Switch to driving on left from right makes sense

Lorraine Sommerfeld

You may have read the recent news that Samoa has changed from driving on the right to driving on the left. The 180,000 inhabitants – with 20,000 cars – of this South Pacific island made the switch Sept. 8. The government eased in the new rules with a two-day holiday and a three-day ban on alcohol sales.

While there are about 64 countries that drive on the left, driving on the right is predominant in much of the world. Blame historical precedence: if the British Empire stomped over you and planted its flag, it's likely you drive on the left. If it was the French, you drive on the right.

Canada was a mix until the last holdout, Newfoundland, changed to the right in 1947, just before joining Confederation. I've driven there, and in many parts you can pretty much drive up the middle.

There are theories about left versus right. They've unearthed old Roman roads and figured out in some areas, they drove on the left. It's noted that horsemen and bike riders usually mount from the left, so being protected on their vulnerable side by a curb makes sense.

My favourite? That driving on the left is derived from right-handed knights needing their jousting hand free. Like Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale. (Because all knights had dreamy eyes and flowing blond hair. But I digress.)

And if the French-settled countries drive on the right, is that because the French are more noted lovers than fighters, and were less likely to be fumbling for their swords?

Countries have dipsy-doodled with the formula for centuries, but Samoa is the first in 40 years to make the change on the fly. Changes have usually been rooted in sensible considerations: bordering countries soon learned the importance of picking a side. Sven and Lars driving head-on into Igor and Ivan convinced the most disparate of countries to get along.

But Samoa, which borders nothing, is doing it as a kind of stimulus plan. With as many as 170,000 expat Samoans living in nearby Australia and New Zealand, they were unable to ship cars back to their home country due to incompatible steering column positions. Australia's "keep left" policy meant right-hand steering vehicles.

I think this is an example of a government doing something that makes sense. Instead of say, paying millions of dollars to some money pit company to produce more of a product with limited use, they instead flipped a few switches, painted some more lines, and bingo! Automotive bailout.

There was the expected hue and cry that the move should be delayed. I always find this entertaining. Do you really think you're going to like the idea any better next year? Speed limits were dropped, speed bumps were built, and at church they prayed for no injuries. I think they covered it pretty well.

Some studies have declared that keeping to the left is safer, as most people are right eye dominant. We are right-eyed, and mirror checks would be safer. I have been driving around picturing how my city, roughly the same population of Samoa, would handle such a change. They would have to suspend liquor sales for a year, as few around here have a need for mirrors and many treat traffic rules as suggestions.

Traditionally, countries that have switched report a drop in accidents due to increased vigilance on the part of drivers. Me? I'd just like to have my jousting arm free.

Lorraine Sommerfeld's column appears Saturday in Wheels and Mondays in Living. lorraineonline.ca

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