Why do some countries have steering wheels on the right?

I've always wondered why some countries steering wheels are on the right hand side. I think it is mostly in the UK, Australia and Africa? The majority of countries are left hand drive, which seems to make more sense because most people are right handed.

I read once that it had to do with How the british used to wear thier swords. They are on the left so when the men were in a carriage they would sit on the right so the sword would be on the inside instead of facing outside towards pedestrians.

When carriages were replaced with cars the tradition stayed.

Is that true? Seems alittle silly to me.

Not only are our steering wheels on the right, we also drive on the other side of the road!
The world truly is full of wonder.

Maybe the right hand side is the correct side and you lefties have got it all wrong?? haha But seriously, this is why:

The steering wheel was invented by some French guy called Alfred Vacheron in 1893 and he got the idea from the steering wheels on ships. The first "automobile" company to use them was "C.S Rolls". They were based in England and the English have the steering wheel on the right...so that suggests to me that the right hand side is "normal" and the left hand side is a little "silly".

Of course I may be a little biased because I am in Australia and for me its normal to have the steering wheel on the right.

I think that this might be "The Straight Dope."

I'm not sure, though.

Why do the British Drive on the Left

Well some people have their steering wheels on the right because its normal ... I mean, if the first steering wheels were on the right why on earth did someone have to go and try and be different to everyone else and have it on the left?

I know of all the old British cars I had when I was a kid,I thought maybe it was easier to push them from that side? then come to find out they drive on the wrong side of the road

Originally posted by drock905
Is that true? Seems alittle silly to me.

Well it seems silly to me that you drive on the left hand side....so ner

Originally posted by funky monk
Well some people have their steering wheels on the right because its normal

... I mean, if the first steering wheels were on the right why on earth did someone have to go and try and be different to everyone else and have it on the left?

Because we all know America just has to be special.

reply to post by ivzm


Why d'ya think they fought the Revolutionary War???

reply to post by ivzm


Special... like..... retarded special, or special like your mum thinks your special?

from what I understand America France and Germany wanted to piss the Brits off and so decided to drive on the wrong side. Cars were first mass produced in England so it's the rest of u who are silly

whatever country you are in, regardless of left or right hand drive, the driver is always sitting closer to the middle of the road and the passenger is always on the curb side.

it's due too the pre car use of horse and carts in uk anyway and the reason the rest of the eu drives on the right with left hand drive is because the french made most of them throughout the ages when the french were taking everyone over. and America started out driving on the left but switched to the right later on.

Originally posted by funky monk
Well some people have their steering wheels on the right because its normal

... I mean, if the first steering wheels were on the right why on earth did someone have to go and try and be different to everyone else and have it on the left?

Exactly... If cars were invented with the steering wheel on the right then all the americans and anyone else who has their steering wheel on the left are wrong... I guess they like to go against the grain and be different...

I tried driving on the wrong side of the road here in NZ... it was really strange... and no there were no other cars coming towards me, we were on an open country road.

MW31