And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
The hardest thing to get used to after coming back from Japan was the turn signals. I had no problem shifting, but I kept waving the wrong hand looking for the turn signal.
Why? because Japan looked to Britain for technology, and the Brits saw plucky Japan as a counterweight to Russia. The Japanese were on the side of the Allies during WW1. It was only after that they chose a different path. The rest were all British colonies.
Not all of Japan was drive on the left. Between 1945 and July 30, 1978, Okinawa was all drive on the right. Apparently, July 30 that year was complete pandemonium. That was the day that Okinawa 'rejoined' Japan.
I was in Burma not long after they switched from left hand traffic to right hand traffic but the cars were all still right hand drive. Luckily as a communist country there weren’t many cars on the road but it was still chaotic.
right hand drive, the driver can get his dominant gun hand (and most of his arm), out the window to fire, rather than firing THROUGH the vehicle. Maybe left hand drive is a GOOD thing for americans? hahaha
I volunteered to go to St.Croix for power restoration efforts after hurricane Hugo. The complete devastation of the Island was mind boggling but the driving on the left side of the road with a truck with a left side steering wheel was a real challenge.
The first time I had to do it, I was in England for about a month. Waited for my first Sunday and took the whole morning to re-adjust and practice on the roundabouts. Turning right at an intersection requires a little additional care. But I had a stick shift rental, and that oddly made it easier for me, because I was constantly reminded the car was backwards.
ps, the other reason why so many drive on the right instead of (UK) left is simples, "freedom fries" levels of FUCK YOU england and everything you stand for, (truth!)
The hardest thing to get used to after coming back from Japan was the turn signals. I had no problem shifting, but I kept waving the wrong hand looking for the turn signal.
ReplyDeleteWhy? because Japan looked to Britain for technology, and the Brits saw plucky Japan as a counterweight to Russia. The Japanese were on the side of the Allies during WW1. It was only after that they chose a different path. The rest were all British colonies.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say the they wanted to buy British cars, tongue in cheek of course. I didn't know how close to the truth that is.
DeleteNot all of Japan was drive on the left. Between 1945 and July 30, 1978, Okinawa was all drive on the right. Apparently, July 30 that year was complete pandemonium. That was the day that Okinawa 'rejoined' Japan.
ReplyDeleteI was there on 7/30 Day. In typical Japanese fashion, the change over was well planned, and went very well.
DeleteI was in Burma not long after they switched from left hand traffic to right hand traffic but the cars were all still right hand drive. Luckily as a communist country there weren’t many cars on the road but it was still chaotic.
ReplyDeleteright hand drive, the driver can get his dominant gun hand (and most of his arm), out the window to fire, rather than firing THROUGH the vehicle.
ReplyDeleteMaybe left hand drive is a GOOD thing for americans? hahaha
I volunteered to go to St.Croix for power restoration efforts after hurricane Hugo. The complete devastation of the Island was mind boggling but the driving on the left side of the road with a truck with a left side steering wheel was a real challenge.
ReplyDeleteMany decades ago when I was overhauling a 1960 Morris Minor LHD, the floor pan had cover plates for all the RHD parts. Now I am so over English cars.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I had to do it, I was in England for about a month. Waited for my first Sunday and took the whole morning to re-adjust and practice on the roundabouts. Turning right at an intersection requires a little additional care. But I had a stick shift rental, and that oddly made it easier for me, because I was constantly reminded the car was backwards.
ReplyDeleteps, the other reason why so many drive on the right instead of (UK) left is simples, "freedom fries" levels of FUCK YOU england and everything you stand for, (truth!)
ReplyDeleteI've visited Britain and lived in Japan, and the hardest thing about driving was operating the radio with my left hand.
ReplyDeleteThe history on LHD/RHD is complicated.
ReplyDeleteA starting read is: https://infogalactic.com/info/Right-_and_left-hand_traffic
(Note RHT and LHT refers to the driving side, rather than the steering wheel location)
Some oddities - Italy - Until 1927 the countryside was RHT while cities were LHT!
Spain - Madrid was LHT until 1924 which is why the Madrid Metro is LHT.
Canada - change sides starting in the 1920's with last areas joining RHT in 1947.
Samoa - change from LHD (RHT) to RHD (LHT) in 2009!! Apparently to make it easier to import Japanese and Australian vehicles.
I didn't have any problem on the highways in Oz but man, those roundabouts in cities were a real challenge.
ReplyDelete