Road Safety

rambler

Hi know this is a way out and probally will never happen, but seeing that more people are driving now and from many different countries, How would it be if every country in the EU at least change their driving to the same side of the road, Know it is a big task to do, but how many people have been killed with a driver from another country driving on the wrong side of the road, the affected countrys could compensate drivers when changing their vehicle by leaving the vehicles tax\VRT exempt.

Stephen

I know it happened in sweden back in the sixties but there was a hell of a lot less cars on the road back then. can't see it ever happening now.

crosstownk

Much as I'd like to see it happen, I don't think it's viable here. If it was to happen it would require some serios planning on behalf of the Department of Transport - so that rules out any possibility really!

Vegeta

also all our cars would be practically worthless for resale

el tel

It would making crossing the border even more exciting!

Wishbone Ash

Stephen wrote:

I know it happened in sweden back in the sixties but there was a hell of a lot less cars on the road back then. can't see it ever happening now.

Yes, it happened on the 3rd of September 1967. I have a photograph of a Stockholm street during the changeover at 6 am. Sweeden had 2 million cars then - the highest density in Europe. Planning and research had begun four years previously. The biggest budget item was converting buses and trucks to LHD. For some reason private cars had always been LHD even when they drove on the left. The minor adjustments to these were the owner's responsibility.

In public instruction all the media were used - TV, radio, cinema, posters, pamphlets, house visits. Schools began a week earlier for traffic instruction only. Even guide dogs had to be upskilled.

All traffic (except emergency vehicles) was stopped at 1am on the 3rd of September and resumed on the right at 6am. Strict speed limits were enforced for the first few weeks. Accident rates plummetted during that initiation period.

(PS - in Italy up to the 1920's traffic in rural and urban roads drove on different sides.)

jhegarty

rambler wrote:

Hi know this is a way out and probally will never happen, but seeing that more people are driving now and from many different countries, How would it be if every country in the EU at least change their driving to the same side of the road, Know it is a big task to do, but how many people have been killed with a driver from another country driving on the wrong side of the road, the affected countrys could compensate drivers when changing their vehicle by leaving the vehicles tax\VRT exempt.

ok , you go repaint the lines in the red cow rundabout,i'll do the kinsale road one and we will see what happens

Wishbone Ash

el tel wrote:

It would making crossing the border even more exciting!

There are about 50 countries who drive on the left. Most of these tend to be islands so therefore there are no land crossings. There are however a few with land borders who drive on different sides- Pakistan/Afganistan, Kenya/Ethiopia, Uganda/Congo.

Alun

It's all in here ... http://www.brianlucas.ca/roadside/. Some interesting little snippets in there.

Henry Ford III

In Ireland the change would be gradual

MrPudding

Henry Ford III wrote:

In Ireland the change would be gradual

What? Buses and lorries first for a couple of weeks and then cars once the DoT sees it works?

MrP

Wishbone Ash

Alun wrote:

It's all in here ... http://www.brianlucas.ca/roadside/. Some interesting little snippets in there.

Very interesting link Alun - thanks for that.

peasant

If you drive like a muppet, it doesn't really matter which side of the road you do it on.

maidhc

MrPudding wrote:

What? Buses and lorries first for a couple of weeks and then cars once the DoT sees it works?

MrP

Around here in East Cork we all drive in the middle of the road, and dodge eachother.