History of right-hand and left-hand traffic. Which countries have left-hand traffic: a complete list of states

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Why is there left-hand traffic in England and which traffic is considered more “correct”?

In Russia, as in the vast majority of countries, right-hand traffic is accepted on the roads. However, there are countries on the streets of which the movement is organized "vice versa". In addition to the UK, left-hand traffic is used in Japan, Ireland, South Africa, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and some other countries. Interestingly, Hong Kong is autonomous region as part of China, and in China itself, traffic is on the right.

By themselves, the traditions of traffic on the left or right side of the road originated in the Middle Ages, when cars were not yet in the minds of the most brilliant futurists. There is a version according to which right-hand traffic in Europe arose in the Middle Ages: mostly riders on horseback traveled along the streets and narrow roads. Since most of them were armed, and in their left hands they held a shield for protection, it was more convenient for them to keep to the right side of the road. According to another version, right-hand traffic arose in Europe by itself: horse-drawn carriages drove off on the left sides, since it was easier for the coachman to direct the cart to the side of the road to the right - for this it was necessary to pull the reins right hand, and it is usually more developed in humans. True, the opposite version is also connected with horse-drawn carts: the driver usually held a whip in his right hand and, waving it, driving horses, could accidentally hook pedestrians. Therefore, it was safer to stay on the left side of the road. Since those distant times, these traditions have come down to us.

There is another version of the development of events, according to which Napoleon legalized right-hand traffic in Europe - in spite of the "left-hand" British. And while in France itself the traffic was actually right-handed, Napoleon forced Austria and Hungary to move on the right side of the road. And in Russia by this time there was no clear procedure for passing oncoming traffic, and during the invasion of Napoleon, his rules were simply adopted by the Russians.

It is believed that the ancestor left-hand traffic England was in Europe. Already in the Middle Ages, England was powerful maritime power, both military and merchant shipping were actively developing. In order to streamline traffic at sea, the British Maritime Department issued a decree according to which the ships were to diverge on a collision course with their starboard sides. This rule was later translated from sea spaces on land and established itself in all countries dominated by the British Empire. With the loss of their colonies by England, many of them remained true to the traditions of left-hand traffic, while some countries in which the "English" version of the movement was adopted switched to new, more common rules. So did, for example, many African countries, adjacent to the former French colonies.

And in North and South Korea, the movement "in English" was approved by the Japanese during the occupation, and in 1946, after the end of the occupation, they switched to right-hand traffic.

Much later than others, one of the last, Sweden switched from left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic. This was in 1967. Preparations for such a significant innovation, with an already rather large fleet of cars, began 4 years before. A special state commission was formed, which developed and implemented a set of measures to ensure a safe transition, and on September 3, 1967 at 4:50 in the morning, all vehicles, who were on the roads, had to stop, and within 10 minutes change the side of the road and continue moving. There were even special speed limits throughout the country.

In Russia, right-hand traffic was approved in 1752 by Empress Elizabeth, who issued a corresponding decree for cab drivers and carriages.

Tourists who are not used to driving on the left are advised not to rent a car for safety reasons, but to hire local drivers. And in England on many pedestrian crossings there are inscriptions “look to the right”, and in the middle of the road - “look to the left”, so that foreign pedestrians do not forget about this English peculiarity and God forbid, did not get hit by a car.

This question is, of course, a burning one. It becomes especially relevant when, after a short stay in Japan, you suddenly catch yourself thinking that you can’t part with the Japanese out of the blue - you constantly collide. Moving along the Japanese streets on a bicycle, you feel an inner need to "take to the right." Over time, this sad habit passes, but sometimes at the most inopportune moment it makes itself felt. Sometimes this leads to sad consequences; personally, I was almost hit by a car once in Kyoto.

I began to dig into the question of the leftism of the Japanese gradually, without fanaticism; word for word - something gradually managed to collect. Asking the Japanese themselves is a disastrous business. First, it doesn't occur to most of their nation that other countries can drive on the right side of the road. You tell them - they will open their eyes and null expression faces nod their heads.

A friend of mine, once visiting Japan on business, was sitting in a bar with a Japanese friend. For the sake of his curiosity, he asks: where did they come to Japan from? Ours answers him, they say, from the country closest to you (it takes place in Sapporo - main city northernmost island - Hokkaido). The Japanese thought for a long time, looked at the Russian for a long time, then said: “From Korea?”. like this good knowledge most of the Japanese are famous for the outside world. Let's get back to our sheep.

The history of accepting the left side of the road as the main one is a strange story. Its roots go back to Japanese antiquity, when samurai rode through the mountainous Japanese terrain on frisky horses with swords on their left sides. No one wore a katana (Japanese sword) on a sling, they plugged it into a belt, so that it stuck out from the left side, sticking out about half a meter. Apparently, fearing to be caught by swords and thereby provoke a fight, the samurai began to use the principle of left-hand traffic. In general, they were nervous people, not understanding jokes.

It is rational to assume that in addition to the samurai warriors, whose heroic images are pathetically sung in modern Japanese cinema by director Takeshi Kitano, there was also simple people: peasants, artisans, merchants. How were they supposed to walk? This people did not carry swords and quite calmly used any side of the road. The main joy was to get away from the approaching samurai in time. The latter could easily kill a tradesman for a sidelong glance or for some other “disrespectful” act.

At the beginning of the Edo period (1603-1867), a tradition was already established that indicated to everyone who was heading towards the capital (Tokyo was called Edo at that time) to keep to the left. It seems that such a system has become attached to the Japanese and gradually began to spread throughout the country. We can say with confidence that by the end of the 18th century the custom to drive on the left side of the road had already been formed as general rule to move around Japan.

In the middle of the 19th century, Japan was almost stormed into opening up to the world. Here the Japanese realized the power of Western technology and decided to borrow everything totally. Many Japanese teenagers were sent to study wits in western universities; most went to England. There, by the way, they also drive on the left side.

Probably, the Japanese would still drive on the right side if the Americans or the French won the tenders for the construction of the first railways on the islands of the Japanese archipelago. But the British were ahead of them. The first train was launched in 1872, and, sadly, the locomotives kept to the left.

Further more. The first horse-drawn trams also moved on the left side of the road. How can such an organization be explained? Probably, the appearance of steam locomotives made such an indelible impression on the Japanese that they simply could not conceive of a different order of traffic. At the beginning of the twentieth century, horses were replaced with an electric drive, and they did not change the routine of movement - traditionalists, after all!

The most interesting thing is that for fifty years no one has bothered to legislate which side of the road should be kept. The maximum that the police department in Tokyo did was to issue an order that horses and cars should keep to the left side, and when meeting with military detachments, to the right. Japanese army – a special case- walked on the right side of the road until 1924.

The rulers of the city of Osaka, without thinking twice, obliged all horse and "car" vehicles to move on the right side of the road. Osaka is the second largest city in Japan, the authorities of which showed enviable independence in resolving their issues. Ordinary Japanese probably “liked” this state of affairs even more. In Tokyo - on the left side of the road, in Osaka - on the right, you do not get bored.

In 1907, in Japan, the first time a pedestrian was crushed to death by a car. It took the authorities another nearly 20 years to legalize left-hand traffic and put an end to the confusion. Although in Japan, in general, no one ever gets confused about anything, culture and its customs very tightly regulate every fad. social activity and behavior of a person in a group.

It is clear that any foreigner does not care much about the cultural realities of Japan, unless he is a professional researcher. But for us Russians, it is extremely important to quickly figure out which side of the road you should drive on. There are plenty of funny stories about left-hand traffic. There are many tales about how the Russians drove onto the highway without cars, drove on the right side, and then began to honk the cars that were driving towards them, swear loudly when they did not immediately figure out which nation representatives were driving. Basically, these tales are designed in the style of "Peculiarities of the National Hunt".

However, here's a real-life practice for you. When an accident occurs without casualties, the Japanese prefer to figure it out themselves and not to interfere with the traffic police. They usually exchange business cards quickly and go about their business. It is difficult to say why they do this - those who speak the language and have lived in Japan for quite a long time, I think, will explain. The Japanese really trust what is written on paper, and only after the exchange business cards begin to perceive the interlocutor and behave with him according to his rank.

This Japan is a mysterious land, and surprisingly beautiful, and cars are made there - just stunned!

Even in antiquity, it turned out that an agreement on which side of the road to drive on - left or right - greatly reduces the number of head-on collisions and traffic jams.

For cars, the driver's seat must be on the side of the oncoming traffic - on the left in countries with right-hand traffic and on the right in countries with left-hand traffic.

On the this moment 66% of the world's population drive on the right side and 34% on the left, primarily due to the population of India, Indonesia, Pakistan. 72% of all roads are right-handed and 28% are left-handed.

Prerequisites

Pedestrian with cargo - right-hand side. The bag is usually thrown over the right shoulder, it is more convenient to hold a cart or pack animal with the right hand closer to the curb: it is easier to disperse, and you can stop and talk with the oncoming one.

Knight's tournament - right-handed. The shield is on the left side, the spear is placed over the back of the horse. However, Knight Tournament- this is a game that is far from real transport tasks.

Riding in a single carriage or a carriage with the driver's seat moved forward - right-sided. To disperse, you need to pull the reins with a stronger right hand.

Riding with a postilion - right-hand. The postilion (coachman driving the team, sitting on one of the horses) always sits on the left horse - this makes it easier to get on and off and allows you to control with your right hand.

Riding is on the left side. The "fighting" right hand is in the shock position in relation to the oncoming rider. In addition, it is more convenient to mount a horse on the left side, since in this case the sword interferes less.

Driving in a multi-seat carriage is left-handed. Being on the right side, the driver will not hit the passenger with a whip. For an emergency crossing, you can hit the horses on the right side.

Most historians consider only the methods of dispersal of warriors, which is not entirely legitimate - in no country were warriors the majority. Therefore, the soldiers could disperse, for example, on the left side, while the people kept to the right side when passing (which was more convenient if, say, the people were supposed to give way to the soldiers, because in this case they are noticeable earlier). On Red Square on May 9, two open ZIL vehicles drive in left-hand traffic.

Sometimes some junctions are made left-handed, for example, along Leskova Street in Moscow, as well as streets - for example, the embankment of the Fontanka River in St. Petersburg (in last case the sides of traffic are separated by a river).

Story

After they stopped driving on the roads with weapons and suspecting every enemy, right-hand traffic spontaneously began to take shape on the roads, which was mainly due to human physiology, a significant difference in the strength and dexterity of different hands in the methods of driving heavy horse-drawn carriages drawn by several horses. The peculiarity of the person affected that most people are right-handed. When passing on a narrow road, it was easier to direct the carriage to the right to the side of the road or the edge of the road, pulling the reins with the right, that is, with a stronger hand, holding the horses. It is probably for this simple reason that the tradition arose first, and then the norm of passing on the roads. This norm eventually became fixed as the norm of right-hand traffic.

In Russia, back in the Middle Ages, the rule of right-hand traffic developed spontaneously and was observed as a natural human behavior. The Danish envoy to Peter I, Just Yul, wrote in 1709 that “in Russia, it is customary everywhere for carts and sleighs, when meeting each other, to drive away, keeping to the right side.” In 1752, the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued a decree on the introduction of Russian cities right-hand traffic for carriages and cabbies.

In the West, the first law regulating left- or right-hand traffic was the English bill of 1756, according to which traffic on London Bridge was to be on the left side. For violation of this rule, an impressive fine was provided - a pound of silver. And 20 years later, the historic “Road Act” was issued in England, which introduced left-hand traffic on all roads in the country. The same left-hand traffic was adopted on railway. In 1830, on the first Manchester-Liverpool railway line, traffic was on the left.

There is another theory of the appearance of initially left-hand traffic. Some historians suggest that it was more convenient to ride on the left side at the time when horse teams appeared, where the coachmen sat at the top. So, when they drive horses, the whip of a right-handed coachman could accidentally hit passers-by who were walking along the sidewalk. That is why horse-drawn carriages often rode on the left.

Great Britain is considered the main "culprit" of "leftism", which then influenced some countries of the world (its colonies and dependent territories). There is a version that she brought such an order on her roads from the maritime rules, that is, at sea, an oncoming ship passed another, which was approaching from the right. But this version is erroneous, since to miss a vessel approaching from the right means to disperse on the left sides, that is, according to the rules of right-hand traffic. It is the right-hand traffic that is accepted for the divergence of ships following oncoming courses in the line of sight at sea, which is recorded in international rules.

The influence of Great Britain affected the traffic order in its colonies, therefore, in particular, in countries such as India, Pakistan, Australia, left-hand traffic was adopted. In 1859, Queen Victoria's ambassador, Sir R. Alcock, persuaded the Tokyo authorities to also adopt left-hand traffic [ ] .

Right-hand traffic is often associated with France, with its influence on many other countries. During the Great French Revolution of 1789, in a decree issued in Paris, it was prescribed to move along the "common" right side. A little later, Napoleon Bonaparte consolidated this position by ordering the military to keep to the right side, so that anyone who met French army made way for her. Further, such an order of movement, oddly enough, was associated with big politics in early XIX centuries. Those who supported Napoleon - Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain - right-hand traffic was established in those countries. On the other hand, those who opposed the Napoleonic army: Britain, Austria-Hungary, Portugal - turned out to be "leftist". The influence of France was so great that it influenced many countries in Europe, and they switched to right-hand traffic. However, in England, Portugal, Sweden and some other countries, traffic remained on the left. In Austria, a curious situation has developed in general. In some provinces, traffic was on the left, while in others it was on the right. And only after the Anschluss in the 1930s by Germany, the whole country switched to the right-hand side.

At first, left-hand traffic was also in the USA. But by the end of the 18th century, there was a gradual transition to right-hand traffic. It is believed that the French General Marie-Joseph Lafayette, who made a significant contribution to the struggle for independence from british crown. [ ] At the same time, left-hand traffic remained in a number of provinces of Canada until the 20s of the twentieth century.

AT different time in many countries, left-hand traffic was adopted, but they switched to new rules. For example, due to the proximity to countries that were former French colonies that have right-hand traffic, the former British colonies in Africa changed the rules. In Czechoslovakia (formerly part of Austro-Hungarian Empire) left-hand traffic was retained until 1938.

Countries that changed the movement

At various times, left-hand drive was adopted in many countries, despite the fact that Swedish manufacturers even produced left-hand drive cars for the domestic market. Later, due to the inconvenience associated with the fact that the neighbors of these countries had right-hand traffic, it was decided to switch to right-hand traffic. The most famous in history was the "H" Day (Swedish Dagen H) in Sweden, when the country switched from left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic.

Also, the former British colonies in Africa, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Nigeria and Ghana, were changed from right to left because of their proximity to countries - former French colonies that have right-hand traffic. Conversely, the former Portuguese colony of Mozambique changed from left-hand drive to right-hand drive due to its proximity to former British colonies. Samoa switched to left-hand traffic due to a large number used cars with right hand drive. Korea changed from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1946, after the end of the Japanese occupation.

In 1977, the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa, by decision of the Japanese government, switched from the right-hand traffic established in 1945 by the American occupation forces to the left-hand traffic. As the case was presented in Tokyo, the need for the transition was dictated by the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic of 1949, which requires member countries to have only one transport system. This, however, does not prevent another participant, China, from leaving the left-hand traffic in the returned Hong Kong.

Countries with left-hand traffic

Changing sides at the border

On the borders of countries with different directions of movement, road junctions are built, sometimes quite impressive.

Special cases

First cars

On cars produced at the beginning of the 20th century, the location of the steering wheel has not yet been finally determined: often the driver's seat was made from the side of the sidewalk (that is, they made the right wheel for right-hand traffic and the left one for left-hand traffic). In the future, the location of the steering wheel on the side opposite the sidewalk became the standard - this ensures best review when overtaking; in addition, when using the car as a taxi, it makes getting in and out of the passenger more convenient and safer.

post cars

Cars for extracting mail are often made with a “wrong” steering wheel position (for example, such a van Moskvich-434P was produced in the USSR). This is done for the convenience of the driver, who can now go directly to the sidewalk and is not exposed to unnecessary danger. With the right steering wheel, the driver of the postal car has easier access to the mailboxes located near the roadway. Sometimes mail can be put in the mailbox without leaving the car.

military vehicles

Some French vehicles produced for combat operations in the African colonies had a double steering mechanism for the possibility of using it in right- and left-hand drive modes with a simple steering wheel shift.

Mining trucks

Mining trucks usually do not drive on roads common use and therefore do not depend on local traffic rules. The market for these machines is very narrow. Therefore, they are manufactured only with a left-hand drive cab for right-hand traffic on the technological roads of quarries. For example, BelAZ supplies its left-hand drive products to right-hand drive South Africa, and in right-hand drive Japan, Komatsu manufactures its dump trucks with a left-hand drive cab.

Construction and agricultural machinery

On universal row-crop tractors, the tractor driver's seat is usually located on the longitudinal axis of the machine, which gives the same good review left and right side. On heavy arable tractors with wide cabs (for example, Kirovets), the tractor driver's seat is on the right, which is convenient when working with right-hand plows. On combines, on the contrary, the cab is conveniently located on the left side. On communal vehicles, the driver's seat is located on the side of the sidewalk. Many agricultural and utility vehicles and tractors have a left-to-right or duplicated driver's or operator's seat.

Bahamas

Historically, the Bahamas have left-hand drive, but most cars drive around the islands with left-hand drive due to the proximity of the United States, from where such cars are constantly imported.

Russian Far East

Differences in car designs

The driver's seat and steering wheel are usually located on the left side of vehicles designed for right-hand traffic, and on the right side of vehicles for left-hand drive vehicles. This allows you to better see oncoming traffic and thus facilitates maneuvers. Some cars (for example, the British supercar McLaren F1) have a central driver's seat.

Windshield wipers ("wipers") for a better view from the driver's side also have a right and left direction. In left-hand drive cars, they are laid to the right in the off state, and in right-hand drive cars - to the left. Some car models (for example, some Mercedes cars from the 1990s) have symmetrical wipers. The wiper switch on the steering column on left-hand drive cars is on the right, on right-hand drive cars it is on the left.

The layout of the pedals "clutch - brake - gas" inherent in left-hand drive cars has become the standard for right-hand drive cars. However, before the Second World War, the position of the pedals on right-hand drive cars varied. Before Hitler's invasion, Czechoslovakia had left-hand traffic, and on old Czech cars, the pedals were "clutch - gas - brake".

The shift lever is always located between the driver's and passenger's seat or on the vehicle's center console. The gear order does not differ - both on left-hand drive and right-hand drive cars, the lower gears are on the left. When a driver changes from a left-hand drive car to a right-hand drive car (and vice versa), the old motor reflexes remain for some time and he may begin to look for the gear lever on the driver's door and confuse turning on the turn signal with “wipers”.

The exhaust pipe is located on the side of the center line (left for right-hand traffic, right for left-hand traffic), but this rule applies to the manufacturer - left-hand drive Japanese cars, as a rule, the exhaust pipe is still on the right.

Doors for passengers in buses, trolleybuses and trams are located in accordance with the direction of travel.

Regardless of the position of the driver's seat, the headlights are adjusted so that the light is directed slightly towards the adjacent curb - in order to illuminate pedestrians and not blind oncoming drivers. When changing the side of traffic on the same car, the adjacent roadside turns out to be on the other side, and the asymmetry of the light flux (set by the reflector and glass) starts to work the other way around - do not illuminate the roadside, but dazzle oncoming drivers, which is corrected only by replacing the optics on the corresponding side of the road.

According to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, a car temporarily entering the country must comply with the technical standards of the country in which it is registered.

Motorcycles

Single motorcycles for right-hand and left-hand traffic do not differ in design, with the exception of the headlamp, which, in low beam mode, should illuminate the adjacent shoulder (although motorcycles are often equipped with headlights with a symmetrical beam, equally suitable for both directions of movement).

Motorcycles with a sidecar have a mirror arrangement of the side trailer and pedals: the sidecar and rear brake pedal are on the right for right-hand traffic and on the left for left-hand traffic, the gearshift and kick-starter pedals are on the left for right-hand traffic and on the right for left-hand traffic. This arrangement of the pedals was chosen based on the fact that the sidecar does not interfere with starting the motorcycle with your foot, and also because of the design of the power units (for many motorcycles, the gear shift pedal, being reclined, activates the kick starter).

Other modes of transport

Aircraft

For a number of reasons (imperfect ignition systems and carburetors, which often caused engine shutdowns, severe weight restrictions), World War I aircraft had exclusively rotary engines - the crankcase and engine block rotated with the propeller, and the fuel-oil mixture was fed through hollow fixed crankshaft. In such engines, the heavy crankcase and cylinders played the role of a flywheel. The screw, as a rule, was used right, rotating clockwise. Due to the big aerodynamic drag rotating block of cylinders and propeller, a torque arose, tending to create a left roll for the aircraft, so turns to the left were performed more vigorously. Because of this, many aviation maneuvers were based on left turns - hence the left pilot's seat.

With the improvement of ignition systems, rotary engines gave way to two-row and star-shaped, which have many times less reverse torque. Pilots (already civilian) navigated along the available roads (and in the desert area, where there are no roads, furrows were made). When the planes (with a well-established left seat), flying along the road towards each other, needed to pass each other, the pilots gave back to the right - hence the right-hand traffic with the left seat of the main pilot.

Helicopters

On the world's first production helicopter Sikorsky R-4 there were two interchangeable seats for crew members, two "step-gas" handles on the sides of the cockpit, but only one handle for longitudinal-transverse control of the cyclic pitch of the main rotor in the middle (for reasons of mass saving). The "pitch-throttle" stick, which controls the overall pitch of the main rotor (in fact, the lifting force of the helicopter), required a lot of neat, precise manipulations (especially during takeoff, landing and hovering), and besides, also physical effort, so the vast majority of pilots preferred sit down on the right so that she is in her right hand. Subsequently, the habits of right-handed helicopter pilots who learned on the R-4 (and its development R-6) spread throughout Western world, therefore, on most helicopters, the crew commander's seat is located on the right.

The seat of the main pilot on the only serial tiltrotor V-22 Osprey is on the right, “like a helicopter”. In Russia, both in airplanes and helicopters, the crew commander's seat is always on the left.

ships

Almost everywhere (except inland rivers) right-hand traffic with the right seat is used. This allows you to see traffic on the starboard side (which must be skipped). Accurate passing with a small interval, important for cars, on water and in the air is not relevant. On large ships, the wheelhouse and the wheel inside it are located in the middle, but the captain or lookout is traditionally located to the right of the helmsman. This tradition has developed in antiquity, in the days of small ships controlled by a steering oar, and is again connected with the fact that most people are right-handed. It was more convenient for the helmsman to control the heavy steering oar with his right, stronger hand, so the steering oar was almost always fixed to the right of the vessel. In this regard, the practice of divergence on the left sides has developed on the water, so as not to damage the steering oar, as well as mooring to the shore with a free port side. With the invention of the outboard rudder, which was attached in the middle of the stern, the helmsman moved to the center line of the ship, but due to the already established tradition of right-hand traffic when moving along rivers and straits, an observer placed on the right was required to watch the near bank.

Railroad and subway

pioneer railway transport is Great Britain, which has imposed left-hand rail traffic on many countries (Belgium, Israel, Russia, France, Sweden). Later, the railways of Russia switched to right-hand traffic, the only exception is the section of the railway from Kazansky railway station in Moscow to Turlatov, from Lyubertsy I to Korenev, and also from Ostankino to Leningradsky railway station (for suburban trains), from Yaroslavsky railway station to

Prerequisites

Walking is on the right side. Most people (unarmed) seem to walk on the right side.

To lead a horse, to drag a cart - right-handed. In this case, it is more convenient for a person to be on the side of the oncoming stream than on the side of the road - on the one hand, this allows you to avoid a collision, on the other, to stop and talk to the oncoming one.

After they stopped driving on the roads with weapons and suspecting every enemy, right-hand traffic spontaneously began to take shape on the roads, which was mainly due to human physiology, a significant difference in the strength and dexterity of different hands in the methods of driving heavy horse-drawn carriages drawn by several horses. The peculiarity of the person affected that most people are right-handed. When passing on a narrow road, it was easier to direct the carriage to the right to the side of the road or the edge of the road, pulling the reins with the right, that is, the strongest hand, holding the horses. It is probably for this simple reason that the tradition arose first, and then the norm of passing on the roads. This norm eventually became fixed as the norm of right-hand traffic.

In Russia, back in the Middle Ages, the right-hand traffic rule developed spontaneously and was observed as a natural human behavior. In 1709, the Danish envoy to Peter I, Just Yul, wrote that “in Russia, it is a custom everywhere for carts and sleighs, when meeting each other, to drive away, keeping to the right side.” In 1752, the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued a decree on the introduction of right-hand traffic on the streets of Russian cities for carriages and cabbies.

In the West, the first law regulating left- or right-hand traffic was the English bill of 1756, according to which traffic on London Bridge was to be on the left side. For violation of this rule, an impressive fine was provided - a pound of silver. And 20 years later, the historic “Road Act” was issued in England, which introduced left-hand traffic on all roads in the country. The same left-hand traffic was adopted on the railway. In 1830, on the first Manchester-Liverpool railway line, traffic was on the left.

Great Britain is considered the main "culprit" of "leftism", which then influenced many countries of the world. According to one version, she brought the same order on her roads from the maritime rules, that is, on the sea, an oncoming ship passed another, which was approaching from the right.

Right-hand traffic is often associated with France, with its influence on many other countries. During the Great French Revolution In 1789, in a decree issued in Paris, it was ordered to move along the "common" right side. A little later, Napoleon consolidated this position by ordering the military to keep to the right side, so that anyone who met the French army would give way to it. Further, such an order of movement, oddly enough, was associated with big politics at the beginning of the 19th century. Those who supported Napoleon - Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain. On the other hand, those who opposed the Napoleonic army: Britain, Austria-Hungary, Portugal - turned out to be "leftist". The influence of France was so great that it influenced many countries in Europe, and they switched to right-hand traffic. However, in England, Portugal, Sweden and some other countries, traffic remained on the left. In Austria, a curious situation has developed in general. In some provinces, the movement was left-hand, and in others right-hand. And only after the Anschluss in the 1930s by Germany, the whole country switched to the right-hand side.

At first, left-hand traffic was also in the USA. But by the end of the 18th century, there was a gradual transition to right-hand traffic. It is believed that the French general Marie-Joseph Lafayette, who made a significant contribution to the struggle for independence from the British crown, "convinced" the Americans to switch to the right-hand traffic. At the same time, left-hand traffic remained in a number of Canadian provinces until the 1920s.

At various times, left-hand traffic was adopted in many countries, but they switched to new rules. For example, due to the proximity to countries that were former French colonies that have right-hand traffic, the former British colonies in Africa changed the rules. In Czechoslovakia (formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), left-hand traffic was retained until 1938. North Korea and South Korea changed from left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic in 1946, after the end of the Japanese occupation.

One of recent countries, who switched from left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic, was Sweden. This happened in 1967. Preparations for the reform began as early as 1963, when the Swedish parliament formed the State Commission for the transition to right-hand traffic, which was to develop and implement a set of measures to ensure such a transition. On September 3, 1967, at 4:50 am, all vehicles had to stop, change sides of the road, and continue at 5:00 am. For the first time after the transition, a special speed limit regime was established.

After the advent of cars in Europe, a real leapfrog was going on. Most of countries traveled on the right side - this custom has been imposed since the time of Napoleon. However, in England, Sweden and even one part of Austria-Hungary, left-hand traffic reigned. And in Italy in different cities Generally there were different rules!

As for the location of the steering wheel, on the first cars in most cases it was on the “wrong” right side for us. And regardless of which side the cars were driving on. This was done so that the driver could better see the overtaken car. In addition, with this arrangement of the steering wheel, the driver could get out of the car directly onto the sidewalk, and not onto the roadway.

The first mass-produced car with a "correct" steering wheel was the Ford T.

Countries that changed the movement

At various times, left-hand traffic was adopted in many countries, but due to the inconvenience associated with the fact that the neighbors of these countries had right-hand traffic, they switched to right-hand traffic. The most famous in history was H-Day in Sweden, when the country switched from driving on the left to driving on the right.

Also, the former British colonies in Africa, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Nigeria and Ghana, were changed from left-hand drive to right-hand drive due to their proximity to countries - former French colonies that have right-hand traffic. Conversely, the former Portuguese colony of Mozambique changed from right-hand drive to left-hand drive due to its proximity to the former British colonies. North Korea and South Korea changed from left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic in 1946, after the end of the Japanese occupation.

Countries with left-hand traffic

Changing sides at the border

On the borders of countries with different directions of movement, road junctions are built, sometimes quite impressive.

Special cases

First cars

On cars produced at the beginning of the 20th century, the location of the steering wheel has not yet been finally determined: often the driver's seat was made from the side of the sidewalk (that is, they made the right wheel for right-hand traffic and the left one for left-hand traffic). In the future, the location of the steering wheel on the side opposite the sidewalk became the standard - this provides a better view when overtaking; in addition, when using the car as a taxi, it makes getting in and out of the passenger more convenient and safer.

post cars

Cars for extracting mail are often made with a “wrong” steering wheel position (for example, such an IZH van was produced in the USSR). This is done for the convenience of the driver, who can now go directly to the sidewalk and is not exposed to unnecessary danger.

Bahamas

Historically, the Bahamas have left-hand drive, but most cars drive around the islands with left-hand drive due to the proximity of the United States, from where such cars are constantly imported.

Russia - East

Regardless of the position of the driver's seat, the headlights are adjusted so that the light is directed slightly towards the curb - in order to illuminate pedestrians and not blind oncoming drivers.

However, the Vienna Convention on traffic says that a car temporarily entering the country must comply with the technical standards of the country in which it is registered.

Other modes of transport

Aircraft

For a number of reasons (imperfect ignition systems and carburetors, which often caused the engine to stop, severe weight restrictions), World War I aircraft had exclusively rotary engines - the engine star rotates with the propeller, and the fuel-oil mixture is fed through a hollow fixed crankshaft. In such engines, the heavy crankcase played the role of a flywheel. The screw, as a rule, was used right, rotating clockwise. Because of large mass engine, a reverse torque arose, tending to create a left roll for the aircraft, so turns to the left were performed more energetically. Because of this, many aviation maneuvers were based on left turns - hence the left pilot's seat.

With the improvement of ignition systems, rotary engines gave way to two-row and star-shaped, which have many times less reverse torque. Pilots (already peaceful) navigated along the existing roads (and in the desert area, where there are no roads, furrows were made). When the planes (with a well-established left seat), flying along the road towards each other, needed to pass each other, the pilots gave back to the right - hence the right-hand traffic with the left seat of the main pilot.

There is another reason related to anatomy: the pilot holds the control stick with his right hand in front of him at chest level, left hand- below, approximately at the level of the armrest, controls the engine using the throttle. With this position, it is more convenient to look down on the left side, since the right hand placed in front of you prevents you from leaning to the right.

Helicopters and ships

Almost everywhere (except inland rivers) left-hand traffic with the right seat is used. This allows you to see traffic on the starboard side (which must be skipped).

The seat of the main pilot on the only serial tiltrotor V-22 Osprey on the right, "like a helicopter."

Railroad and metro

The pioneer of rail transport is Great Britain, which has imposed left-hand rail traffic on many countries (France, Israel, Russia). Later, Russia switched to right-hand traffic, but even now some of the old Russian lines are left-hand traffic. In Germany, railway traffic has historically been on the right. Therefore, in Alsace-Lorraine (belonging to Germany until the First World War), trains still run on the right side.

Often there is a left-hand movement of escalators in order to reduce the mutual intersection of human flows, or for the convenience of organizing the upper lobby.

Maybe someone else doesn't know.
It is difficult to find a car forum in which the dispute about the right and left hand drive did not flare up. This is due to the increase in the number of right-hand drive cars brought to Russia, and the peculiarity of their operation on right-hand traffic.
Division into right and left side movement began even before the appearance of the first car. Historians are still arguing among themselves which movement in Europe was the original. During the existence of the Roman Empire, riders rode on the left so that the right hand in which they held weapons was ready to instantly strike an enemy riding towards them. Evidence was found that the Romans had left-hand traffic: in 1998, in the UK, in the Swindon area, a Roman quarry was excavated, near which the left track was broken more than the right, as well as on a Roman denarius (dated 50 BC - 50 BC) depicted two horsemen riding around on the left side.
Mounting a horse in the Middle Ages was more convenient when driving on the left, since the sword did not interfere with the landing. However, there is an argument against this argument - the convenience of riding on the left or right lane when riding varies depending on the method of riding, and there were not so many warriors compared to the rest of the population. After people stopped taking weapons with them on the road, traffic began to gradually change to the right-hand side. This was explained by the fact that most people are right-handed, and with the advantage of the right hand in strength and dexterity, many things are more comfortable to do while moving on the right side of the road.
When walking (without weapons), while driving a horse and cart, it is more convenient to keep to the right side. On this side, it is more convenient for a person to be close to oncoming traffic in order to stop to talk with oncoming people, and it is easier to hold the reins with the right hand. Knights in tournaments also rode on the right - they held a shield in their left hand, and a spear was placed on the back of a horse, but there is an argument against this argument - the tournaments were just demonstrative "shows" and to real life were not related.
Depending on the type of horse-drawn carriage, the convenience of right- and left-hand traffic varies: it is preferable for single-seat carriages with a seat for the coachman in front to ride on the right side, since when traveling with another carriage, the coachman needs to pull the reins more strongly with his right hand. Crews with a postilion (a coachman driving a team, sitting on one of the horses) also adhered to the right side - the postilion always sits on the left horse to make it easier for him to board and control with his right hand. Multi-seat and open carriages drove on the left side of the road - so the driver could not accidentally hit a passenger or a passer-by walking along the sidewalk with a whip.
In Russia, even under Peter I, right-hand traffic was accepted as the norm, carts and sleighs drove around, as a rule, keeping to the right side, and in 1752, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued an official decree on the introduction of right-hand traffic on the streets of Russian cities of carriages and cabs. Among Western countries for the first time a law on the side of movement was issued in England - it was a bill of 1756, according to which the movement on London bridge should be on the left side, and in the case of "departure into the oncoming lane" a fine of 1 pound of silver was charged. And only after 20 years the British government issued the historic "Road Act", which spelled out the introduction of left-hand traffic. By the way, the same movement was adopted on the Manchester-Liverpool iron line that opened in 1830. According to one of the assumptions, England took this from the maritime rules, since it was an island state, and the only connection with the rest of the countries was shipping - through them the ship passed another ship that approached it from the right.
It is Great Britain that is considered the “parent” of left-hand traffic, this example was adopted by its colonies (India, Pakistan, Australia) and other countries of the world. During the French Revolution in 1789, Napoleon issued an order for the military to move on the right side of the road, and subsequently the side of traffic and military columns was determined political views countries: the countries - allies of Napoleon (Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, Spain) established the right-hand traffic, and the enemy countries (Britain, Portugal, Austria-Hungary) - the left-hand traffic. In Austria, in different cities, the movement went along different parties, and then this country stretched to the right. In Japan, the second largest country with left-hand traffic, it was adopted in 1859 under the influence of Queen Victoria's ambassador, Sir Rutherford Alcock.
After the end of the Japanese occupation in 1946, South Korea and the DPRK changed from left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic. Czechoslovakia, formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, switched to right-hand traffic in 1938. Sweden, on the other hand, became one of the last countries to change the direction of movement; for this, in 1963, the State Commission to switch to right-hand traffic. Its tasks included the development and implementation, and the right-hand traffic was officially fixed in 1967. On this solemn day, September 3, at exactly 4:50 in the morning, all cars and other vehicles had to stop, change lanes to the opposite one and resume traffic at 5:00. To ensure safety during this change, the authorities briefly introduced a speed limit.
In the United States, initially traffic was carried out on the left side, but, according to historians, the love of freedom and the contradiction of England made them move to the right side. According to one version, the founder of the right-hand traffic in America was French general Marie Joseph Lafayette, one of the most ardent fighters for independence from the crown of Great Britain. Canada, on the other hand, lasted with left-hand traffic until the 20s of the 20th century.
And in further formation the left or right direction of traffic was determined by the proximity to certain countries - the former British colonies in Africa (Sierra Leone, Gambia, Nigeria, Ghana) changed left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic, as they were located next to the former French colonies. And the former Portuguese colony of Mozambique changed from right-hand traffic to the opposite due to its proximity to the former British colonies.
As for the location of the steering wheel, on the first cars in most cases it was on the “wrong” right side for us. And regardless of which side the cars were driving on. This was done so that the driver could better see the overtaken car. In addition, with this arrangement of the steering wheel, the driver could get out of the car directly onto the sidewalk, and not onto the roadway. By the way, the first mass-produced car with a “correct” steering wheel was the Ford T.
In some countries there are contentious issues due to the location of the steering wheel - for example, in the Bahamas, people mostly drive left-hand drive cars, since it is convenient to bring them from the USA, and in the east of our country, on the contrary, most cars are right-hand drive because of the proximity to Japan. Countries with left-hand traffic include Australia, England, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bermuda, Cyprus, India, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saint Helena, South Africa, British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands, Zimbabwe and many others.