Too Bad Arch Isn't Here....
Moderators: MichelleH, Minimalist, JPeters
This site is about history and Stan, I have to say it, if you check your history you'll find that you used to drive on the left.
A lot of European countries would also like us to change over to the right, quoting numbers, but a lot of countries drive on the left and right handers are potentially out numbered.
A lot of European countries would also like us to change over to the right, quoting numbers, but a lot of countries drive on the left and right handers are potentially out numbered.
History
Prior to the American Rebellion we Colonials were indeed driving on the left. Changing sides of the road was obviously a French conspiracy.This site is about history and Stan, I have to say it, if you check your history you'll find that you used to drive on the left.
Natural selection favors the paranoid
Actually Cog that's pretty near the truth. The engineer/writer L.J.K. Setright said that the reason started with the French and Germans, who were early into the auto business, Benz, Panhard, etc and the very early models had their brake levers and gear levers, (when they had gears) placed outside the vehicle on the RH side, the driver sitting on the right as was the practice with horse drawn vehicles.
When weather protection was added, canvas or metal, things got difficult, so the controls were moved to the centre, and it was believed that gear changing was to difficult to place in the left hand of predominantly RH people. So they moved the driving position to the other side.
Rolls Royce kept the brake lever on the RH side of the seat in this country for years after every body else had moved it to the centre, beautifully positioned to guarantee a pratt fall for the unsuspecting driver when exiting.
Yes, I am speaking from experience!
When weather protection was added, canvas or metal, things got difficult, so the controls were moved to the centre, and it was believed that gear changing was to difficult to place in the left hand of predominantly RH people. So they moved the driving position to the other side.
Rolls Royce kept the brake lever on the RH side of the seat in this country for years after every body else had moved it to the centre, beautifully positioned to guarantee a pratt fall for the unsuspecting driver when exiting.
Yes, I am speaking from experience!
http://enewschannels.com/2006/12/14/enc513_061011
Arch would love this one!Uplifting Evolutionary Ideas: Indigenous Cosmology - From Left Field to Center Stage