Should NZ Change to Left-Hand Drive?

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Should NZ Change to Left-Hand Drive?

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#1636810 20-Sep-2016 20:00

My first thought was why would you want awful American cars, but then I had a google and found we are in the minority. I didn't realize how many countries actually drive on the right. Still, I don't know that there is a really good reason to change. It would be a logistical nightmare.

If America won't drop the imperial system for metric, why should we all change the side of the road we drive on...

Try Vultr using this link and get us both some credit:

http://www.vultr.com/?ref=7033587-3B

blakamin

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#1636814 20-Sep-2016 20:07

As someone mentioned before, it's so easy to put the steering wheel on either side with the way technology and car platforms work now (the reason you can now buy a new mustang in RHD), that changing sides is totally pointless...

So doing this would just be a way of throwing away hundreds of billions of $$$, and a (possibly large) number of lives, without any benefit to anyone except car manufacturers.

What a stupid idea.

*insert Clarkson voice* STUPID!

jonherries

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#1636867 20-Sep-2016 21:18

Sweden did this in the late 60's and found the accident rate went down for a while afterwards - apparently because everyone was very scared/confused so drove slower....

Whether or not it is a waste of money depends on whether a country's fiscal postion is a zero sum game (evidence suggests that the world economy is but countries are not). This then leads to the conversation about whether austerity is a good thing...

Personally, I think there would be better ROI from building more rail (double tracking main trunk), broadband infrastructure, houses and maybe some more roads as this investment is likely to spur productivity and economic growth.

Happy to be corrected or schooled on this.

Jon

Linuxluver

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#1636880 20-Sep-2016 21:36

vexxxboy:

if the UK wont switch, and they have more reason to , then why would we, imagine the costs and not just the roads. what about the laws , could the wording just be changed or would they all have to go back to parliament to be changed.

The Brits won't change the side of the road they drive on just because.....rational argument wouldn't be a feature of any such decision. :-)

I'm not sure they are a good model.

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Linuxluver

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#1636882 20-Sep-2016 21:39

toyonut:

My first thought was why would you want awful American cars, but then I had a google and found we are in the minority. I didn't realize how many countries actually drive on the right. Still, I don't know that there is a really good reason to change. It would be a logistical nightmare.

If America won't drop the imperial system for metric, why should we all change the side of the road we drive on...

Another poor model. Pick the only country on the planet that doesn't use the metric system.....and say we can't change something else? :-)

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Linuxluver

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#1636883 20-Sep-2016 21:40

jonherries: Sweden did this in the late 60's and found the accident rate went down for a while afterwards - apparently because everyone was very scared/confused so drove slower....

Whether or not it is a waste of money depends on whether a country's fiscal postion is a zero sum game (evidence suggests that the world economy is but countries are not). This then leads to the conversation about whether austerity is a good thing...

Personally, I think there would be better ROI from building more rail (double tracking main trunk), broadband infrastructure, houses and maybe some more roads as this investment is likely to spur productivity and economic growth.

Happy to be corrected or schooled on this.

Jon

The Danes found the same thing in Copenhagen when they mixed cars and pedestrians. The cars slowed down and accident rates fell.

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Sideface

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#1636897 20-Sep-2016 21:54

Right-and left-hand traffic Wiki

A surprisingly interesting and detailed discussion of this subject and its history ...

Some extracts:

"The history of the keep-left rule can be tracked back to ancient Greece, Egypt and Rome. This rule was more widely practised than right-side traffic. Ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Romans kept to the left while marching their troops. If two men riding on horseback were to start a fight, each would edge toward the left. Thus, they would be able to draw swords from their right and uphold a defensive position. Eventually, this turned into custom, and later, a law."

"In the late 18th century, the shift from left to right that took place in countries such as the United States was based on teamsters' use of large freight wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. The wagons had no driver's seat, so a postilion sat on the left rear horse and held his whip in his right hand. Seated on the left, the driver preferred that other wagons pass him on the left so that he could be sure to keep clear of the wheels of oncoming wagons. He did that by driving on the right side of the road."

"Decisions by countries to drive on the right typically centre on regional uniformity."

Sideface

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Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

1eStar

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#1636928 20-Sep-2016 22:25

Every country has give way to traffic on right etc. If you are sitting in the right hand side of the vehicle you have an unimpeded view. Therefore the correct side of the road to drive on is the left.

blakamin

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#1636932 20-Sep-2016 22:35

Sideface:

Right-and left-hand traffic Wiki

A surprisingly interesting and detailed discussion of this subject and its history ...

Some extracts:

Not to mention the safety aspects!

It has been suggested that this is partly because humans are more commonly right-eye dominant than left-eye dominant.[34][35][36] In left-hand traffic, the predominantly better-performing right eye is used to monitor oncoming traffic and the driver's wing mirror (side mirror). In right-hand traffic, oncoming traffic and the driver's wing mirror are handled by the predominantly weaker left eye. In addition, it has been argued that left-sided driving is safer for elderly people given the likelihood of their having visual attention deficits on the left side and the need at intersections to watch out for vehicles approaching on the nearside lane.[37] Furthermore, in an RHD car with manual transmission, the driver has the right hand, which for most people is dominant, on the steering wheel at all times and uses the left hand to change gears and operate most other controls.

Cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders typically mount from the left-hand side, with motorcycle side stands almost always located on the left. This places them on the kerb when driving on the left.

Swanny

107 posts

Master Geek

#1636969 21-Sep-2016 01:20

I think it's an interesting thought experiment.

Sweden were forced to change for a few reasons, including that people expected the change so started buying left hand drive cars which put the accident rate up...

I'm still most comfortable driving on the left. As long as the steering wheel moves when you switch sides I don't have a problem. I think the converse would be tough.

richms

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#1636971 21-Sep-2016 01:25

Money would be better on divided highways where all the Asian tourists are crashing.

Richard rich.ms

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#1637011 21-Sep-2016 08:26

toyonut:

If America won't drop the imperial system for metric, why should we all change the side of the road we drive on...

The UK still use a lot of imperial measurements too.

Funny - when I went to middle school in the US in the early 80's, we all had to learn the metric system as that was the way things were going. Things don't seem to have changed much since although as a runner I see they all use metric distances now. They have to if they want to compete internationally.

old3eyes

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#1637027 21-Sep-2016 08:47

simon14:

I don't see it happening. UK, Australia, Japan, India all drive on the left hand side.

Samoa recently (2009) changed from the right side to left side:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8243110.stm

It would be an insanely massive project to change... it would be even more difficult for UK and Aussie... i really don't see it ever happening.

Samoa changed for dubious reasons and they weren't the ones given by the Gov i.e. tourism and I suspect that even if the rest of the world changed to right side driving Australia would hold out saying "It's not Ozzy sport"

Yes it would be a good idea for NZ to change for the reason that Linux lover says and I think it could be done in say 5 to 6 years but the way we do things here it would take about 50 years..

Which side of the road do they drive on

Regards,

Old3eyes

Behodar

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#1637029 21-Sep-2016 08:49

logo: Funny - when I went to middle school in the US in the early 80's, we all had to learn the metric system as that was the way things were going.

A friend lives in Arizona and told me about a nearby "freeway" that was built in the early 80s and to this day has all the exits marked in km.

evilengineer

466 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1637038 21-Sep-2016 09:19

logo:

The UK still use a lot of imperial measurements too.

Funny - when I went to middle school in the US in the early 80's, we all had to learn the metric system as that was the way things were going. Things don't seem to have changed much since although as a runner I see they all use metric distances now. They have to if they want to compete internationally.

Metrication is a mess in the UK!

The road signs are all in Imperial but petrol is sold by the litre.

Ireland did change their road signs to metric a decade ago or so. But that's not likely to ever happen the UK given recent events. (A lot of your UKIP types see the metric system as a vast EU/French conspiracy).

I don't see any reason to change to driving on the right.

Japan, Aus, NZ and the various SE Asian countries that drive on the left gives a pretty sizeable regional market for right hand drive cars.

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