Why is the driver's seat on the right side in Europe?

Question

Haven't you always wondered why that is? Do you know why? Or is there even a reason?

Answer 1

Only in Great Britain , rest of Europe is as same as here.

Answer 2

It isn't, do your research, your information is woefully inadequate.  Cars on the continent drive on the right side, and have left hand drive, exactly the same as in North America.  It is Britain that has right hand drive, and they drive on the left side of the road.

Obviously none of the previous answers were given by people who really "looked it up", or ever lived in Europe.  

I lived in Germany for 4 years, and we actually purchased a vehicle direct from the factory in Germany, and drove it in Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Luxembourg, San Marino, Monte Carlo, Austria, and the Netherlands.  Then we shipped the car back to Canada and drove for many more years in the same vehicle.

On this site, there is a picture of the Autobahn in the 1930s, showing traffic on the right side, just like in North America, to show that it isn't a new phenomenon.

http://www.centipedia.com/index.php?titl...

On this site is a picture inside a modern Mercedes on the Autobahn, clearly showing the driver on the left side of the vehicle.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zackojones/...

Answer 3

they r i dont know

Answer 4

In the Middle Ages, it was deemed safer to travel on the left side of the road, so you could have ready access to a weapon in case the person approaching was dangerous.  

In France in the 1800s, the aristocracy traveled on the left and the peasants on the right.

An extensive discussion of this, including which countries drive left or right, on this page:

http://www.i18nguy.com/driver-side.html

Answer 5

It all goes back to the horses. A right-handed man walking and leading a horse naturally walks on the RHS of the horse's head, holding the bridle in his left hand. This frees his right hand to hold a tool or (at need) a weapon. He would also want to walk between the horse and oncoming traffic, which automatically shifted the horse to the LHS of the road. Early cars simply copied the traditional position, with the driver on the RHS.

It was Napoleon who decreed that traffic should run on the RHS - this is because the officer or NCO in charge of a marching detachment traditionally rides/marches at the LHS, leading the column. Driving or marching on the RHS allowed these men to exchange salutes more easily.

Driving on the RHS came in only slowly. I have seen an RAC booklet dating from the 1920s about driving on the Continent which (for N. Italy) advised that:

...in the country, drive on the left (horses, mules, oxen etc.)

...in towns, drive on the right EXCEPT on Sundays & fetes, when you drove on the left because country people came into the town with horses & carts.

I can only think that they must have had fun at the city limits; traffic must have been very light!

Actually, quite a lot of countries still drive on the left. Why the USA felt it necessary to change, I have no idea.

Answer 6

because there roads are opposite of ours

we drive on the right side of the road

they drive on the left side of the road

Answer 7

Because they are all a bunch of fruits.  j/k

I don't know.

Answer 8

It's not Europe, it's only the UK and Japan and their plebes that insist on driving on the wrong side of the road. The rest of the world drives correctly. And it has nothing to do with the USA, these conventions were in place before then.