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Understand The Historical And Cultural Evolution That Led Different Countries To Adopt The English Or French Driving System
While most countries, including Brazil, adopt the driving system where cars drive on the right side of the road, England and another 55 countries maintain the famous “left-side driving“, where vehicles drive on the left and the steering wheel is on the right side. But why do England and these other nations not follow the more common “standard”? The answer involves a combination of tradition, military history, and noble influences that shaped modern traffic, according to autopapo.
The Historical Origin Of Left-Side Driving
The practice of driving on the left, known as “left-side driving”, has its roots in very ancient practices. The Romans, for example, used to march on the left side of the roads, keeping their right hand free to wield weapons and defend against possible enemies. This practice was adopted by medieval knights in England, who, while holding their swords or lances with their right hand, preferred to stay on the left to facilitate combat.
Later, with the popularization of carriages, this habit continued. Coachmen controlled the reins with their left hand and used their right for the whip. Thus, driving on the left avoided the risk of whipping pedestrians walking alongside the road, keeping them safer. And as if that weren’t enough, the nobles also had a preference for traveling on the left, while the “common folk” drove on the right, creating a social division on public roads.
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Why Does Brazil Follow The French Driving System?
Although left-side driving was the norm for a long time, it did not become the global standard. And the main reason for this was none other than Napoleon Bonaparte. The French emperor was left-handed and preferred that his troops, and the horses transporting them, traveled on the right side, so he could use his left hand in case of combat. This “personal touch” ultimately shaped traffic in a large part of Europe.
With the French Revolution, the nobles, who previously traveled on the left, began to drive on the right to blend in with the common population and avoid reprisals. This culminated in the creation of a law in 1794 that forced Parisians to drive on the right. Brazil, in turn, following French and European influence, adopted the “right-side driving system”, where cars drive on the right side of the roads and the steering wheel is on the left.
Left-Side Driving Today: Where Is It Adopted?
Although left-side driving is less common compared to the driving system adopted in Brazil, it is still used in various countries around the world. England, for example, has maintained this tradition, which spread to several of its former colonies, such as Australia, India, South Africa, and Japan.
The reason these countries have maintained the left-side driving system is closely linked to the British influence and the cultural resistance of some peoples to abandon a tradition that dates back centuries. Furthermore, changing the side of driving would require a major overhaul of traffic infrastructures, something that, in practice, would be extremely costly and complex.
Curiosities About Left-Side Driving And Traffic Around The World
Did you know that changing driving sides can be a challenge? One of the biggest examples occurred in Sweden, which, until 1967, used the left-side driving system. However, the government decided to switch to right-side driving. The transition, known as “H-Day“, was a true national spectacle: on September 3, at 5 am, all drivers had to stop their cars and switch sides!
Additionally, there are other interesting details. In Japan, for example, the adoption of left-side driving did not come from European influence, but rather from a practical necessity: the railways built in the country were based on British standards, which led the country to follow the same system on the roads.
Do You Think It’s Better Or More Complicated?
Therefore, the adoption of left-side driving is deeply rooted in the history and traditions of each country. While England maintained this practice due to its culture and combat influences, countries like Brazil followed the French model, shaped by Napoleon. Today, the world is divided between the two systems, and regardless of which side of the road we drive on, it is interesting to realize how history has shaped even the paths we travel.
É a historia e bonita mas essa parte de napoleão nao esta correta ,
Ate que ja existiam trens e os trens circulam todos igual forma mao inglesas como falam ai.
A vwrdade e questao de segurança e mais seguro dirigir a esquerda falo por experiencia própria.
A parte de tudo praticamente foram os ingleses UK a desenvolver os primeiros kms pavimentados do mundo e os primeiros automóveis a nivel mundial seguindo ja as normas do trem , os ingleses sempre influenciaram em tudo o mundo ainda nos dias de hoje tanto que a 1 ponte de ferro construida no mundo fica em england ironbridge village.
Os romanos sim esta correto o brasil pegou a formade influencia portuguesa
Porque o brasil nao e assim um pais tao velho como porrugal que e somente o pais mais velho da europa com os seus 900 anos de existência.
Embora wm portugal derivado a sua alianca militar mais antiga do mundo ainda nos dias de hoje com o reino unido tinha viaturas de origem britanica e fabricas em que o volante rolava de um lado o direito por exemplo para o outro lado. Deriavado aos britanicos em portugal que ainda hoje tem essa nesma influencia.
A mao francesa nunca tinha ouvido falar na minha vida de meio século.
Em São Paulo também temos a mão inglesa na linha férrea, construída pelos ingleses, como a Santos Jundiaí. Os trens circulam sempre pelo lado esquerdo.
A direita tem sempre mais consciencias positivas do que a **** da esquerda.