[WPRESTO]

There have been several times I've been obliged to switch sides when driving outside the USA. One persistent error problem you don't always think about - - looking back to the right when making a right turn. In the USA, you always look both ways when making a left turn from a secondary onto a bigger road, but generally you only need to look back to the left when making a right turn after pausing at a stop sign. Almost made a disastrous error a couple times on that. And once I entered a "roundabout" ("traffic circle" in U.S. parlance) the wrong way in Britain. Fortunately it was essentially empty and i was able to pull off quickly into a restaurant parking lot.

[aslyfox]

There have been several times I've been obliged to switch sides when driving outside the USA. One persistent error problem you don't always think about - - looking back to the right when making a right turn. In the USA, you always look both ways when making a left turn from a secondary onto a bigger road, but generally you only need to look back to the left when making a right turn after pausing at a stop sign. Almost made a disastrous error a couple times on that. And once I entered a "roundabout" ("traffic circle" in U.S. parlance) the wrong way in Britain. Fortunately it was essentially empty and i was able to pull off quickly into a restaurant parking lot.

I was taught, and I taught my son, that at any intersection the sequence is to look:

left

right

left

go

whether you intent to go straight or turn left

why

oncoming traffic from the right ( the further lane ) allows you to turn into nearest lane ( yes the wrong lane ) to avoid it

oncoming traffic from the left, ( the first lane ) however, makes you have to cross the nearest lane to get to a clear lane

you also have to be careful when turning that some idiot hasn't stepped from the curb into your path while you check the other direction for oncoming traffic

I hate 2 lane roads because the 4 lane road have " taught " too many idiots that there is no need to hurry to pass a vehicle and get back to your normal lane

Defensive Driving, First, Second and Last

road travel is one of the most, if not the most, dangerous things we do on a regular basis

[goatsNdonkey]

On rural highways around here, it isn't uncommon to see people pulling to the wrong side of the road to check their mailboxes. Then they often block both lanes as they turn into their farmstead driveways!

[aslyfox]

in the two lane county black tops where I grew up in east central Illinois, the roads were "crowned " and slightly dipped toward the edges

so you routinely drove down the middle until you approached a curve or a hill or saw oncoming traffic

of course with the farmers growing corn ditch to ditch, you had to slow at each intersection because you could not see down the intersecting road until you actually started to enter the intersection

[goatsNdonkey]

in the two lane county black tops where I grew up in east central Illinois, the roads were "crowned " and slightly dipped toward the edges

so you routinely drove down the middle until you approached a curve or a hill or saw oncoming traffic

of course with the farmers growing corn ditch to ditch, you had to slow at each intersection because you could not see down the intersecting road until you actually started to enter the intersection

I was talking about small state highways with center striping, but driving in the center on truly narrow unstriped blacktop roads, as with gravel roads, is still the norm. Those roads might actually be a good place for someone to practice left side driving before going on a trip to the UK--except they'd have to be sure to get over to the right at blind intersections or when approaching the tops of hills!

When I was a kid, the state highways were much narrower, the turns were much sharper, the valleys had much less fill in them, and the speed limit signs showed a night-time speed limit ten mph lower than for daytime. In some areas driving on those roads was a bit like being on a roller coaster ride.

[Lord Lucan]

Then there is this one. .[Graphic of car on its side] ... It says it indicates a traffic accident.

So, they have to erect a permanent sign for this?

It does not need to be permanent. There are such things as folding fabric or metal signs that police can carry to put up. Having said that, I cannot recall ever having seen your sign in the UK; usually there is a sign that says "Police Accident" that makes it sound like the police themselves have had the accident

[Des]

I was talking about small state highways with center striping, but driving in the center on truly narrow unstriped blacktop roads, as with gravel roads, is still the norm. Those roads might actually be a good place for someone to practice left side driving before going on a trip to the UK--except they'd have to be sure to get over to the right at blind intersections or when approaching the tops of hills!

One thing I found difficult to adjust to when driving on the right in Europe and North America was judging the distance from parked cars on the passenger side. It was like being a learner again.

I heard Bill Bryson describing what he liked about the UK and one thing he said was that it was a country designed for left-handers - for example, you change gears with your left hand, and you drive on the left. I'm left-handed and get what he means.

[Lord Lucan]

... Bill Bryson describing what he liked about the UK and one thing he said was that it was a country designed for left-handers - for example, you change gears with your left hand, and you drive on the left. I'm left-handed and get what he means.

But you change gears with your left hand while steering with your right, and the latter requires more skill.

Driving on the left was designed for right-handers because that is how you held your whip in horse-drawn days, and you did not want the whip to tangle with the hedge. Pedestrian peasants walked on the right (still the case in the UK) to face any oncoming carriages that might be driven at them by aristocratic Hooray Henries, so they could see them coming and leap to safety into the ditch. Officials in carriages in Revolutionary France took to driving on the right to show solidarity with the peasants and avoid being mistaken for aristocrats and lynched. I believe that the USA followed French practice to show solidarity with French republicanism.

[aslyfox]

But you change gears with your left hand while steering with your right, and the latter requires more skill.

Driving on the left was designed for right-handers because that is how you held your whip in horse-drawn days, and you did not want the whip to tangle with the hedge. Pedestrian peasants walked on the right (still the case in the UK) to face any oncoming carriages that might be driven at them by aristocratic Hooray Henries, so they could see them coming and leap to safety into the ditch. Officials in carriages in Revolutionary France took to driving on the right to show solidarity with the peasants and avoid being mistaken for aristocrats and lynched. I believe that the USA followed French practice to show solidarity with French republicanism.

this article says it was the teamsters in the US

no not the Union Teamsters, before that group

Why Some Countries Drive on the Right and Some Countries Drive on the Left

and possibly Napoleon in other parts of the world

[WPRESTO]

this article says it was the teamsters in the US

no not the Union Teamsters, before that group

Why Some Countries Drive on the Right and Some Countries Drive on the Left

and possibly Napoleon in other parts of the world

A very interesting article. As with some other traditions, the precise origin is sometimes a bit murky. (example: why kiss under mistletoe at Christmas?)

[Racer X 69]

. . . . . . . . and the speed limit signs showed a night-time speed limit ten mph lower than for daytime. In some areas driving on those roads was a bit like being on a roller coaster ride.

Some states still have split daytime/nighttime limits on rural 2 lane highways.

Montana for example.

Which is weird, because Montana didn't have a state speed limit until the Fed threatened to pull highway funding for states that failed to comply with "gas saving" 55mph maximum speed limits in the 1970's. Of course they have raised the limits back up to reasonable numbers now, 75 most multi lane interstates, and 65/70 (day/night) on 2 lanes.

[Racer X 69]

One thing I found difficult to adjust to when driving on the right in Europe and North America was judging the distance from parked cars on the passenger side. It was like being a learner again.

But the distance is the same.

I heard Bill Bryson describing what he liked about the UK and one thing he said was that it was a country designed for left-handers - for example, you change gears with your left hand, and you drive on the left. I'm left-handed and get what he means.

I'm ambidextrous.

I should do well if I ever drive where they sit on the other side and drive on the left.

I drove a truck once that had operating controls the right side. It was a chassis cab destined to be a refuse truck. Kinda of like this one:

[Racer X 69]

(example: why kiss under mistletoe at Christmas?)

Because kissing is fun and I'll make any excuse to lock lips with a member of the opposite gender?

[goatsNdonkey]

Some states still have split daytime/nighttime limits on rural 2 lane highways.

Montana for example.

Which is weird, because Montana didn't have a state speed limit until the Fed threatened to pull highway funding for states that failed to comply with "gas saving" 55mph maximum speed limits in the 1970's. Of course they have raised the limits back up to reasonable numbers now, 75 most multi lane interstates, and 65/70 (day/night) on 2 lanes.

The ones I remember from about 60 years ago in rural west-central Illinois were 65 mph daytime, and 55 mph at night. The 65 was printed in black on the white upper half of the sign, and the 55 was reversed, white numerals on black, on the lower half of the sign.

[wtlwdwgn]

Some states still have split daytime/nighttime limits on rural 2 lane highways.

Montana for example.

Which is weird, because Montana didn't have a state speed limit until the Fed threatened to pull highway funding for states that failed to comply with "gas saving" 55mph maximum speed limits in the 1970's. Of course they have raised the limits back up to reasonable numbers now, 75 most multi lane interstates, and 65/70 (day/night) on 2 lanes.

Montana's Interstates are now 80 MPH with no night time restrictions, trucks go at 65 MPH. Two lanes are 70 MPH day, 65 MPH night, trucks 60 and 55. The night limits are to protect nocturnal wildlife.