8 Pints,

Interesting theory but it's a pity that the "drive on the right" business didn't start until the 1790s...

"Drive in the Right" came about as a result of the revolution in France. While there was no formal ruling, traditionally waggons and carriages travelled on the LEFT side of the road throughout Europe (something more to do with the driver's whip hand), while the peasantry walked on the RIGHT, to avoid being run down from behind. With the coming of the revolution (and the accompanying terror, it was not wise to be on the left side of the road, even those with carriages chose to move over to "the people's" side of the road. With the coming of war (from1792), the National Assembly codified this practice to allow easier movement of troops and waggons. When the armies of the Republic (and later of Napoleon and the Empire) went stamping over the rest of the European mainland, they imposed French law (or a variation thereof) on the conquered territory and this included driving on the right. Those countries not occupied (Such as Britain and Sweden)remained driving on the left. When the USA adopted road traffic regulation, it appears that it took to driving on the right, presumably as an act or republican sympathy. As far as I can recall, the only places that drive on the left these days are some members of the Commonwealth, Ireland and Japan (although, I don't know about South East Asia).

Regards

Walrus