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Is it time that the UK starts to drive on the right? (Like the rest of europe) A controversial question I know what do the backroomers think?
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I can't think of any reason why we should, especially given the massive cost to change.
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Like Smokie said. Apart from consistency I cannot think of any argument in favour. Plenty of other markets drive on the left including Japan, Australasia and most of anglophone Africa so the mfrs would still need to tool for RHD.
Edited by Bromptonaut on 28/10/2009 at 22:14
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About 70 percent of the world drive on the right .I believe sweden changed on a sunday morning in 1967 that would have been fun :)
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I believe sweden changed on a sunday morning in 1967
And if we changed in the 60s in would have been a lot easier... now. Not an option I would have thought.
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>> I believe sweden changed on a sunday morning in 1967 And if we changed in the 60s in would have been a lot easier... now. Not an option I would have thought.
And at that time, the vast majority of cars on the roads of Sweden were already LHD.
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I agree with bromptonaut and smokie.
It would benefit everyone, I think, if we did drive on the right. There'd be less excuse for manufacturers to charge more. all cars would be fitted with the correct wipers etc, foreign trucks would have their mirrors the right way round and there are probably more possible reasons.
The cost in both expenditure and probably lives to effect the change would not be worth the benefits, though.
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The country could not afford it. Every single road sign and marking would need to be changed, many junctions would need to be re-engineered too. The cost would run into more billions than you could shake a stick at.
When Sweden changed in 1967 they suffered a horrific rise in accidents for a few years afterwards, that in the days when there were many less cars on the road than the UK has today.
Anyway, we're British. If we all have to drive on the same side of the road, Johnnie Foreigner can damn well change to driving on the left. And finally admit that the ball DID cross the line.
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It would benefit everyone I think if we did drive on the right. There'd be less excuse for manufacturers to charge more. all cars would be fitted with the correct wipers etc foreign trucks would have their mirrors the right way round and there are probably more possible reasons.
IIRC we drive on the left for a reason, something to do with having sword arms free for defence which may seem archaic but I'd contend has roots in logic even in today's cars e.g. the driver's right hand in RHD cars undertakes steering when changing gear or adjusting most controls whereas in a LHD car it is the less-dexterous (for most people) left hand which does this.
Now I'm left handed and so arguably an exception to this rule, as (I think) was Napoleon who I believe was instrumental in persuading mainland European countries to pass on the right, furthermore I think this influenced the US in their decision to drive on the right.
Because we're an island there seems little rationale in justifying the upheaval in changing to me, I'd argue that market forces and trade legislation have negated the effects of RHD as an opportunity for manufacturers to charge more. If you 'price up' a BMW (for example) to the same specification at current exchange rates it's much cheaper in the UK than the mainland at the moment.
Edited by idle_chatterer on 28/10/2009 at 22:59
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>Is it time that the UK starts to drive on the right?
How ridiculous! We already drive on the right side.
>If we all have to drive on the same side of the road, Johnnie Foreigner can damn well change to driving on the
>left.
Absolutely.
Or we'll send Her Majesty's Navy!
Kevin...
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Thanks Kev i am Johnnie Foreigner mind you i have lived here 41 years.:) I must admit i often drive on the continent but find it easier driving in the UK.Joining roundabouts etc (sometimes) :)
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Why change something just works? Everything unique to the UK in Europe is being lost so lets at least keep our driving unique.
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Just because somethings unique is no reason to argue to keep it, in fact its normally a good arguement to change it... changing to Euros in one such, but that'll probably never change either because the banks and some people in Whitehall have too much to lose and keep spreading the myth that it would be bad for us...
But back to the OP, I agree with the others that from cost and potential massive increase in accidents it just wouldn't be worth it, and, honestly, would it gain us all that much in the long run?
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Although it would be nice if everyone, everywhere, drove on the same side of the road, the upheaval that would be caused by us changing to driving on the right would be too great to make it practicable. Think of all the buses that would either become obsolete or need drastic surgery to cope with the changeover. Plus even if we started buying left-hand drive vehicles for a few years before the changeover, there would still be loads of people driving righ-hand drive cars for years after the switch.
Not standardising the rule of the road is something we can blame our forebears for. We had the opportunity, after the second world war, when traffic was sparse because of petrol rationing and few new cars were being sold. But the chance is gone now, probably for ever.
Since it was mentioned above, I'll say that adopting the Euro is a different matter, something I think we should do - especially if it reaches a 1:1 exchange rate, which could then be locked in preparation.
Edited by Sofa Spud on 29/10/2009 at 09:07
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When all traffic is automated and cars negotiate by computerised control independently of driver action, left/right will have no meaning. Cars will simply be routed along the optimum path to make full use of road space. That may be both sides in a one-way rush hour, or the "wrong" side if only going a short distance before turning off.
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Thought people did that now, Cliff! ;-)
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As an island it's not really a problem, as we don't drive over a border and suddenly need to change sides, (hence Europe keeping the same). There's always some barrier in the way in the form of a channel crossing/ferry etc as a transitional period.
Even if there was ever, amazingly, a road (extremely long bridge!) built linking us to anywhere else, it would be one exit in / out and filtered accordingly!
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I shall never forget driving through the town of Granadilla de Abona in Tenerife, doing a u turn and driving back through sed town - *on the LH side* and almost having a head-on encounter with El Senor in a Fiat 124.
There must be many such moments in port area's in this country!
Having lived 'abroad' its surprising how quickly one adapts - to the wrong side of the road.
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Is it time that the UK starts to drive on the right? (Like the rest of europe)
No. We should keep on driving on the correct side, as we do now, which for the majority of the human race (which actually includes foreigners - another contraversial thought!) is the safer and more intrinsically natural side - this borne out by our lower crash rate, of course. The countries in trhe world that persist in driving on the other side should undergo a course of re-education and change.
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I dont think their is a right or wrong side depends whidh side of the fence you are borne.:)
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>>>I dont think their is a right or wrong side depends whidh side of the fence you are borne<<
Wouldn't it be soooo much easier if we all drove on the same side, all spoke the same language, all used the same currency and all followed the same R (better not!)
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An excellent idea - we could then legally "pass the Dutchie on the left-hand side".
Groan :-)
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I play it safe drive in the middle blue lights on.:)
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I believe that in italy they drive in the shade.
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It is worst when you are pulling away after stopping - the mind has to be in gear.
I regularly drive abroad and usually have no problems but once in Memphis I was driving a huge Cadillac rented car . .
Chatting with friends I was distracted as I was waiting at lights on the right hand carriageway . I went to turn right as the lights changed and I found suddenly I had automatically crossed over to the left carriageway to find myself facing two lanes of traffic stopped at the red light.
No drama, horns or any problem as the cars I was facing backed up to allow me to turn and get back to the correct side of the road .....
Can you imagine if I had done something similar in UK?
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Edited by Dynamic Dave on 29/10/2009 at 19:12
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Sorry pressed the wrong button,when leaving the ferry abroad i tend to stop for ten minutes,have a look or a coffee just to get used to the system instead of rushing accidents are in a small corner.
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when leaving the ferry abroad i tend to stop for ten minutes have a look or a coffee just to get used to the system instead of rushing accidents are in a small corner.
I chant to myself "Keep right, look left" The only time I nearly came a cropper was in France. On a fairly quiet road, I crossed the road to get petrol and forgot I had to cross back over after re-fuelling. Luckily it was quiet!
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