Just curious - when did the rules of the road develop? Romans? Middle ages? With the discovery of the car?

Question

When were the first known rules of the road developed? Was it the Romans? Did they come up with some kinds of rules about who gets out of the way when two chariots meet? or did the rules develop after the invention of the automobile?

Answer 1

The Egyptians had the first type of rules in (1600 BC).

Answer 2

The conventions for which side of the road to drive on have probably been around about that long.  The U.S. changed them from European traditions because they needed the passenger to hold the shotgun.

Most rules of the road, such as stop signs, and right of way are supposed to have been developed around the 1920s, after cars were getting popular.

Answer 3

Some, such as which side to ride on, existed before columbus even crossed the ocean. They have been in almost every major society that used some kind of vehicle (including horses and carts). I would imagine that the romans would have had laws. A funny fact is that when usa broke off from britian, the usa reversed the side you drove on the road so englishmen couldn't drive their carriages there easily.

Answer 4

they were developed after the invention of the automobile