Why is there water running on the right, with water on the left?

Of the 240 countries and territories of the world, there are 165 places that apply the mode of circulation on the right, only 75 places are moving on the left.

Why is this division?

The person goes first right or left first?

People have started the circulation to the left from the very old . In ancient times, the Greeks and Romans went to the left.

In 1998, archaeologists found traces of traction wheels in an ancient Roman mine in Swindon, southern England. The wheel markings on the left hand side of the road are very deep, showing that the vehicle when leaving the mine filled with load, on the other hand, the wheel mark on the right hand side of the road is quite fuzzy, indicating when the vehicle enters the mine .

Map of countries circulating left and right - (Photo: Worldstandards).

From the appearance of rudimentary vehicles such as horses and rickshaws with horse power, perhaps the Roman empire and then England were the countries that gave birth to the left-hand circulation method.

The origin of this movement began with ancient Roman and British knights who used to ride a cart or horse to the left of the road. Because most people are right-handed (70-95% are right-handed), going to the left, the right hand will be free to draw the battle sword.

In France, before the revolution of 1789, the nobles went to the left and tied things to the right. After the Revolutionary overthrow of the tyrannical monarchy of King Loius XVI, the nobility lived in hiding, not daring to show off like before and so they went to the right as people.

By 1794, a law required people to move on the right hand side to make this mode of circulation more and more popular.

From 1760-1840, the role of France in Europe and the world is very important. In 1804, when Napoleon was crowned king, he fought many battles to conquer Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, Poland and some parts of Spain and Italy, making it even more The right side scrolling is more widespread.

Countries against Napoleon such as Britain, Austria-Hungary and Portugal still maintain the mode of movement on the left. The differentiation of this mode of movement lasted more than a century, until after World War I.

Traffic signs reminded to go left in Australia - (Photos: Wikipedia).

In North America, in the 1700s before the founding of the nation, Americans had a habit of moving right. The reason was that at that time the Americans used to use trucks for some horses to transport goods.

Because the carriage does not have room for the driver to sit, the driver usually rides the horse at the left end, the left hand holds the outline so that the right hand can easily control the horse with the whip. For convenient observation, the driver often controls the vehicle to the right of the road, forming a right-hand habit.

Coincidentally, at the end of the 18th century, immigrants from European countries rushed into the United States, bringing along living habits as well as the habit of circulating to the right, making it popular. .

The right circulation became obligatory with the laws enacted in 1792 in the state of Pennsylvania, 1804 in New York and 1813 in the state of New Jersey.

Many Asian countries still circulate on the left, why?

Right hand drive vehicle for the left circulating countries and right hand drive vehicle - (Photo: Citymetric).

Beginning in the 19th century, the general trend of the world was to circulate on the right, only the conservative British were determined not to integrate into this trend with a law enacted in 1773, officially required. circulation on the left.

The British colonies must also comply with this rule of the "motherland". That is why today, India, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and some African countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa) are former colonies. in the UK, still maintaining the mode of circulation on the left.

An interesting case is Japan, although it is not a British colony, but from the Tokugawa shogunate (1603-1868), the people of this country were familiar with the circulation on the left.

Beginning in 1872, the British provided technical assistance to the Japanese government in building the first railway and tram network in the country. As a result, trains and trains traveled all the way to the left in a British way, making this circulation a tradition, then formalized by a law enacted in 1924.

Currently, in Asia, in addition to the above countries, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Macau, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan are still circulating on the left.

During the period of the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century, France tried to expand its influence through the invasion of countries in Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Gambia, Gabon, Cameroon). .) and Asia (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam), they also apply the right-circulating method to these colonial countries.

Until before World War I (1914-1918), there were 104 countries and territories applying the mode of circulation on the left. But from 1919-1986, 34 countries moved to the circulation on the right, following the general trend of the world.

An interesting thing is that the right-hand circulation also applies to both rail and waterways and airways , not just roads.

The railway network in North America, Europe and Latin America applies the right-hand traffic method.

As for the waterway, according to the International Regulation on the Prevention of Maritime Collisions by International Maritime Organization IMO, boats with engines mounted on a narrow road (such as straits, bays, channels) must Go close to the starboard side of the starboard . When the two ships go in opposite directions and are likely to collide, each one must dodge to the right.

The United States Aviation Administration FAA also has the same rules: aircraft flying in the event of a confrontation, each one must deflect towards his right hand.