What is the movement in Russia. Why does the world have left-hand and right-hand traffic?

I am sitting in Cyprus now and I think that it’s not enough, I know the history, if I can’t remember how Cyprus ended up with left-hand traffic. In general, this division in the world into right-handed and left-handed is very strange. Why not come to a general agreement despite some historical background. It's both easier and safer. YES, and in any case, it’s more convenient somehow in one version or what, absolutely the same, it all depends on the habit? I didn’t dare to rent a car here - I was afraid that I would get confused along the way!

By the way, let me find out, and you remember how the division into two types of traffic arose in general and how the left-hand side turned out to be in Cyprus.

Which side did you go to ancient greece, Assyria, etc., is not known for certain (as mentioned above, the rules for the departure of warriors are not a decisive argument). There is only evidence that the Romans drove on the left side. Around 1998, a Roman quarry was found in the Swindon area (UK), in which the left (from the quarry) track was broken much more strongly. Also on one of the issues of the Roman denarius, dated 50 BC. e. - 50 AD e., two horsemen are depicted riding on the left side.

Cyprus

After they stopped driving on the roads with weapons and suspecting every enemy, right-hand traffic spontaneously began to take shape on the roads, which was mainly due to human physiology, a significant difference in strength and dexterity different hands in the methods of driving heavy horse-drawn carriages drawn by several horses. The peculiarity of the person affected that most people are right-handed. When passing on a narrow road, it was easier to direct the crew to the right to the side of the road or the edge of the road, pulling the right, that is, more strong hand, reins, holding horses. It is probably for this simple reason that the tradition arose first, and then the norm of passing on the roads. This norm eventually became fixed as the norm of right-hand traffic.

In Russia, back in the Middle Ages, the rule of right-hand traffic developed spontaneously and was observed as natural behavior person. In 1709, the Danish envoy to Peter I, Just Yul, wrote that “in Russia, it is customary everywhere for carts and sleighs, when meeting each other, to drive away, keeping to the right side.” In 1752, the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued a decree on the introduction of Russian cities right-hand traffic for carriages and cabbies.

In the West, the first law regulating left- or right-hand traffic was the English bill of 1756, according to which traffic on London Bridge was to be on the left side. For violation of this rule, an impressive fine was provided - a pound of silver. And 20 years later, the historic “Road Act” was issued in England, which introduced left-hand traffic on all roads in the country. The same left-hand traffic was adopted on the railway. In 1830, on the first Manchester-Liverpool railway line, traffic was on the left.

There is another theory of the appearance of initially left-hand traffic. Some historians suggest that it was more convenient to ride on the left side at the time when horse teams appeared, where the coachmen sat at the top. So, when they drive horses, the whip of a right-handed coachman could accidentally hit passers-by who were walking along the sidewalk. That is why horse-drawn carriages often rode on the left.

Great Britain is considered the main "culprit" of "leftism", which then influenced some countries of the world (its colonies and dependent territories). There is a version that she brought such an order on her roads from the maritime rules, that is, at sea, an oncoming ship passed another, which was approaching from the right. But this version is erroneous, since to miss a vessel approaching from the right means to disperse on the left sides, that is, according to the rules of right-hand traffic. It is the right-hand traffic that is accepted for the divergence of ships following oncoming courses in the line of sight at sea, which is fixed in international rules.

The influence of Great Britain affected the order of movement in its colonies, therefore, in particular, in countries such as India, Pakistan, Australia, left-hand traffic was adopted. In 1859, Queen Victoria's ambassador, Sir R. Alcock, persuaded the Tokyo authorities to also adopt left-hand traffic.

Right-hand traffic is often associated with France, with its influence on many other countries. During the French Revolution of 1789, a decree issued in Paris ordered to move along the "common" right side. A little later, Napoleon Bonaparte consolidated this position by ordering the military to keep to the right side, so that anyone who met the French army would give way to it. Further, such an order of movement, oddly enough, was associated with big politics in early XIX centuries. Those who supported Napoleon - Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain - right-hand traffic was established in those countries. On the other hand, those who opposed the Napoleonic army: Britain, Austria-Hungary, Portugal - turned out to be “leftist”. The influence of France was so great that it influenced many countries in Europe, and they switched to right-hand traffic. However, in England, Portugal, Sweden and some other countries, traffic remained on the left. In Austria, a curious situation has developed in general. In some provinces, traffic was on the left, while in others it was on the right. And only after the Anschluss in the 1930s by Germany, the whole country switched to the right-hand side.

At first, left-hand traffic was also in the USA. But to late XVIII century there was a gradual transition to right-hand traffic. It is believed that the French General Marie-Joseph Lafayette, who made a significant contribution to the struggle for independence from the British crown, "convinced" the Americans to switch to the right-hand traffic. At the same time, left-hand traffic remained in a number of Canadian provinces until the 1920s.

AT different time in many countries, left-hand traffic was adopted, but they switched to new rules. For example, due to the proximity to countries that were former French colonies that have right-hand traffic, the former British colonies in Africa changed the rules. In Czechoslovakia (formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), left-hand traffic was retained until 1938.

One of the last countries to switch from left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic was Sweden. This happened in 1967. Preparations for the reform began as early as 1963, when the Swedish parliament formed the State Commission for the transition to right-hand traffic, which was supposed to develop and implement a set of measures to ensure such a transition. September 3, 1967 at 4:50 am everyone vehicles had to stop, change sides of the road and continue driving at 5:00. For the first time after the transition, a special speed limit regime was established.

After the appearance of cars in Europe in various countries, there were various rules movement. Most countries drove on the right side - this custom has been adopted since the time of Napoleon. However, in England, Sweden and even one part of Austria-Hungary, left-hand traffic reigned. And in Italy, different cities had different rules.

So it turns out that there are cats in Cyprus too:

And now a few words about the English history of Cyprus.

In 1878, the Cyprus Convention of 1878 was concluded between the British Empire and Turkey, a secret Anglo-Turkish treaty of a "defensive alliance" directed against Russia. The treaty was signed on June 4, 1878 in Istanbul before the opening of the Berlin Congress of 1878. UK pledged to help Ottoman Empire“by force of arms” if Russia, holding Batum, Ardagan and Kars, tries to acquire new territories in Asia Minor. In return, Turkey agreed to the British occupation of the island of Cyprus. The convention was annulled by the British on November 5, 1914 in connection with Turkey's entry into the First world war on the side of Germany and the annexation of Cyprus by Great Britain.

The island was finally annexed in 1914 during the First World War. The real power in Cyprus passed into the hands of the British governor, a self-governing body was formed - the Legislative Council.

In 1925, Great Britain officially declared Cyprus to be its crown colony. Already in 1931, riots broke out among the Greek population demanding enosis (unification with Greece), which resulted in the death of 6 people, and the burning of the British administration building in Nicosia. During the suppression of riots, 2 thousand people were arrested.

The colonial authorities, resorting to "divide and conquer" tactics, maneuver between the two main communities of the island; to suppress the October uprising of 1931, which engulfed the Greek Cypriots, a "reserve police" recruited from Turkish Cypriots was used.

During World War II, Greek Cypriots took part in the British war effort, fighting on the side of the British. This gave rise to widespread expectations that, at the end of the war, Britain would recognize the independence of the island, however, these hopes did not materialize.

After the Second World War, there was a growing movement among the Greek population for the unification of the historical Greek territories, including Cyprus, with Greece (enosis, Greek "reunification"). In January 1950, a referendum was held in which the Greek majority voted for enosis. Britain refused to recognize the results of the referendum.

Strengthening the position of the Communist Party of Cyprus (AKEL). However, the communists are accused by many Greek Cypriots of abandoning enosis.

During the British rule, a railway (en:Cyprus Government Railway) was built in Cyprus, which operated from 1905-1951, and consisted of 39 stations. On December 31, 1951, the railway was closed for financial reasons.

In 1955, the first armed clash between the Greeks and the British led to the founding of EOKA (Greek: Ethniki Organosis Cyprion Agoniston, union of fighters for the liberation of the nation). During the first series of attacks on British military and officials, up to 100 Britons were killed, as well as a number of Greek Cypriots suspected of collaborating. The EOKA attacks did not affect the reserve police, recruited from Turkish Cypriots, but caused growing friction between the two communities.

In September 1955, Greek pogroms took place in Turkey, the Volkan paramilitary group was formed, leading the fight against EOKA. In 1956, Britain brings the number of its troops in Cyprus to 30 thousand, and conducts mass repression.

In 1957, with the direct assistance of Turkey, the Turkish Cypriots form the TMT combat organization. Britain supports the emergence of TMT as a counterbalance to the Greek EOKA.

By 1959, the EOKA movement managed to get rid of the British, but the main goal - joining Greece - was not achieved.

British heritage in Cyprus includes, in particular, left-hand traffic, and two remaining military bases that are under British sovereignty.

The island's electricity grids are built according to the British standard. They have British style sockets (see BS 1363) and 250 volts. I had to buy this adapter:

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Why is there left-hand traffic in England and which traffic is considered more “correct”?

In Russia, as in the vast majority of countries, right-hand traffic is accepted on the roads. However, there are countries on the streets of which the movement is organized "vice versa". In addition to the UK, left-hand traffic is used in Japan, Ireland, South Africa, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and some other countries. Interestingly, Hong Kong is autonomous region as part of China, and in China itself, traffic is on the right.

Traditions themselves traffic on the left or right side of the road originated in the Middle Ages, when cars were not yet in the minds of the most brilliant futurists. There is a version according to which right-hand traffic in Europe arose in the Middle Ages: mostly riders on horseback traveled along the streets and narrow roads. Since most of them were armed, and in their left hands they held a shield for protection, it was more convenient for them to keep to the right side of the road. According to another version, right-hand traffic arose in Europe by itself: horse-drawn carriages drove off on the left sides, since it was easier for the coachman to direct the cart to the side of the road to the right - for this it was necessary to pull the reins right hand, and it is usually more developed in humans. True, the opposite version is also connected with horse-drawn carts: the driver usually held a whip in his right hand and, waving it, driving horses, could accidentally hook pedestrians. Therefore, it was safer to stay on the left side of the road. Since those distant times, these traditions have come down to us.

There is another version of the development of events, according to which Napoleon legalized right-hand traffic in Europe - in spite of the "left-hand" British. And while in France itself the traffic was actually right-handed, Napoleon forced Austria and Hungary to move on the right side of the road. And in Russia by this time there was no clear procedure for passing oncoming traffic, and during the invasion of Napoleon, his rules were simply adopted by the Russians.

It is believed that the ancestor of the left-hand movement in Europe was England. Already in the Middle Ages, England was a powerful maritime power, both military and merchant shipping were actively developing. In order to streamline traffic at sea, the British Maritime Department issued a decree according to which the ships were to diverge on a collision course with their starboard sides. Later, this rule was transferred from the sea to the land and established itself in all countries dominated by the British Empire. With the loss of their colonies by England, many of them remained true to the traditions of left-hand traffic, while some countries in which the "English" version of the movement was adopted switched to new, more common rules. So did, for example, many African countries that neighbored the former French colonies.

And in North and South Korea, the movement "in English" was approved by the Japanese during the occupation, and in 1946, after the end of the occupation, they switched to right-hand traffic.

Much later than others, one of the last, Sweden switched from left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic. This was in 1967. Preparations for such a significant innovation, with an already rather large fleet of cars, began 4 years before. A special state commission was formed, which developed and implemented a set of measures to ensure a safe transition, and on September 3, 1967 at 4:50 am, all vehicles on the roads had to stop, and within 10 minutes change the side of the road and continue traffic. There were even special speed limits throughout the country.

In Russia, right-hand traffic was approved in 1752 by Empress Elizabeth, who issued a corresponding decree for cab drivers and carriages.

Tourists who are not used to driving on the left are advised not to rent a car for safety reasons, but to hire local drivers. And in England, on many pedestrian crossings there are signs “look to the right”, and in the middle of the road - “look to the left”, so that foreign pedestrians do not forget about this English peculiarity and God forbid, did not get hit by a car.

It is not a secret for avid travelers that in many states the traffic vector on the roads differs from the way they are used to. Before traveling abroad, it is important to remember which countries drive on the left hand side, especially if you plan to rent a car.

Reasons for choosing a direction

There is practically no historical evidence of how our ancestors moved. Apparently, this topic seemed obvious, so the chroniclers and the townsfolk did not consider it important to make notes on this. Legislatively, the rules of conduct on transport routes of the state were first regulated only in the 18th century.

On the this moment 28% of the world's highways are oriented to the left, 34% of the world's population moves along them. The reasons why these territories have retained their traditional ways of regulating traffic are as follows:

• Historically they have been colonies or dependencies of Great Britain and Japan;
• Wagons were used as the main transport, on which the coachman sat on the roof.

The list of regions was actively changed after the United Kingdom lost its status of "an empire where the sun never sets" and the end of the Second World War. The last country to switch to a new orientation was in 2009, it was Independent state Samoa.

Complete list for 2018:

1. Australia and New Zealand including external territories and states in free association (Cocos, Norfolk, Christmas, Tokelau, Cook, Niue);
2. Continental Southeast Africa (Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tonga, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana, Malawi);
3. Bangladesh;
4. Botswana;
5. Brunei;
6. Butane;
7. Great Britain;
8. Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom (Anguilla, Bermuda, Saint Helena and Ascension, Cayman, Montserrat, Maine, Pitcairn, Turks and Caicos, Falklands);
9. British and American Virgin Islands;
10. East Timor;
11. Guyana;
12. Hong Kong;
13. India;
14. Indonesia;
15. Ireland;
16. Independent countries of the Caribbean;
17. Cyprus;
18. Mauritius;
19. Macau;
20. Malaysia;
21. Maldives;
22. Malta;
23. Micronesia (Kiribati, Solomons, Tuvalu);
24. Nauru;
25. Nepal;
26. Channel Islands;
27. Pakistan;
28. Papua New Guinea;
29. Samoa;
30. Seychelles;
31. Singapore;
32. Suriname;
33. Thailand;
34. Fiji;
35. Sri Lanka;
36. Jamaica;
37. Japan.

Traditions of movement

Road driving methods ordinary people depended in antiquity purely for convenience because the population density was low. Peasants and artisans carried loads on their right shoulders and walked in such a way as not to hurt each other, while warriors preferred opposite side, to be able to protect himself from enemies by drawing his sword from the scabbard on his left thigh.

With the advent of vehicles, the rules of driving have also changed. Carriages with one horse and a driver on the front goats were more convenient to manage working hand, as stronger, and at the same time maintain maneuverability on the left.

This mode of transport was common in France, and during the reign of Napoleon, left-hand traffic spread to all regions of his conquests.

How has the direction influenced vehicle design?

Due to differences in behavior on the track, depending on the orientation, different countries use cars in which the steering wheel is on the side farthest from the curb. At the same time, the location of the control levers remains the same in all models.

However, for the convenience of specialized machines, this rule may be violated. For example, at the official transport of postal employees, the driver's seat was on the side closest to the sidewalk so that the postman delivers letters and parcels without leaving the car. So in the USSR, since 1968, the Moskvich 434P was produced with a right-hand drive.

Another important aspect related to the direction of traffic is crossing the border in states with opposite traffic rules. In such cases, there may be a simple shift on the track if the road is narrow, as between Laos and Thailand, or a large-scale labyrinth of tracks if it is a large-scale siding, such as between Macau and China.

Why does England drive on the left?

Since there is no written evidence of how roads were driven in antiquity, researchers are turning to archeological methods. At an old quarry near Swindon, in Wiltshire, traces of a Roman era street were found, the degree of subsidence of which indicated left-hand traffic.

Also, historians associate this direction of traffic in the UK with traditional carts, including a cab, on which a right-handed driver sat on the roof and, accordingly, held a whip in his strongest hand.

The first legislative act regulating the rules of movement in the city was a law in 1756, which obliged vehicles to drive on the left side of London Bridge, while violators were expected to be fined a whole silver pound. Later, in 1776, the "Road Act" was passed, extending the rule to all the streets of England.

Since it was the British who became the first railway power, many countries still have similar traffic in the subway and at railway stations with reverse rules for cars.

What kind of traffic in Russia is right-hand or left-hand?

For a long time, there were no rules in Russia that would tell people exactly how they should drive the carts so as not to collide with each other. In 1752, the first Russian Empress Elizabeth ordered the drivers move along the right side streets within cities.

And so it happened, throughout Russian Federation received right-hand traffic . However, in large cities, you can find separate sections where the direction of the flow of cars changes, which, as a rule, is associated with the convenience of an interchange in a particular place.

Examples of such places are:

• Leskova Street in the Bibirevskiy district of Moscow;
• Embankment of the Fontanka River in St. Petersburg;
• Semyonovskaya and Mordotsveva streets in Vladivostok (August 2012 - March 2013).

It is interesting to see how political and economic reasons influenced which countries drive on the left and which drive on the right. One simple point, on which people cannot agree and come to a unified decision, creates differences in economic trends, sets major tasks for architects and administrations of cities and regions.

Video: on what part of the road do they move in different countries?

In this video, Oleg Govorunov will tell you why in different countries adopted to move different parties roads:

Historically, it has been Most countries around the world have right-hand traffic rules.. But, there are a number of countries in which left-hand traffic. The most prominent representatives are UK, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Africa and India. There is no exact data on why this happened, but there are many prerequisites that answer this question.

So, it is assumed that the first country in which left-hand traffic was adopted is England, since shipping was developed here and ships moved exclusively on the left-hand side. But first things first. In this article, we will try to understand the rules of right-hand and left-hand traffic, describe their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the history of their origin.

1. History of the steering wheel

The history of the rules of the road, and as a result, the history of the location of the steering wheel goes back to ancient times. Historians suggest that the Romans encountered the first rules. Presumably that in 50 BC Gaius Julius Caesar created a set of rules to which the cab drivers, the so-called carriage drivers, were supposed to obey.

Also, presumably in Rome, the rule of left-hand traffic was in effect. This is evidenced by one of the found Roman denarius, which depicts two horsemen who are driving around on the left side. Most likely, this is due to the fact that most of right-handed population, including riders, and they were forced to hold weapons in their right hands.

When the days of knights, horsemen and carriages have sunk into the past, the question arose again about the rules of the road, and, accordingly, on which side the steering wheel should be located. At the beginning of the 20th century, the first cars began to fill the streets en masse. At that time, right-hand traffic was adopted in most European countries, in England, Sweden and partly in Austria-Hungary- left side. In Italy the movement was mixed. All this was not dangerous, since there were not many cars, and their speed was minimal.

In countries with right-hand traffic, it is logical that the steering wheel was located on the right. It was believed that it was easier for the driver to overtake. Moreover, the right-hand drive was reflected in the layout of the engine components. In order to shorten the length of the rods, the magnetos were located on the right side of the engine. Over the years, the number of cars has increased, and the question of safety during overtaking has arisen. The world-famous corporation Ford was the first to produce a car with a left-hand drive. In 1908, the legendary model "T".

After that, the Europeans who produced public cars also switched to the "left-hand drive", but the manufacturers of high-speed brands retained the "right-hand drive" rule. According to another assumption, it follows that the location of the steering wheel on the left side is convenient because the driver does not go out onto the roadway, but safely gets on the sidewalk.

An interesting situation has developed in Sweden. Until 1967, left-hand traffic operated in this country, despite the fact that the steering wheel of cars was on the right side. But on September 3, 1967, all cars suddenly stopped and smoothly switched to right-hand traffic. To do this, the Swedes in the capital had to stop traffic for a day in order to change road signs.

2. Situation in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Australia

The situation with right-hand and left-hand traffic in different countries of the world developed differently. Worth considering the most prominent representatives, who for many years set the rules of the road, based not only on the location of the steering wheel, but also on physiological features person.

So, after the advent of cars in Europe, there was a complete mess, which was associated precisely with right-hand and left-hand traffic. Most countries adhered to the right-hand traffic, which has been adopted since the reign of Napoleon. At the same time, countries such as Great Britain, Sweden and partly Austria-Hungary adhered to the left-hand traffic. As mentioned above, in Italy, each city had its own rules. Today, left-hand traffic is present in such European countries as the UK, Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus (if we consider it Europe).

In Asia There are many more countries that drive on the left, notably Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, Macau, Brunei, Bhutan, East Timor and the Maldives.

As for Africa, there are also several countries with left-hand traffic, namely: South Africa, Botswana, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia, Mozambique, Mauritius, as well as Swaziland and Lesotho.

The United States kept to the left-hand traffic until the end of the 18th century, when there was a smooth transition to the right-hand traffic. There is an opinion that this change was facilitated by a general of French origin, who fought for the independence of the "states" from the crown of Britain. As for Canada, until the 20s of the 20th century, they adhered to left-hand traffic. But in such countries Latin America like Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, Suriname, and Antigua, Barbuda and the Bahamas still drive on the left.

Supports the rules of left-hand traffic and Australia, which is the second country in the world in terms of the number of cars per capita. Countries such as New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, and Nauru and Tonga.

While the UK is seen as the main culprit in left-hand traffic, right-hand traffic was largely driven by France. So, in 1789, during the French Revolution, a decree was issued in Paris, which clearly indicated that all vehicles should move on the right side, that is, on the common people. Napoleon also played a significant role, who at one time ordered the army to stay on the right side. All this had an impact on many European countries.

3. The main differences between right and left-hand traffic

Right-hand and left-hand traffic implies differences in car designs. As a rule, the driver's seat and steering wheel are located on the left in cars that are designed for right-hand traffic, respectively, in cars for left-hand traffic, the driver's seat and steering wheel are on the right. There are also cars that provide for the location of the driver's seat in the center, for example, McLaren F1. They also have differences (left and right). But the arrangement of the pedals is in order, the brake, the gas was originally inherent in left-hand drive cars, and today it has become the standard for right-hand drive cars.

In general, the main rule of right-hand traffic is to stay on the right side, and on the left-hand side - to the left. Of course, for right-handed people it is initially quite difficult to switch to left-hand traffic, but it is enough to try a few times and everything falls into place quickly enough.

4. Disadvantages and advantages of left-hand traffic

Speaking about the advantages and disadvantages of left-hand traffic, one cannot exclude the design of the car, since the safety of the driver and his passengers depends on it. Although right-hand drive cars are designed for left-hand traffic, they are also operated with a right-hand drive. Moreover, it is considered safe, since in a collision the impact falls on the left side and the likelihood that the driver will not be injured is much higher.

Right-hand drive cars are much less likely to be stolen (in countries with right-hand traffic), as many consider them uncomfortable and non-functional. Also, the location of the steering wheel on the right side allows the driver to get out of the car not onto the roadway, but onto the sidewalk, which is also much safer.

The unusual look of the driver on the right side allows you to assess the situation on the road from a different angle, which can lead to a reduction in unforeseen situations. At the same time, there are a number of shortcomings that play an important role not only when driving on the left, but also when driving on the right. So, overtaking a right-hand drive car is quite inconvenient. The problem can be solved by installing a well-thought-out mirror system.

In general, the only drawback of left-hand traffic is its lack of prevalence. Today, more than 66% of the population adhere to the right-hand traffic, and the transition to the left-hand side creates a number of inconveniences. Furthermore, only 28% of the world's roads are left-hand drive. There are also no differences between left-hand and right-hand traffic, it’s just that everything happens with a mirror image, which makes drivers who are used to right-hand traffic get confused.

There are also exceptions to the rules. So, in Odessa and St. Petersburg there are streets with left-hand traffic, which are designed to unload the streets from a large number cars. Also, in Paris, on the Avenue General Lemonnier (the only street in Europe), traffic is kept to the left.

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Maybe someone else doesn't know.

It is difficult to find a car forum in which the dispute about the right and left hand drive did not flare up. This is due to the increase in the number of right-hand drive cars brought to Russia, and the peculiarity of their operation on right-hand traffic.

The division into right and left sides of the movement began even before the appearance of the first car. Historians are still arguing among themselves which movement in Europe was the original. During the existence of the Roman Empire, riders rode on the left so that the right hand in which they held weapons was ready to instantly strike an enemy riding towards them. Evidence was found that the Romans had left-hand traffic: in 1998, in the UK, in the Swindon area, a Roman quarry was excavated, near which the left track was broken more than the right, as well as on a Roman denarius (dated 50 BC - 50 BC) depicted two horsemen riding around on the left side.

Mounting a horse in the Middle Ages was more convenient when driving on the left, since the sword did not interfere with the landing. However, there is an argument against this argument - the convenience of riding on the left or right lane when riding varies depending on the method of riding, and there were not so many warriors compared to the rest of the population. After people stopped taking weapons with them on the road, traffic began to gradually change to the right-hand side. This was explained by the fact that most people are right-handed, and with the advantage of the right hand in strength and dexterity, many things are more comfortable to do while moving on the right side of the road.

When walking (without weapons), while driving a horse and cart, it is more convenient to keep to the right side. On this side, it is more convenient for a person to be close to oncoming traffic in order to stop to talk with oncoming people, and it is easier to hold the reins with the right hand. Knights in tournaments also rode on the right - they held a shield in their left hand, and a spear was placed on the back of a horse, but there is an argument against this argument - the tournaments were just demonstrative "shows" and to real life were not related.

Depending on the type of horse-drawn carriage, the convenience of right- and left-hand traffic varies: it is preferable for single-seat carriages with a seat for the coachman in front to ride on the right side, since when traveling with another carriage, the coachman needs to pull the reins more strongly with his right hand. Crews with a postilion (a coachman driving a team sitting on one of the horses) also adhered to the right side - the postilion always sits on the left horse to make it easier for him to board and control with his right hand. Multi-seat and open carriages drove on the left side of the road - so the driver could not accidentally hit a passenger or a passer-by walking along the sidewalk with a whip.

In Russia, even under Peter I, right-hand traffic was accepted as the norm, carts and sleighs drove around, as a rule, keeping to the right side, and in 1752, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued an official decree on the introduction of right-hand traffic on the streets of Russian cities of carriages and cabs. Among Western countries for the first time, a law on the side of movement was issued in England - it was a bill of 1756, according to which traffic on London Bridge should be on the left side, and in the case of "driving into an oncoming lane", a fine of 1 pound of silver was levied. And only after 20 years the British government issued the historic "Road Act", which spelled out the introduction of left-hand traffic. By the way, the same movement was adopted on the Manchester-Liverpool iron line that opened in 1830. According to one of the assumptions, England took this from the maritime rules, since it was an island state, and the only connection with the rest of the countries was shipping - through them the ship passed another ship that approached it from the right.

It is Great Britain that is considered the “parent” of left-hand traffic, this example was adopted by its colonies (India, Pakistan, Australia) and other countries of the world. During the French Revolution in 1789, Napoleon issued an order for the military to move on the right side of the road, and subsequently the side of traffic and military columns was determined by the political views of the country: Napoleon's allies (Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, Spain) established a right-hand movement, and the enemy countries (Britain, Potrugaliya, Austria-Hungary) - left-hand. In Austria, in different cities, traffic went in different directions, and then this country also stretched to the right. In Japan, the second largest country with left-hand traffic, it was adopted in 1859 under the influence of Queen Victoria's ambassador, Sir Rutherford Alcock.

After the end of the Japanese occupation in 1946 South Korea and North Korea changed from left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic. Czechoslovakia, formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, switched to right-hand traffic in 1938. Sweden, on the other hand, became one of the last countries to change the direction of traffic; for this, in 1963, the State Commission for the transition to right-hand traffic was created. Its tasks included the development and implementation, and the right-hand traffic was officially fixed in 1967. On this solemn day, September 3, at exactly 4:50 am, all cars and other vehicles had to stop, change lanes to the opposite one and resume traffic at 5:00 am. To ensure safety during this change, the authorities briefly introduced a speed limit.

In the United States, initially traffic was carried out on the left side, but, according to historians, the love of freedom and the contradiction of England made them move to the right side. According to one version, the founder of the right-hand movement in America was the French general Marie Joseph Lafayette, one of the most ardent fighters for independence from the crown of Great Britain. Canada, on the other hand, lasted with left-hand traffic until the 20s of the 20th century.

And in the future, the formation of the left or right direction of traffic was determined by the proximity to certain countries - the former British colonies in Africa (Sierra Leone, Gambia, Nigeria, Ghana) changed left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic, as they were located next to the former French colonies. And the former Portuguese colony of Mozambique changed from right-hand traffic to the opposite due to its proximity to the former British colonies.

As for the location of the steering wheel, on the first cars, in most cases, it was on the “wrong” right side for us. And regardless of which side the cars were driving on. This was done so that the driver could better see the overtaken car. In addition, with this arrangement of the steering wheel, the driver could get out of the car directly onto the sidewalk, and not onto the roadway. By the way, the first mass-produced car with a “correct” steering wheel was the Ford T.

In some countries, controversial issues arise due to the location of the steering wheel - for example, in the Bahamas, people mostly drive left-hand drive cars, since it is convenient to bring them from the USA, and in the east of our country, on the contrary, most cars are right-hand drive because of the proximity with Japan. Countries with left-hand traffic include Australia, England, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bermuda, Cyprus, India, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saint Island Helena, South Africa, British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands, Zimbabwe and many others.