http://blog.allstate.com/take-sides-the-history-behind-driving-on-the-left-or-right/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=take-sides-the-history-behind-driving-on-the-left-or-right Expert tips and fun facts on protecting your car, home, motorcycle or RV from Allstate Auto Insurance Tue, 14 May 2013 16:00:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 http://blog.allstate.com/take-sides-the-history-behind-driving-on-the-left-or-right/#comment-521 Ray Rubi Thu, 05 Jul 2012 16:00:18 +0000 http://community.allstate.com/community/allstate_blog/blog/2012/04/05/how-countries-choose-which-side-of-the-road-they-drive-on#comment-521 The reason why Brits drive on the left is because most are right handed but it has nothing to do with knights in feudal Europe or all of Europe would drive on the left side. Besides, most who drove carts or coaches back then weren’t knighted or even soldiers. It goes back further to the fact that Britain is an island. Because of that fact maritime concepts profoundly influence British culture. The first sea going vessels were steered with an oar like rudder by a pilot sitting at the right rear of the boat (right rear because most are right handed). The boats were docked on the left to protect the rudder. That is why a ship’s left side is called the “port side” in maritime parlance. These sailors also drove carts and coaches on land. They would load and unload on the left side as a matter of habit. Therefore, when two passed each other on the road it was natural to pass on the left. Driving on the right began in the newly independent American colonies as a show of aversion for anything British. American horse races are run counter-clockwise for the same reason.

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