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Why Britain Drives on the Left

Skip to main content Sign in Register Go to: Guardian Unlimited home UK news World news Comment is free blog Sport blog Arts & entertainment blog Podcasts In pictures Video ---------------------- Archive search Arts and entertainment Books Business EducationGuardian.co.uk Environment Film Football Jobs Katine appeal Life and style MediaGuardian.co.uk Money Music The Observer Politics Science Shopping SocietyGuardian.co.uk Sport Talk Technology Travel Been there ---------------------- Audio Email services Special reports The Guardian The northerner The wrap ---------------------- Advertising guide Compare finance products Crossword Feedback Garden centre GNM press office Graduate Guardian Bookshop GuardianEcostore GuardianFilms Headline service Help / contacts Information Living our values Newsroom Notes & Queries Reader Offers Soulmates dating Style guide Syndication services Travel offers TV listings Weather Web guides Working for us ---------------------- Guardian Abroad Guardian Weekly Money Observer Public Learn Guardian back issues Observer back issues Guardian Professional News Sport Comment Culture Business Money Life & style Travel Environment TV Video Data Mobile Offers Jobs News Guardian Home Recent queries Send a query Crossword Lucky dip Any answers? About Notes and Queries Sudoku Categories Nooks and crannies Yesteryear Semantic enigmas The body beautiful Red tape, white lies Speculative science This sceptred isle Root of all evil Ethical conundrums This sporting life Stage and screen Birds and the bees THIS SCEPTRED ISLE Why do the British drive on the left? Daniela Arcularius, Ludwigsburg Germany Because the Romans did. Those driving on the right changed but I fancy it's a passing phase and they will return to the fold.

In an extension to the above answer, the Romans drove on the left so that, when approaching an unknown rider on the road, a horseman would have his sword arm nearest the stranger. This necessitated him sitting adjacent to a wheel, and as you get a better view of the road the nearer to the middle you are, the carriage ended up on the left. Napoleon changed a lot of things after the French Revoloution, including the alphabet and the direction of travel, as a way to drive a wedge between the new "progressive" France, and the old Bourgoise regime.

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