Samoan cars ready to switch sides. Next: UK?

Dracula
By Dracula

Drivers in Samoa in the South Pacific are preparing to switch from driving on the right side of the road to the left after a rule change by the government.

The switchover is due to start at 0550 on Monday (1650GMT), when radio messages will broadcast telling drivers to stop and to prepare to overturn 100 years of motoring tradition.

At the top of the hour will follow a second instruction: to move from the right to the left side of the road.

Critics of the plan claim it will bring mayhem to the highways and byways of this remote South Pacific nation.
"Cars are going to crash, people are going to die - not to mention the huge expense to our country"Tole'afoa Solomona Toa'iloa
Samoa lawyer

It hopes that Samoan expatriates in Australia and New Zealand will now ship used, more affordable vehicles back to their homeland.

To minimise the chaos, a two-day national holiday has been declared to keep cars off the road, and prayers have been said at the country's churches in the hope of blessing the changeover.
/
MAP - "Left hand" driving versus "Right hand" driving
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8240992.stm

By adey• 7 Sep 2009 17:48
Rating: 4/5
adey

Sorry it was 3 days - well still!

"Deaths in the Bible. God - 2,270,365

not including the victims of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the

many plagues, famines, fiery serpents, etc because no specific numbers

were given. Satan - 10."

By Dracula• 7 Sep 2009 17:45
Dracula

Cognac Napoleon banned in Samoa?

...The end is near!

.

By adey• 7 Sep 2009 17:43
Rating: 4/5
adey

I read this story else where and at the same time Samoa is also banning alcohol for 3 years!!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Deaths in the Bible. God - 2,270,365

not including the victims of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the

many plagues, famines, fiery serpents, etc because no specific numbers

were given. Satan - 10."

By anonymous• 7 Sep 2009 17:41
anonymous

East wil rise b4 dat

By britexpat• 7 Sep 2009 17:41
britexpat

Damn you Sir.. The South shall rise again... Today Samoa, Tomorrow, Poland , then Ze World!

By anonymous• 7 Sep 2009 17:37
anonymous

Napoleon da gr8

By Dracula• 7 Sep 2009 17:35
Dracula

Look at the map!

Blue-blood driving is almost dead...

.

By britexpat• 7 Sep 2009 17:31
britexpat

And USA :O(

That Basterd Napolean !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Dracula• 7 Sep 2009 17:29
Rating: 2/5
Dracula

In France, before the revolution the aristocracy travelled quickly on the left, forcing the peasantry over to the right. According to [Amphicars], after the revolution aristocrats joined the peasants on the right. A keep right rule was introduced in Paris in 1794.

Later Napoleon enforced the keep-right rule in all countries occupied by his armies, and the custom endured long after the empire was destroyed.

[Hamer] The revolutionary wars and Napoleon's subsequent conquests spread the new rightism to the Low Countries, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain.

.

http://www.i18nguy.com/driver-side.html

By britexpat• 7 Sep 2009 17:23
britexpat

Thankyou for backing up my argument..

For today, please replace baseball bat with sword..

By Dracula• 7 Sep 2009 17:22
Rating: 4/5
Dracula

Ancient Rome

Bryn Walters determined Romans drove on the left.

Walters found a track into the old Roman quarry at Blunsdon Ridge.

The track was only used for bringing stone from the quarry to a major Roman temple being built on the nearby ridge (near Swindon in England), and then fell out of use, so it is very well preserved. And since the carts went in empty and came out laden with stone, the ruts on one side of the road are much deeper than they are on the other. The conclusion: Romans drove on the left.

,

,

,

Middle Ages

Seven hundred years ago, everybody used the English system. In the Middle Ages you kept to the left for the simple reason that you never knew who you'd meet on the road in those days; you wanted to make sure that a stranger passed on the right so you could go for your sword in case he proved unfriendly.

.

http://www.i18nguy.com/driver-side.html

By britexpat• 7 Sep 2009 17:10
britexpat

The correct side entails the steering wheel being on the right side and driving on the left side of the road...

I thought everyone knew that..

By Dracula• 7 Sep 2009 16:26
Rating: 2/5
Dracula

agreed!...the left driving side :)

.

By britexpat• 7 Sep 2009 09:25
Rating: 4/5
britexpat

Common sense. Everyone should shift to the correct driving side of the road...

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