> OK this is just a "curious" question! When you guys have a American MV do
> you have to convert it to right-hand drive, is it manditory, or are you
> able to leave it, & drive it as is? The thought occured to me, as I drove
> MV's in Japan, who also drive on the "wrong" side, it was really tough at
> times, ie: passing another veh, & seeing around the veh in front of you!
> Thanks......Dale
It does vary from state to state, but is usually tied to the date of
manufacture. As to what the cut - off date is I am not sure but believe
it is 30 years in NSW. Anything younger than this and I expect it would
have to be converted to RHD.
As to ex-military vehicles etc I have yet to be in a position that what
I was driving could catch anything in front so that I could overtake it!
Otherwise the LHD in a RHD world has not presented any problems.
You would have seen a posting by Gordon about the reason for RHD and to
my
knowledge he is spot on. The reasons also date back to the first use of
war
chariots and it is locked into the fact that most people are right
handed.
You are talking around 400 B.C. or earlier and the tradition almost
certainly pre-dates the Roman Empire. In a 2 man chariot (the most
common)
the driver was on the LEFT and the swordsman on the RIGHT but the
chariot
would be driven "shying" left so that any adversary encountered could be
forced to the RHS. Confusing I know but where and when things changed I
really don't know. I suspect it must have something to do with Germany
and the fact that the automobile originated there in the 1880's - 1890's
and initially at least, was not military orientated so there was no need
of a swordsman or whoever hanging off the RHS.
Can anyone clear this up?
Doug
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M8 & Other Armoured Vehicles
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/ [___] [___] \ Douglas Greville
/\_ [o] [o] _/\ Broken Hill
|w||___________||w| N.S.W.
|w|\u u/|w| Australia
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[w] [w]
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