in The "rule of the road" in mainland Europe and the majority of countries in the world, including the United States, is "to drive on the right". In the United Kingdom and some of her former dominions: Australia, New Zealand, Kenya, Zambia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, some Caribbean Islands including Barbados and St Lucia, India and Pakistan and the Mediterranean island of Malta, the rule of the road remains to drive on the left. This also applies in Japan and Thailand. The origin of this rule dates back to how people travelled in feudal societies. As most people are right-handed, it made sense to carry any protective weapon in this hand. When passing a stranger on the road, it would be safer to walk on the left, so ensuring that your weapon was between yourself and a possible opponent. Knights would hold their lances in their right hand, therefore passing on each others' left. Revolutionary France changed this historic practice, as part of its social rethink. Their military general and Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was left-handed, therefore his armies had to march on the right, so he could keep his sword arm between him and the advancing enemy. From that time any part of the world that was colonized by the French would travel on the right, and the rest would remain travelling on the left.

YukineeKawaiiNo    2   13.11.2020 13:17    8