren, keeping left is enjoyable for the driver and easy to learn when you are from a left handed steering country
In the early days of the uk's membership of the EU it was mooted that the UK should change sides, but the logistical nightmare of driving on the right in left hand drive vehicles and the mammoth task of changing all the road signs and road markings really meant it was never going to happen.
“Why do the British drive on the left? Well why does the American drive on the right?
There American what do you expect
@@barrystanton2796 Italian
@@barrystanton2796 oi I respect brits but
@@RandomMemes2009174561322 nobody likes Americans
@@barrystanton2796 some people do some people don't it's their opinion and I will accept it.
Meanwhile British / left drivers,
Why does Americans drive on the right? 😂
Americans are just being awkward just like they are with the English language both in grammar and spelling
Should be why are Americans unable to drive manual cars?
I am from South Africa and we drive on the left side. After a 6 week vacation in Germany where I drove every day I took my car down my road, and was shocked when a Mercedes came driving up towards me, on the wrong side ( left side ) of the road. I then realised that I was still driving on the right side as in Germany, on my own road where I had been staying for the past 20 years
I asked a British acquaintance of mine this very question. His response was simple… you draw your sword with your right hand.
Being left handed and driving manual cars I like living in the UK!
Manual is so difficult
@@rome316ae3 Not if you are left handed, teehee!
Manuals are almost no longer available in new cars :(
They drive on the proper side of the road.
you could say they drive a car by sitting on the "right" side of the car...
Today there is no 'safety' reason to drive on one side of the road or the other except for the law each country has decided on. But most of the world' citizens still shake hands using their right hands which came about for the same reason people drove on the left.Offerring your right hand to show you were not holding your sword or able to draw your sword meant you came in peace. Maybe just maybe Napoleon , Hiltler and Henry Ford were left handed!
Gotta keep your whip hand free!
No, WE drive on the right side...
@@alandean6930 Awesome understanding.. even when we have drinks we say cheers.. same reason as u mentioned... after cheers host must drinks first... so that guest can trust u
The most plausible explanation I read is driving on the left is a carryover from the days of horseback riding. You keep your right arm for the sword/weapon against the opposition and when you dismount you end up on the side of the road, not the middle. All for the right handed majority of course.
In any country, when in a car, if the drivers seat is not at the centre of the road, you're on the wrong side.
Driving on the left makes much more sense tbh. Given that predominantly most people in the world are right handed, the steering wheel should be controlled by the right hand since it involves more precise inputs and shifting gears can easily be accomplished by one's weaker left hand.
I've tried to explain this to a US bloke, - they don't listen, they're confinced that they're correct and that they independently "discovered" that driving on the right was "safer"
In reality,they simply followed their new best friends -the French and Napoleon 1.
They'll never admit this, they'll cling onto some BS explination.
How is turning a wheel a precise input? Writing, sorting et al need relatively precise inputs.
Also look rallye cars. They need to get through some tight spots, yet the steering wheel is on the left side. There's other more important reasons for this, but it shows that the dominant hand thing is laughable and doesn't matter
@@celticwinter rally cars are driven by professional or very experienced drivers.
They practice driving either seated right or left.
The general subject matter is the mass of ordinary road using drivers.
@@toonmag50 it was implied that right/left handedness is a factor for humans. That may be, but its influence is highly exaggerated here.
In a sport where every every second, shift and degree matters, this should at least have some small effect. It doesn't though. Because it doesn't matter that much. It won't even matter if the drivers aren't professionals.
(There's also a big amateur rallye scene. They aren't professionals by definition.)
@@celticwinter I'm not disagreeing with you about rally cars, it's one example where a lot of practice mitigates the dominance of the right brain , right visual, and right handedness.
We are taking about Joe Blogs average non professional drivers.
"professionals have standards"
-brits, probably
In Australia we drive on the left. There are other countries also who drive in the left.
It's really stupid because if you go to mainland Europe, the drivers seat is positioned on the wrong side
Having learnt to drive on the right, yet now I live in a country where we drive on the left, it has been my observation that as long as we all keep to the same side of the road, everything will be fine.
Hello how're you doing?
Ultimately it doesn't matter because we in the UK will never change- it would cost way too much. There's numerous intersections which are asymmetrical, e.g. to help traffic leaving town more than it coming in. All those would have to be re-engineered, as well as the signage thing. Also, as someone who has driven over 100 000 miles with a RH drive car on the right in France and Spain, I can definitely say that having the steering on the kerb side is no real problem. Good luck to you guys in India, and why does nobody mention Japan?
If everyone in the UK was forced to drive on the other side of the road, the right side, even in their current RHD cars. It would cost NOTHING!!!!! (you just said above, just for you, you have no problem driving a RHD car on the right side of the road in Spain fgs!)
Then make a law that only LHD new cars are to be imported by car manufacturers to the UK. Again costing NOTHING. (and would save car manufacturers millions!).
...think about all the lives that will be saved on our roads, just making a decision COSTING NOTHING!!!!
Just start going around the roundabouts counter clockwise. The rest will work itself out.
@@rich7447 You mean Anti-Clockwise
@@GrahamWalters No I really don't.
All countries of commonwealth which is more then 3 billion people drive on the left
I thought left-hand driving came from the tiller of boats being on the right side (starboard ). Starboard means stearboard (tiller) in Norse languages. Vikings had a significant influence on things in England because of the multiple invasions during the middle ages. Because the helmsman sat on the right to have access to the tiller, the convention carried over to carriages and autos.
Huh, I did not know that. Every day's a school day I guess.
Interesting
It’s mainly ex British Empire that drive on the left, but two exceptions exist to each rule; Thailand and Japan used to send their Royal Family’s sons to Sandhurst, England, for military training and when they returned home they took the British idea of driving on the left: the two countries that were at some point in the British Empire that drive on the right are USA and Canada.