### The Birth of Left-Hand Driving
The automobile has been a cornerstone of modern society for over a century, yet one of the most basic principles of operating a car remains a topic of debate: which side of the road to drive on. This seemingly trivial matter has cost automakers billions in redundant development costs and makes the simple act of owning vintage cars produced overseas challenging for owners.
### A Global Conundrum
Right-hand traffic is the predominant global configuration, with nearly 150 countries – about 70% of the world – driving on the right side of automotive history. However, several highly populated countries, including India and Indonesia, drive on the left side, while influential nations like Great Britain, Japan, and Australia follow suit. The influence of these countries’ colonial pasts plays a significant role in shaping their driving habits.
### The Role of Empire and Culture
The current situation can largely be attributed to the former reach of England’s empire. India, Australia, and many countries in Africa that drive on the left side are former British colonies. Japan was also heavily influenced by early industrial-era relations with the U.K., including guidance from U.K. moguls who helped build their now-world-beating railway infrastructure.
### The American Exception
So, apart from our open defiance of all things old-world, why did America ultimately align itself against the British? As usual, at least part of the credit goes to France. If you go back to the days of horse-drawn carts and lance-wielding nobility, French courtesy dictated that slower “traffic” on common roads stay to the right. This meant people on foot – peasants, in other words – stayed to the right, while those proceeding more quickly were given the right-of-way to pass on the left.
### A Legacy of Lane Discipline
The French Revolution turned nobility into a liability, and its well-to-do citizens began to disperse themselves amongst the poor, traveling on the right to better avoid being targeted by the masses. This notion of lane discipline by royal decree didn’t last, however. When the French wrote the keep-right courtesy into law in the 1750s, it was largely a response to the chaos caused by the country’s growing population and the need for more efficient traffic flow.
### A Historical Perspective
To fully understand the significance of left-hand driving, we must swing back in time another 450 years to Pope Boniface’s declaration of the first Christian holy year – or Jubilee – in 1300. Boniface decided that Christianity would forget the depressing realities of daily life if the devout logged a few steps, so he assured them that they’d be rewarded for making the long pilgrimage to Rome to visit St. Peter and St. Paul’s Basilicas 15 times apiece. If you were local, that number was 30. Despite the plagues and wars that had greatly reduced Europe’s population in the 1200s, this still put a whole bunch of people on Europe’s rudimentary roads, prompting its own decree: foot traffic, keep left.
### The Legacy of Foot Traffic
Christians returning to England (which existed more or less in the same form it does today) brought that habit back with them. It wasn’t until people started leaving these home countries en masse during Europe’s colonial era that defiance of that trend would emerge. That’s right – we’re talkin’ about America, baby. Here in the States, “smoldering opposition” to old-world customs played a large role in determining our rules of the road, but practical convenience was the primary driver.
### The Conestoga Wagon’s Influence
The Conestoga wagon, which didn’t have the driver’s seat in front, operated from a board that jutted out from the left side of the wagon. When two wagons encountered each other head-on, they’d both move to their right so that the drivers could maintain visibility and control as they passed each other. This practice stuck, and as U.S. highways developed, states went on to make “keep right” the law of the land.
### Conclusion
The story of left-hand driving is a complex one, influenced by a mix of cultural, historical, and practical factors. From the French Revolution to the Conestoga wagon, our understanding of the roads we drive on today is rooted in a rich tapestry of events and customs. As we continue to navigate the complexities of modern transportation, it’s essential to appreciate the history behind our driving habits.
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