← Continued from Page 3 of "Driving on the Wrong Side of the Road – Left- and Right-Hand Traffic"The pros and cons of left- and right-hand traffic have caused a lot of awkward, funny and sometimes impossible to understand moments all over the world. Either it was caused by military invasions, new laws or simply because it made much more sense this way, the switch took place in several places across the globe.
So, as a conclusion, did you know that…
º There are only four European countries which are still using left-hand driving nowadays? They are the United Kingdom, Malta, Cyprus and Ireland.
º While most countries allow the driving of both left- and right-hand drive vehicles, the majority has banned the registration of right-hand drive cars unless they are using this particular mode?
º The first cars in the United States were right-hand drive?
º Although believed to be an April Fool’s prank, even the United Kingdom was planning to switch to right-hand driving, but due to the immense cost of the whole process, the government has abandoned the idea?
º Ford was one of the first American car manufacturers that switched to left-hand drive cars in early 1900s, explaining that such a move significantly improves safety as the driver sees oncoming vehicles much easier?
º Shifting gears is the most important difference between a left- and a right-hand drive car when equipped with a manual transmission?
º Napoleon is the one who brought right-hand driving into several countries, including Belgium, Switzerland, Poland and even Germany?
º Canada switched to right-hand driving only after the Second World War?
º Austria used both driving styles until the Hitler invasion in 1938? Half of the country was driving on the left, while the other half was using a right-hand driving style. Hitler forced the state to adopt right-hand driving.
º East Timor in Southeast Asia is the first country that did things the other way around and made a move from right- to left-hand driving? It happened in 1975 and was the first of the three cases of such a switch in history.
So, as a conclusion, did you know that…
º There are only four European countries which are still using left-hand driving nowadays? They are the United Kingdom, Malta, Cyprus and Ireland.
º While most countries allow the driving of both left- and right-hand drive vehicles, the majority has banned the registration of right-hand drive cars unless they are using this particular mode?
º The first cars in the United States were right-hand drive?
º Although believed to be an April Fool’s prank, even the United Kingdom was planning to switch to right-hand driving, but due to the immense cost of the whole process, the government has abandoned the idea?
º Ford was one of the first American car manufacturers that switched to left-hand drive cars in early 1900s, explaining that such a move significantly improves safety as the driver sees oncoming vehicles much easier?
º Shifting gears is the most important difference between a left- and a right-hand drive car when equipped with a manual transmission?
º Napoleon is the one who brought right-hand driving into several countries, including Belgium, Switzerland, Poland and even Germany?
º Canada switched to right-hand driving only after the Second World War?
º Austria used both driving styles until the Hitler invasion in 1938? Half of the country was driving on the left, while the other half was using a right-hand driving style. Hitler forced the state to adopt right-hand driving.
º East Timor in Southeast Asia is the first country that did things the other way around and made a move from right- to left-hand driving? It happened in 1975 and was the first of the three cases of such a switch in history.
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