Driving on the left/right, and other puzzling questions

[Lady Whistledown]

Just a Monday morning question that's been vexing me.

Where you have a country that drives on the left & they share a land border with a country that drives on the right, what happens when you get to the border? If it's an open border (ie one without secure crossing points everywhere) how do you know where to switch sides, & how is it not complete mayhem?

I think Hong Kong drives on the left & China on the right....not sure if there's a land border there or it's entirely an island, but if there is a land connection, how do they work it? And why haven't the Chinese changed things?

Just puzzling my little fluffy head, that's all. Ta

 

[Gwylan]

I've wondered that too.

Africa offers the best example: countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda (ie former British colonies drive on left), others (former French and Belgian colonies) drive on the right. No idea what happens though.

 

[strings]

This is an interesting question. So interesting, in fact, that I googled it. Google doesn't have a clue. However, when you type 'what happens' into google, the fourth suggested autofill option is pretty funny...

 

[Cullip4]

between Gibraltar and Spain there is a flyover which puts you on the right/wrong side of the road

 

[Notters]

It's all on wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-_and_left-hand_traffic

 

[Dr Q]

between Gibraltar and Spain there is a flyover which puts you on the right/wrong side of the road

Sort of like one of the crossovers in Scaletrix, but clearly safer!!

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I seem to recall Sweden once changed sides overnight as all their
neighbours drove on the right.

That must have been a BRILLIANT day to be out in the car

 

[The Large One]

between Gibraltar and Spain there is a flyover which puts you on the right/wrong side of the road

Must have been built in the past three years then, because it wasn't there when I went in 2006.

The only way to drive to Gibraltar was across the runway.

 

[Gazwag]

 

[Gazwag]

Must have been built in the past three years then, because it wasn't there when I went in 2006.

The only way to drive to Gibraltar was across the runway.

and there is a border control there

 

[Gazwag]

There must have been an easier way

 

[pasty]

I seem to recall Sweden once changed sides overnight as all their
neighbours drove on the right.

That must have been a BRILLIANT day to be out in the car

We should change sides here in the UK too. I think we should run a test. All lorries and buses drive on the right for a week, and if it works all other traffic should follow suit a week later.

 

[Trufflehound]

While in Mae Sai in Nothern Thailand (where they drive on the left) some years ago, I spent many happy hours standing on the single carriageway bridge that forms the border with Burma (where they drive on the right). There was no official changeover point. Traffic heading into Thailand entered the bridge on the right and "at some random point" switched to the left, and traffic heading the other way began on the left, and "at some random point" switched to the right. Basically everyone just weaved in and out of everyone else in slow motion all along the length of the bridge, and somehow no one crashed. It was quite balletic to watch and a very therapeutic way to pass an afternoon.