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deepoctarine t1_iu3qvi8 wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in TIL bicycle brakes in the UK are reversed from the US and Europe by UlisKromwell

Everything to do with handedness then, we drive on the left because we rode horses on the left because the people who rode horses also wore swords which are worn on the left so it can be drawn by the right hand which is the dominant hand in humans and that would be the side you want any oncoming person to be on. It is also easier to mount and dismount a horse to the left when you are wearing a sword, and you want to be on the "pavement" side of the horse not the "road" side when doing so. TL:DR you ride/drive on the wrong side of the road too.

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snow_michael t1_iu4g7b4 wrote

It's also been shown repeatedly that the 'off' hand should be the one for gear changes, fiddling with indicators and radio etc. while the hand that has better control grips the wheel

For most people, that's the right hand

Hence the safer way is to drive on the left

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r4tch3t_ t1_iu45lhs wrote

While correct for the UK you aren't thinking past that and assuming any other way is incorrect.

The reason driving on the right hand side of the road became popular in America is similar to left hand drive in the UK.

When the Americas were being colonised wagons and carriages were use extensively for shipping and transport. These had multiple horses to draw them. With the right hand being dominant it was benificial for the driver to be on the left of the wagon so his right arm was in the centre to control the animals. Because of this it was easier to see the road if you were on the right as it put the driver closer to the centre of the road. Therefore the roads and facilities were constructed to accommodate this.

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