Reply to: Time to drive on the RHS

[threaded]

AtW: I recon motorway slip roads are far too safe as they are. They should all be downhill, short, steep and meet the junction as abruptly as possible. On the other side of the junction should be javelins embedded in a 10 foot high sturdy concrete block. Also I would suggest that collapsible steering columns be made illegal. Any accidents at such junctions should not be cleared up for at least two weeks.

[planetit]

some motorway slip roads will have to be remade because those that are good for getting off won't be good (too short) for getting on.

Perhaps we could still use the existing ON ramps, but quickly nip across to the other side of the motorway through a gap in the traffic, avoiding (or not) Threaded cycling along the central reservation.

[GiGo]

Found this interesting article about it :

http://www.answers.com/topic/rules-of-the-road

[AtW]

They should start with RH driving at the weekends, and then if that works well they could slip in Wednesday afternoon too.

Are you joking? Imagine people going to work on Wed morning and taking wrong turn? Heck, come to think of it -- some motorway slip roads will have to be remade because those that are good for getting off won't be good (too short) for getting on.

[GiGo]

Get the frogs, krauts and yanks to drive on our side of the road is a much better idea

I'm sure Tony could convince them that left is right

[wendigo100]

A full changeover to the other side of the road would be too radical.

Yes, that was threaded's point too.

What about staying on the same side of the road for a bit, but all driving backwards? Then we are still facing all the existing traffic lights, albeit after we have reversed past them.

[datestamp]

A full changeover to the other side of the road would be too radical.

They should start with RH driving at the weekends, and then if that works well they could slip in Wednesday afternoon too.

[wendigo100]

No, no, the middle should have the armco ripped up and be turned into cycle paths.

John Prescott might prefer it to be used for continental-style bars and cafes, for drivers in the fast lane.

[threaded]

No, no, the middle should have the armco ripped up and be turned into cycle paths.

[wendigo100]

They ought to do the change over in stages: buses and lorries first.

Or everybody moving to the middle first.

[threaded]

They ought to do the change over in stages: buses and lorries first.

[DimPrawn]

It would be cheaper to give everyone a Maclaren F1 with its central driving position.

[AtW]

A stupidly expensive proposal with very limited benefits.

I used to be in favour of changing but after having looked at arguement came to conclusion that its a non starter because of so many cars on the road that will have to be converted.

If this country was not on an island, then maybe, but currently UK is more or less separated from the rest of the world insofar as driving is concerned -- most people fly in or out for travel purposes.

Conclusion -- waste of money.

[OwlHoot]

Britain should start driving on the RHS of the road like everyone else.

Firstly, safety : you try flitting back and forth between US/EU and UK and you'll find yourself looking the wrong way too.

The biggest reason why the idea of changing _now_ is as daft as a brush is that in twenty or thirty years, or not much longer, all vehicles on public highways will (probably by law) be driven entirely by robots. So, apart from pedestrian signs, it will therefore be possible to switch driving sides at the drop of hat and with a minimum of cost and fuss.

Exactly the same argument applies to identity cards BTW - On a similar timescale, security cameras (or image processing systems behind them) will be able to recognize anyone by face or gait etc, and tie up multiple sightings sufficiently to allow easy identification in practice, even if many peoples' identities aren't formally on file.

A perfect analogy of Labour's Identity Card scheme, embarked on now, would have been the Government deciding in 1900 to spend a billion pounds on a vast network of sluices and drains specifically to remove horse dung from the streets of London - when the first cars were already chugging around.

[darmstadt]

Some things you must know when driving on the Continent
-------------------------------------------------------

1. Your life expectancy is thirty-six minutes

2. Never look where you are going. The police keep a look out for
this sort of thing.

3. Never give way. If you want to turn left against the traffic, stop
and get out your travellers checks.

4. Make sure that you are in the wrong gear all the time.

5. Continental law forbids any driver under the influence of teetotalism
Strict measures are taken to ensure this. If the alcohol count in
your bloodstream is less than 87%, you may be liable for prosecution.

6. There are many hills and other prominences abroad. Make certain, when
going over the brow of a hill or around a corner, that you are on the
wrong side of the road and busy talking to the person beside you.

7. You will know if you are on the wrong side of the road when there is
oncoming traffic your side of the road.

8. Always steer the car with your little finger and don't use the wind-
screen. Since you'll be overtaking most of the time, drive constantly
looking into your rear view mirror.

9. All front seat passengers on the continent are obliged, under the law
to be mad.

10. Never stop suddenly for chickens, peasants, donkeys or because your
eight week old puppy has shot through the wind screen. You may cause
an accident.

11. Accelerate when approaching an going over narrow bridges. This will
give you a better chance of getting there before a large truck of
inflammable liquid.

12. In dense fog, continental law obliges you to see how fast you can go.

13. Remember 1 km. = 25 mph.

14. Traffic signs don't exist. Rely on the body gestures of oncoming
drivers. If you see a bus driver hitting his chest you know he is
having a heart attack and is going to veer of the road and down a
deep gully. If you see a driver looking down at his lap you know he
is making himself a sandwich is likely to smash into you with no
warning.

15. Using your horn all the time is the key to driving on the continent.
If in doubt, honk that horn!