In the 1956 movie 'The Iron Petticoat' starring Bobe Hope and Katherine Hepburn, a British character tells an American that the reason the British drive on the left is so that in case of attack from a highwayman, his pistol hand is free. Lovely line, but is it true?

mctavish99

Almost - this site tells almost the same story, but suggests that when passing, keeping to the left gives one better access to one's sword. So the practice pre-dates pistols. http://www.amphicars.com/acleft.htm Jan 17 08, 9:51 AM

zbeckabee

In the Middle Ages you kept to the left for the simple reason that you never knew who you'd meet on the road in those days. You wanted to make sure that a stranger passed on the right so you could go for your sword in case he proved unfriendly. This custom was given official sanction in 1300 AD, when Pope Boniface VIII invented the modern science of traffic control by declaring that pilgrims headed to Rome should keep left. The papal system prevailed until the late 1700s, when teamsters in the United States and France began hauling farm products in big wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. These wagons had no driver's seat. Instead the driver sat on the left rear horse, so he could keep his right arm free to lash the team. Since you were sitting on the left, naturally you wanted everybody to pass on the left so you could look down and make sure you kept clear of the other guy's wheels. Ergo, you kept to the right side of the road. In England, though, they didn't use monster wagons that required the driver to ride a horse. Instead the guy sat on a seat mounted on the wagon. What's more, he usually sat on the right side of the seat so the whip wouldn't hang up on the load behind him when he flogged the horses. http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_021b.html Jan 17 08, 1:38 PM