Samoan drivers switch to the 'right' side

[Firestorm998]

Samoa switches to driving on the left

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8243110.stm

 

Now we just have to wait for the rest of the heathen countries of the world to start driving on the proper side too;) :run:

[Car Freak]

Very interesting story... I applaud their PM's ballsy move to go through with this plan. There may not be any chaos now, but certainly, down the road, more will happen (pardon the pun). I honestly wonder how long it will take drivers there to get used to driving on the other side of the road, definitely not helped by cars being LHD. Also, what is to become of all the LHD vehicles? Surely their value would drop massively because of this switch?

[Speed]

Will certainly decrease the amount of overtaking, I mean you literally have no view of anything coming down the opposite side of the road if you're sitting the wrong side :eek:

[Baltoman]

proper?! PROPER?! Like 90% of the whole world drives on the right side, how is driving on the left side proper? Road patriotism FTL!

[vulkanizer]

proper?! PROPER?! Like 90% of the whole world drives on the right side, how is driving on the left side proper? Road patriotism FTL!

 

TRUE STORY!

[KoenigseggBG]

I see a problem there. First of all, all the cars have their steering wheel on the left. It is confusing driving with left steering on the right side, isn't it? Second of all, all the buses have their doors on the left side, now imagine that all the buses have to be either replaced with a right-side ones or will have to get majorly repaired, so the driver sits on the right and passengers can get in from the left. I heard on the news yesterday that in Samoa there are two days off for everyone, to prevent accidents, caused by the change...well, what's the point in that, people will still need some months to get used to it...:wtf:

[Car Freak]

The holiday's (i think) supposed to be so that people don't drive so much during the 1st two days, and there are fewer potential accidents. But yeah I don't think they've thought this through too well. Not only do they need months for the drivers to get used to the change, they also need to change all the cars themselves

[Eudemon]

Wasn't their studies done that showed the left side was the better side for drivers as most people are more right aligned in their brain or something? Plus road accidents in left side countries is lower (not per numbers but per % to population to make it fair).

[TDU 505]

I rather drive on the left, the gear knob in my right hand seems more natural. (I'm left handed)

[Firestorm998]

proper?! PROPER?! Like 90% of the whole world drives on the right side, how is driving on the left side proper? Road patriotism FTL!

 

Thread title and last line of my post are just a bit of fun. 66% population drive on right, 34% on the left. (India helps that figure a lot)

 

I see a problem there. First of all, all the cars have their steering wheel on the left. It is confusing driving with left steering on the right side, isn't it? Second of all, all the buses have their doors on the left side, now imagine that all the buses have to be either replaced with a right-side ones or will have to get majorly repaired, so the driver sits on the right and passengers can get in from the left. I heard on the news yesterday that in Samoa there are two days off for everyone, to prevent accidents, caused by the change...well, what's the point in that, people will still need some months to get used to it...:wtf:

^^

Agreed

It was a decision for the long term economy of Samoa - cheaper RHD cars are available from surrounding areas rather than expensive LHD imports. Samoa will benefit in the end but I suspect it will be a bumpy ride for Samoan drivers for a while.

[KoenigseggBG]

Yeah, car companies just pressured the country's goverment. I heard on the news that probably the companies that make cars with the steering on the right have many cars left unsold in their storages and now will try to sell them in Samoa.

[T0M722]

all i can say is what a long day/night it would be to transfer everyone.

[Fridge Magnet Rabbit]

I rather drive on the left, the gear knob in my right hand seems more natural. (I'm left handed)

huh!? last i checked is that the gear stick in a RHD car was on the left of the drivers seat

[KoenigseggBG]

He meant driving on the left side of the car, so that the knob is in his right hand. ;)

[t.]

Koeni actually made a very good point on the buses, it hadn't even crossed my mind. Still they made a good call, RHD is the way to be.

 

There is actually more countries than you first realise that drive on the left (RHD). A lot of these countries drive on the left due to previous British colonial influence.

 

Red = LHD

Blue = RHD

 

Yea, I know Samoa hasn't been updated :P

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg303/notorioustwm/which-side.jpg

"Stolen" from here

Apologies it's so big, I have made it a small file size though to try and ease the problem.