Which side is the steering wheel in Japan? Left-hand and right-hand traffic

It is no secret for avid travelers that in many countries the traffic vector on the roads differs from the way they are used to. Before traveling abroad, it is important to remember which countries Left side traffic, especially if you plan to rent a car.

Reasons influencing the choice of direction

There is practically no historical evidence of how our ancestors moved. Apparently, this topic seemed obvious, so chroniclers and ordinary people did not consider it important to make notes on it. The rules of behavior on state transport routes were first regulated legislatively only in the 18th century.

Currently, 28% of highways around the world are oriented to the left, and 34% of the world's population travels along them. The reasons why these territories have retained their traditional methods of regulating traffic are the following:

Historically, they were colonies or dependent regions of Great Britain and Japan;
The main transport used was carts with a driver sitting on the roof.

The list of regions changed rapidly after the United Kingdom lost its status as an “empire where the sun never sets” and the end of World War II. The last country to adopt the new orientation was the Independent State of Samoa in 2009.

Full list, current for 2018:

Australia and New Zealand, including external territories and states in free association (Cocos, Norfolk, Christmas, Tokelau, Cook, Niue);
Continental southeast Africa (Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tonga, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana, Malawi);
Bangladesh;
Botswana;
Brunei;
Butane;
Great Britain;
Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom (Anguilla, Bermuda, Saint Helena and Ascension, Cayman, Montserrat, Maine, Pitcairn, Turks and Caicos, Falklands);
British and American Virgin Islands;
East Timor;
Guyana;
Hong Kong;
India;
Indonesia;
Ireland;
Independent countries of the Caribbean;
Cyprus;
Mauritius;
Macau;
Malaysia;
Maldives;
Malta;
Micronesia (Kiribati, Solomon, Tuvalu);
Nauru;
Nepal;
Channel Islands;
Pakistan;
Papua New Guinea;
Samoa;
Seychelles;
Singapore;
Suriname;
Thailand;
Fiji;
Sri Lanka;
Jamaica;
Japan.

Traditions of movement

The methods of driving on roads for ordinary people in ancient times depended purely out of convenience because the population density was low. Peasants and artisans carried loads on the right shoulder and walked so as not to touch each other, while warriors preferred the opposite side in order to be able to protect themselves from enemies by drawing the sword from the sheath on the left thigh.

With the advent of vehicles, driving rules also changed. Carts with one horse and a driver on the front goats were more convenient to control with the working hand, as the stronger one, and at the same time maintain maneuverability on the left.

This type of transport was common in France, and during Napoleon's reign, driving on the left spread to all the regions of his conquests.

How did the movement influence vehicle design?

Due to differences in behavior on the highway depending on orientation, different countries use cars with the steering wheel on the side farthest from the curb. At the same time, the location of the control levers remains the same in all models.

However, for the convenience of specialized machines, this rule may be broken. For example, In the official transport of postal employees, the driver's seat was located on the side closest to the sidewalk so that the postman delivers letters and parcels without leaving the car. So in the USSR, since 1968, the Moskvich 434P with right-hand drive was produced.

One more important aspect related to the direction of traffic is crossing the border in states with opposite accepted traffic rules. In such cases, there may be a simple displacement on the route if the road is narrow, as between Laos and Thailand, or a large-scale labyrinth of paths if we are talking about large-scale crossings, such as between Macau and China.

Why do people drive on the left in England?

Since there is no written evidence of how people traveled on roads in ancient times, researchers are turning to archaeological methods. At an old quarry near Swindon, Wiltshire, traces of a Roman-era street were discovered, the degree of subsidence of which indicated that traffic was driven on the left.

Historians also associate this direction of traffic in Great Britain with traditional carts, including cabs, on which the right-handed driver sat on the roof and, accordingly, held a whip in his strongest hand.

The first legislative act regulating the rules of movement around the city was a law in 1756, which obliged vehicles to drive on the left side of London Bridge, and violators were subject to a fine of a whole silver pound. Later, in 1776, the Road Act was adopted, extending the rule to all streets in England.

Since it was the British who became the first railway power, many countries still have similar traffic in the subway and at railway stations, with the opposite rules for cars.

Which traffic in Russia is right-hand or left-hand?

For a long time, there were no rules in Russia that would tell people exactly how they should drive carts so as not to collide with each other. In 1752, the first Russian Empress Elizabeth ordered the drivers move along the right side streets inside cities.

And so it happened, throughout Russian Federation accepted right-hand traffic . However, in large cities you can find certain sections where the direction of traffic flow is changed, which is usually associated with the convenience of the interchange in a particular place.

Examples of such places are:

Leskova Street in the Bibirevsky district of Moscow;
Embankment of the Fontanka River in St. Petersburg;
Semenovskaya and Mordotsveva streets in Vladivostok (August 2012 - March 2013).

It is interesting to see how political and economic reasons have influenced which countries drive on the left and which drive on the right. One simple point on which people cannot agree and come to a common decision creates differences in economic trends and poses major challenges for architects and administrations of cities and regions.

Video: Which part of the road is used in different countries?

In this video, Oleg Govorunov will tell you why in different countries it is customary to drive on different sides of the roads:

To understand where the division of automobile traffic on the roads of the world into left-hand and right-hand traffic came from, you should plunge into history. In ancient times, traffic was mainly driven on the left. This can be explained by the fact that most people are right-handed. If the rider encountered dangerous strangers on the road, it would have been easier to grab the weapon right hand and immediately be ready for a skirmish. That's what they thought in Ancient Rome. Probably, this rule for the movement of Roman troops began to be observed by ordinary citizens of the empire. Many ancient states followed the Roman example.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, human physiological characteristics came to the fore. Again, the question concerned the convenience for right-handers. When driving a cart on narrow roads, it was more convenient for the driver to ride on the right side in order to confidently control the horses with a strong hand, directing them to the side when meeting another cart. Over the centuries, this style of travel has become the norm in many countries.

In 1776, the first traffic regulations were issued in Europe. The first to adopt it was Great Britain, which established left-hand traffic on its territory. What prompted this decision is still unknown. Probably the country wanted to stand out from the rest of the mainland. The introduction of left-hand traffic throughout the vast territories of the colonies of the British Empire, as well as allied countries. Today these include what is now India, Australia and Pakistan. And on the mainland at that time there was magnificent France with allies who began to use right-hand traffic. Here, too, the colonies of the European state followed their center. As a result, the world was divided into two camps. We see the consequences of such a “division” to this day.

Today, driving on the right is more comfortable and most countries adhere to it, exceptions are: Great Britain, Ireland, Malta, Brunei, Barbados, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, India, Australia.

By the way, the history of adopting the left side for driving in Japan is strange. Its roots go back to the heyday of the samurai. The valiant warriors at that time rode on horses with swords on their left sides. The famous katana was tucked into the belt, so the sword simply stuck out in the left side, protruding half a meter! Apparently, fearing that their swords would get caught and thus provoke a fight, the samurai began to use the principle of left-hand movement. In the years 1603-1867, a tradition was established instructing everyone who was heading towards the capital to keep to the left. It is possible that this system of movement has since become a habit among the Japanese and has become a general rule over time. And in the mid-19th century, Japan was forced to open up to the world. The Japanese, of course, began to borrow everything from the West. It all started with the first steam locomotives, which the Asians borrowed from the British, who drove on the left. The first horse-drawn trams also ran on the left side of the road.

How is left-hand traffic different from right-hand traffic and what are the advantages of each side? Both types of movement require different vehicle designs. For right-hand drive cars, the driver's seat and steering wheel are located on the left; for left-hand drive cars, the driver's seat and steering wheel are located on the right. The location of the windshield wipers varies. But the arrangement of the pedals in the order of clutch, brake, gas has today become the standard for right-hand drive cars, although it was originally intended for left-hand drive cars. It is worth noting that driving on the left is safer for right-hand drive cars. In a collision, the impact falls on the left side and the driver is less likely to be injured. Right-hand drive cars are stolen much less often. The right-hand drive allows the driver to get out of the car not onto the roadway, but onto the sidewalk, which is much safer. But overtaking on the road in a right-hand drive car is inconvenient.

Prerequisites

Walking is on the right side. Apparently, most people (unarmed) walk to the right.

Leading a horse and pulling a cart is right-handed. In this case, it is more convenient for a person to be on the side of oncoming traffic than on the side of the road - on the one hand, this allows him to avoid a collision, on the other hand, he can stop and talk with the oncoming person.

After they stopped driving on the roads with weapons and suspecting everyone was an enemy, right-hand traffic spontaneously began to take shape on the roads, which was mainly due to human physiology, a significant difference in strength and dexterity different hands in the techniques of driving heavy horse-drawn carriages drawn by several horses. The peculiarity of man affected that most people are right-handed. When traveling on a narrow road, it was easier to direct the carriage to the right to the side of the road or the edge of the road, pulling on the reins with the right hand, that is, with the strongest hand, holding the horses. It is probably for this simple reason that the tradition and then the norm of passing on the roads arose first. This norm eventually became established as the norm for driving on the right.

In Russia, back in the Middle Ages, the rule of right-hand traffic developed spontaneously and was observed as natural human behavior. The Danish envoy to Peter I, Just Yul, wrote in 1709 that “in Russia everywhere it is customary for carts and sleighs, when meeting each other, to pass each other, keeping to the right side.” In 1752, the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued a decree introducing right-hand traffic for carriages and cab drivers on the streets of Russian cities.

In the West, the first law regulating left- or right-hand traffic was the English Bill of 1756, according to which traffic on London Bridge had to be on the left side. Violation of this rule was subject to an impressive fine - a pound of silver. And 20 years later, the historical “Road Act” was published in England, which introduced left-hand traffic on all roads in the country. The same left-hand traffic was adopted on railway. In 1830, traffic on the first Manchester-Liverpool railway line was on the left.

There is another theory about the appearance of initially left-hand traffic. Some historians suggest that it was more convenient to ride on the left side in the days when horse-drawn teams appeared, where the coachmen sat on top. So, when they were driving the horses, the whip of the right-handed coachman could accidentally hit passers-by who were walking along the sidewalk. That is why horse-drawn carriages often drove on the left.

Great Britain is considered the main “culprit” of “leftism”, which then influenced many countries of the world. According to one version, she introduced the same order on her roads from maritime rules, that is, at sea, an oncoming ship allowed another one to pass, which was approaching from the right.

The influence of Great Britain affected the order of traffic in its colonies, therefore, in particular, in countries such as India, Pakistan, Australia, left-hand traffic was adopted. In 1859, Queen Victoria's ambassador, Sir R. Alcock, persuaded the Tokyo authorities to also adopt left-hand traffic.

Driving on the right is often associated with France, with its influence on many other countries. During the French Revolution of 1789, a decree issued in Paris ordered that people move along the “common” right side. A little later, Napoleon consolidated this position by ordering the military to keep to the right, so that anyone who met the French army would give way to it. Further, this order of movement, oddly enough, was associated with big politics in early XIX centuries. Those who supported Napoleon - Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain. On the other hand, those who opposed Napoleonic army: Britain, Austria-Hungary, Portugal - turned out to be “leftists”. The influence of France was so great that it influenced many countries in Europe, and they switched to driving on the right. However, in England, Portugal, Sweden and some other countries, traffic remains on the left. In Austria, a curious situation has developed. In some provinces, traffic was on the left, while in others it was on the right. It was only after the Anschluss in the 1930s by Germany that the entire country switched to right-hand drive.

At first, there was left-hand traffic in the USA. But by the end of the 18th century there was a gradual transition to right-hand traffic. It is believed that the Americans were “convinced” to switch to driving on the right by the French general Marie-Joseph Lafayette, who made a significant contribution to the fight for independence from the British crown. At the same time, in a number of Canadian provinces, left-hand traffic remained until the 1920s.

IN different time In many countries, driving on the left was adopted, but they switched to new rules. For example, due to the proximity to countries that were former French colonies and drive on the right, the rules were changed by the former British colonies in Africa. In Czechoslovakia (formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), left-hand traffic was maintained until 1938. The DPRK and South Korea switched from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1946, after the end of the Japanese occupation.

One of the last countries to switch from driving on the left to driving on the right was Sweden. This happened in 1967. Preparations for reform began back in 1963, when the Swedish parliament formed State Commission on the transition to right-hand traffic, which was supposed to develop and implement a set of measures to ensure such a transition. On September 3, 1967, at 4:50 a.m., all vehicles were required to stop, change sides of the road, and continue driving at 5:00 a.m. For the first time after the transition, a special speed limit mode was installed.

After the advent of cars in Europe, real leapfrog was happening. Most countries drove on the right side - this custom has been imposed since the time of Napoleon. However, in England, Sweden and even part of Austria-Hungary, driving on the left reigned. And in Italy, different cities generally had different rules!

As for the location of the steering wheel, on the first cars in most cases it was on the “wrong” right side for us. Moreover, regardless of which side the cars were driving on. This was done so that the driver could better see the car being overtaken. In addition, with this steering wheel arrangement, the driver could get out of the car directly onto the sidewalk, and not onto the roadway.

The first mass-produced car with a “correct” steering wheel was the Ford T.

Countries that changed the movement

At various times, many countries adopted left-hand traffic, but due to the inconvenience associated with the fact that the neighbors of these countries had right-hand traffic, they switched to right-hand traffic. The most famous day in history was H-Day in Sweden, when the country switched from driving on the left to driving on the right.

The former British colonies in Africa Sierra Leone, Gambia, Nigeria and Ghana also changed their left-hand drive to right-hand drive due to their proximity to former French colonies that drive on the right. Conversely, the former Portuguese colony of Mozambique changed from right-hand drive to left-hand drive due to its proximity to former British colonies. North Korea and South Korea switched from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1946, after the end of the Japanese occupation.

Countries with left-hand traffic

Changing sides at the border

At the borders of countries with different directions of traffic, road junctions are built, sometimes quite impressive.

Special cases

First cars

On cars produced at the beginning of the 20th century, the location of the steering wheel had not yet been completely determined: often the driver’s seat was made from the sidewalk (that is, they made the steering wheel right-handed when driving on the right and the steering wheel on the left when driving on the left). Later, the standard became the location of the steering wheel on the side opposite the sidewalk - this ensures best review when overtaking; In addition, when using the car as a taxi, it makes boarding and disembarking passengers more convenient and safe.

Postal cars

Cars for collecting mail are often made with an “incorrect” steering wheel position (for example, such an IZH van was produced in the USSR). This is done for the convenience of the driver, who can now go directly onto the sidewalk and not be exposed to unnecessary danger.

Bahamas

Historically, the Bahamas drives on the left side of the road, but most cars drive on the islands on the left hand drive due to the proximity of the United States, from where such cars are constantly imported.

Russia - East

Regardless of the position of the driver's seat, the headlights are adjusted so that the light is directed slightly towards the side of the road - in order to illuminate pedestrians and not blind oncoming drivers.

However, the Vienna Convention on traffic says that a car temporarily entering a country must comply with the technical standards of the country in which it is being driven registered.

Other types of transport

Aircraft

For a number of reasons (imperfect ignition systems and carburetors, which often caused engine stalls, strict weight restrictions), aircraft of the First World War had exclusively rotary engines - the engine star rotates with the propeller, and the fuel-oil mixture is supplied through a hollow, stationary crankshaft. In such engines, the heavy crankcase played the role of a flywheel. The screw, as a rule, was used on the right, rotating clockwise. Due to the large mass of the engine, a reverse torque arose, tending to create a left bank for the aircraft, so turns to the left were performed more energetically. Because of this, many aviation maneuvers were based on left turns - hence the left seat of the pilot.

With the improvement of ignition systems, rotary engines gave way to two-row and star-shaped ones, in which the reverse torque is many times less. The pilots (already civilians) navigated along the existing roads (and in desert areas where there were no roads, they made furrows). When planes (with an established left seat) flying along the road towards each other needed to miss each other, the pilots turned to the right - hence right-hand traffic with the left seat of the main pilot.

There is another reason related to anatomy: the pilot holds the control stick with his right hand in front of him at chest level, left hand- below, approximately at the level of the armrest, controls the engine using the throttle. In this position, it is more convenient to look down from the left side, since the right hand extended in front of you prevents you from leaning to the right.

Helicopters and ships

Almost everywhere (except for inland rivers) driving is on the left with the seat on the right. This allows you to see traffic on the starboard side (which should be skipped).

The chief pilot's seat on the only production tiltrotor V-22 Osprey is on the right, “helicopter-style.”

Railroad and metro

The pioneer of railway transport is Great Britain, which imposed left-hand railway traffic on many countries (France, Israel, Russia). Later, Russia switched to right-hand drive, but even now some of the old Russian lines are left-hand drive. In Germany, railway traffic has historically been on the right. That's why in Alsace-Lorraine (which belonged to Germany before the First World War), trains still travel on the right.

It is not uncommon for escalators to move on the left side in order to reduce the intersection of human flows, or for the convenience of organizing the upper lobby.

Currently, in Russia and many other countries, driving on the roads is on the right. There are also countries that drive on the left. IN modern world these are Ireland, Great Britain, Japan, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and a number of African countries. Let's try to figure out why this particular situation has arisen.
The traditions of driving on the left and on the right began long before the invention of the automobile.

According to one version, right-hand traffic arose in Europe during the Middle Ages, when narrow roads between settlements It was not cars that drove, but riders on horses. They were all armed. The riders held a shield in their left hand to protect themselves in case of a surprise attack, which is why they stayed on the right side. There is another version of the emergence of right-hand traffic: when horse-drawn carts passed each other, it was easier to direct the crew to the side of the road to the right, pulling the reins with the right hand, which is more developed in most people. Years have passed, the means of transportation have changed, but the tradition remains...

Driving on the left is believed to have originated in England. This island state was connected with the outside world only by sea routes, and shipping was actively developing. To streamline the movement of ships, the maritime department issued a decree according to which ships were required to keep to the left. Later this rule extended to car roads, and also passed to all countries under British influence. Some still adhere to it. Another version connects the tradition of driving on the left with the fact that when horse-drawn carriages moved through the streets, the coachman held a whip in his right hand and, while driving the horses, could hit pedestrians. Therefore, the crews had to drive on the left side.

As for our country, in 1752, the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued a decree introducing right-hand traffic for carriages and cab drivers on the streets of Russian cities.

At various times, many countries adopted driving on the left, but they switched to new rules. For example, due to the proximity to countries that were former French colonies and drive on the right, the rules were changed by the former British colonies in Africa. The DPRK and South Korea switched from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1946, after the end of the Japanese occupation.

One of the last countries to switch from driving on the left to driving on the right was Sweden. This happened in 1967. Preparations for the reform began back in 1963, when the Swedish parliament formed the State Commission for the Transition to Right-Hand Driving, which was supposed to develop and implement a set of measures to ensure such a transition. On September 3, 1967, at 4:50 a.m., all vehicles were required to stop, change sides of the road, and continue driving at 5:00 a.m. For the first time after the transition, a special speed limit mode was installed.

Tourists who come to a country where traffic is unusual for them are advised not to drive a car themselves for safety reasons, but to use the services of a driver.

The division into the right and left sides of the movement began even before the appearance of the first car. Historians still argue among themselves which movement in Europe was the original. During the existence of the Roman Empire, horsemen rode on the left so that the right hand in which they held the weapon was ready to instantly strike the enemy riding towards them. Evidence was found that the Romans drove on the left: in 1998, a Roman quarry was excavated in the UK near Swindon, near which the left track was broken stronger than the right, as well as on a Roman denarius (dated 50 BC - 50 AD) two horsemen were depicted riding along the left side.
In the Middle Ages, it was more convenient to mount a horse when driving on the left, since the sword did not interfere with the landing. However, there is an argument against this argument - the convenience of riding in the left or right lane when riding on horseback varies depending on the riding method, and there were not so many warriors compared to the rest of the population. After people stopped taking weapons with them on the road, traffic gradually began to change to the right. This was explained by the fact that most people are right-handed, and with the advantage of the right hand in strength and dexterity, it is more comfortable to do many things while moving on the right side of the road.
When walking on foot (without weapons), when driving a horse and cart, it is more convenient to stay on the right side. From this side, it is more convenient for a person to be close to oncoming traffic in order to stop to talk with oncoming traffic, and it is easier to hold the reins with his right hand. Knights in tournaments also rode on the right - they held a shield in their left hand, and placed a spear on the back of the horse, but there is an argument against this argument - tournaments were just demonstrative “shows” and real life had no relationship.
Depending on the type of horse-drawn carriage, the convenience of right- and left-hand traffic varies: for single-seat carriages with a seat for the coachman in the front, it is preferable to ride on the right side, since when traveling with another carriage, the coachman needs to pull the reins harder with his right hand. Crews with a postilion (a coachman who drives the team while sitting on one of the horses) also stuck to the right side - the postilion always sits on the left horse to make it easier for himself to mount and control with his right hand. Multi-seat and open carriages drove on the left side of the road - so the driver could not accidentally hit a passenger or passerby walking along the sidewalk with his whip.
In Russia, even under Peter I, right-hand traffic was accepted as the norm; carts and sleighs passed, as a rule, keeping to the right, and in 1752, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna issued an official decree introducing right-hand traffic for carriages and cabs on the streets of Russian cities. Among Western countries For the first time, the law on the direction of movement was published in England - it was a bill of 1756, according to which traffic on London Bridge should be on the left side, and in case of “driving into oncoming traffic” a fine of 1 pound of silver was levied. And only after 20 years, the English government issued the historical “Road Act”, which prescribed the introduction of left-hand traffic. By the way, the same movement was adopted on the Manchester-Liverpool railway line that opened in 1830. According to one of the assumptions, England took this from maritime rules, since it was an island state, and the only connection with other countries was navigation - through them the ship passed another ship that was approaching it from the right.
Great Britain is considered the main “culprit” of “leftism,” which subsequently influenced many countries of the world. According to one version, she brought the same order to her roads from maritime rules, that is, at sea, an oncoming ship allowed another one to pass, which was approaching from the right.
The influence of Great Britain affected the order of traffic in its colonies, therefore, in particular, in countries such as India, Pakistan, and Australia, left-hand traffic was adopted. In 1859, Queen Victoria's ambassador, Sir R. Alcock, convinced the Tokyo authorities to also accept driving on the left.
Right-hand traffic is often associated with France, with its influence on many other countries. During the Great French Revolution of 1789, a decree issued in Paris ordered moving along the “common” right side. A little later, Napoleon consolidated this position by ordering the military to stay on the right side. Further, this order of movement, strange as it may seem, was associated with big politics at the beginning of the 19th century. Those who supported Napoleon - Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain. On the other hand, those who opposed Napoleonic army: Britain, Austria-Hungary, Portugal turned out to be “leftists”. The influence of France was so great that it influenced many European countries and they switched to right-hand traffic. However, in England, Portugal, Sweden and some other countries, traffic remained on the left. In Austria, a generally curious situation has developed. In some provinces, traffic was on the left, and in others, on the right. And only after the Anschluss in the 30s with Germany, the whole country switched to right-hand drive.
In the beginning, driving on the left was also common in the United States. But, probably, the Americans’ love of freedom expressed, in contrast to the British, doing the opposite. It is believed that the Americans were “convinced” to switch to the right-hand movement by the French general Marie-Joseph Lafayette, who made a significant contribution to the struggle for independence from the British crown. At the same time, Canada continued to drive on the left until the 1920s.
At various times, many countries adopted driving on the left, but they switched to new rules. For example, due to the proximity to countries that were former French colonies and drive on the right, the rules were changed by the former British colonies in Africa. In Czechoslovakia (formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), left-hand traffic was maintained until 1938. The DPRK and South Korea switched from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1946, after the end of the Japanese occupation.
One of the last countries to switch from driving on the left to driving on the right was Sweden. This happened in 1967. Preparations for the reform began back in 1963, when the Swedish parliament formed the State Commission for the Transition to Right-Hand Driving, which was supposed to develop and implement a set of measures to ensure such a transition. On September 3, 1967, at 4:50 a.m., all vehicles were required to stop, change sides of the road, and continue driving at 5:00 a.m. For the first time after the transition, a special speed limit mode was installed.
After the advent of cars in Europe, real leapfrog was happening. Most countries drove on the right side - this custom has been imposed since the time of Napoleon. However, in England, Sweden and even part of Austria-Hungary, driving on the left reigned. And in Italy, different cities generally had different rules!
As for the location of the steering wheel, on the first cars in most cases it was on the “wrong” right side for us. Moreover, regardless of which side the cars were driving on. This was done so that the driver could better see the car being overtaken. In addition, with this steering wheel arrangement, the driver could get out of the car directly onto the sidewalk, and not onto the roadway. By the way, the first mass-produced car with a “correct” steering wheel was the Ford T.