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Should we switch to driving on the right?

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135

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    #62
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,949 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    Samuel Vimes wrote:
    Why? Why should UK policies determine our decisions?


    Irexit would be one such great idea


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    #63
    whisky_galore
    Registered Users Posts: 15,902 ✭✭✭✭whisky_galore


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    What are they?

    BMW owner I see.


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    #64
    Samuel Vimes
    Registered Users Posts: 179 ✭✭Samuel Vimes


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    Irexit would be one such great idea

    Economic suicide is NEVER a good idea.


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    #65
    SEPT 23 1989
    Registered Users Posts: 43,028 ✭✭✭✭SEPT 23 1989


    It can be done in scalextrics


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    #66
    Franz Von Peppercorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,070 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn


    Pawwed Rig wrote: »
    When it was done in Sweden it was one of the biggest projects that was ever undertaken.
    Many drivers already had left hand drive cars there and it was done in a period when most people didn't have a car.

    To do that in Ireland today would cost billions. Couple this with the spike in road fatalities aa the vast majority of cars are right hand drive.

    I would love if we did drive on the right but the cost would be just too much.

    There’s a reason Sweden had to do it, they have borders with countries that drive on the right.

    We don’t. In fact a lot of countries that drive on the left are islands or have a border that isn’t commonly crossed. Southern Africa is an outlier there though.


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    #67
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,949 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    whisky_galore wrote: »
    BMW owner I see.

    no, but do they come with no indicators, if so, im very interested now, really cant understand why theyre on cars


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    #68
    marcbrophy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,442 ✭✭✭marcbrophy


    I don't want to drive on the fcuking right!
    Go back to Russia, commie!! :D


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    #69
    EdgeCase
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,471 ✭✭✭EdgeCase


    If it was going to be done, it should have been done many decades ago.

    You have to remember that back in the early half of the 20th our world view was a lot narrower and the UK was a lot more relevant than it is today.

    Cars weren't even imported directly from the continent. There were trade barriers to the point that we had, for example, Renaults being assembled in Ireland on a tiny scale. They were just kits sent from France.

    The European common market didn't exist and the idea of global trade was still control by big powers rather than multilateralism.

    Also as an island island and only having one land, border with another right hand drive jurisdiction, makes the advantages of switching for Ireland relatively small and the disadvantages enormous.

    Sweden was in a more awkward situation and probably left a switch about as late as you possibly could.

    Realistically, these things should have been standardised across the entire planet in the 1920s. It's far, far too late now.


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    #70
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users Posts: 40,283 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    Irexit would be one such great idea


    Do you also advocate kicking yourself repeatedly in the nuts?


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    #71
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,949 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    ohnonotgmail wrote: »
    Do you also advocate kicking yourself repeatedly in the nuts?

    its very pleasurable, worth a try


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    #72
    Boom_Bap
    Moderators, Music Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,730 Mod ✭✭✭✭Boom_Bap


    I'm happy with the system we have of studying and doing a theory test, training how to drive under instruction, passing a test and then throwing all that effort out the window and driving any way you want.


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    #73
    TCM
    Registered Users Posts: 736 ✭✭✭TCM


    Balanadan wrote:
    To be more aligned with our European friends. I certainly think so.


    Asolutely not.


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    #74
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,198 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Of course, in the interests of safety everyone would be restricted to a maximum top speed of 50kph on any road, for maybe a month or so while we got used it it. Just imagine how relaxed and good humoured everyone would be in those circumstances.


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    #75
    TheValeyard
    Registered Users Posts: 12,263 ✭✭✭✭TheValeyard


    We can barely drive on the left as it is. If we switched could you imagine the chaos?

    Fcuk Putin. Glory to Ukraine!



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    #76
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users Posts: 40,283 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    ^^^^^^^^^^^
    That is a very underrated film


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    #77
    orourkeda1977
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,628 ✭✭✭orourkeda1977


    Balanadan wrote: »
    To be more aligned with our European friends. I certainly think so. :)

    Everyone will have to change their car.

    Stupid idea with insurance implications


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    #78
    Obvious Desperate Breakfasts
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,474 ✭✭✭Obvious Desperate Breakfasts


    Ryann Inexpensive Lumberjack wrote: »
    No, we drive on the correct side of the road so why should we change. It’s europe and the us etc the drive on the wrong side.

    What makes their side incorrect? Take away the fact the you are used to driving on the left - apart from that, what is it that makes driving on the left the correct way?


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    #79
    Boom_Bap
    Moderators, Music Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,730 Mod ✭✭✭✭Boom_Bap


    Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »
    What makes their side incorrect? Take away the fact the you are used to driving on the left - apart from that, what is it that makes driving on the left the correct way?


    It actually dates back to medieval times, knights on horseback would carry their shields in their left hands, so would pass each other on the left so they could shake hands with their right hand.


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    #80
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    And the switch over to the right was a Napoleon thing I think?

    So if we drive to the right, we'd be surrendering to the French!


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    #81
    Akrasia
    Registered Users Posts: 22,276 ✭✭✭✭Akrasia


    We should definitely switch over to the Right. But it would be a bit hard on the older people. We should wait for them all to die first, then it'll be grand.


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    #82
    Dakotabigone
    Site Banned Posts: 512 ✭✭✭Dakotabigone


    Kerry people will get confused, Healy Rae’s will think it’s climate change.


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    #83
    Dakotabigone
    Site Banned Posts: 512 ✭✭✭Dakotabigone


    Dravokivich wrote: »
    And the switch over to the right was a Napoleon thing I think?

    So if we drive to the right, we'd be surrendering to the French!

    Don’t mess with the French, them yellow vests lads mean business.


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    #84
    RayCun
    Registered Users Posts: 15,704 ✭✭✭✭RayCun


    Balanadan wrote: »
    To be more aligned with our European friends. I certainly think so. :)

    Just drive everywhere in reverse, then you'll feel like you're driving on the right hand side


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    #85
    RMAOK
    Registered Users Posts: 11,209 ✭✭✭✭RMAOK


    Have a one way system throughout the country - no confusion then wrt driving on the left or the right.


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    #86
    Princess Consuela Bananahammock
    Registered Users Posts: 33,172 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    Drive on the right :rolleyes: have we reached this level of ****e now?

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



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    #87
    flazio
    Registered Users Posts: 12,927 ✭✭✭✭flazio


    I think the OP has their eye on a car that is only available in Left Hand drive. Probably an Audi.


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    #88
    Roadtoad
    Registered Users Posts: 753 ✭✭✭Roadtoad


    Czechoslovakia managed it very efficiently in 1939, with some help from consultants from Berlin.


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    #89
    Obvious Desperate Breakfasts
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,474 ✭✭✭Obvious Desperate Breakfasts


    Boom_Bap wrote: »
    It actually dates back to medieval times, knights on horseback would carry their shields in their left hands, so would pass each other on the left so they could shake hands with their right hand.

    So no real relevance to which side is best to drive on?


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    #90
    Claw Hammer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,168 ✭✭✭Claw Hammer


    Vic_08 wrote: »

    Again, can anyone point out 1 single benefit from doing this, now or 50 years ago?

    The benefit of driving on the right is that it requires the driver to operate the hand brake and gear shift with the right hand. Most people are right-handed and in the event of an emergency the right hand reacts more quickly than the left so it is safer.


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    #91
    RayCun
    Registered Users Posts: 15,704 ✭✭✭✭RayCun


    Boom_Bap wrote: »
    It actually dates back to medieval times, knights on horseback would carry their shields in their left hands, so would pass each other on the left so they could shake hands with their right hand.

    Yeah, and French knights would shake hands with their left instead. :rolleyes:

    Try again.


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