Texas Phil Peeno #50923 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 How come the driver of a buggy or stagecoach sit on the right side instead of the left? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Dave Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 It could be as simple as that they were right handed, sitting to the right allowed them to shoot with their right hand and handle the team with the left. Total guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Since shooting wasn't something they did every day, I think it's because the whip would be mounted on the right for easy access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Dave Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Or the brake lever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Branch Louie Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 I think that's the side the air bag and cigarette lighter were mounted on.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 They thought they were in England? Or maybe as was stated, the whip, brake and cigarette ligther were on that side. The glove box with the road map was on the left but who need a map? Did they have GPS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Most folks are right handed. The whip could be used much more readily from the right side and there was little chance of cracking anybody riding on top behind you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Most folks are right handed. The whip could be used much more readily from the right side and there was little chance of cracking anybody riding on top behind you. That is a real good thing, J Bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pack Saddle Slim, SASS #73122 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Most folks are right handed. The whip could be used much more readily from the right side and there was little chance of cracking anybody riding on top behind you. Yep, that's one of the reasons, but there is even a more practical reason coach and/or buggy drivers still sit on the right hand side. It's easier to see the side of the road in order to keep from inadvertently driving into a ditch. If you ever have had the chance of driving, or even riding, in the box with a six-up...or even just a team of two, you'll immediately realize how tough it is to observe ditches, berms, etc. on the right side of the road unless you are actually sitting on the right side of the bench. Simple as that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 How about coaches in England and Europe? Left side of the road, but still driven from the right side seat. This guy doesn't stand a chance of cracking that whip from the other seat... PIC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 I just did a bunch of web searching. Archeological evidence shows that the Romans had a drive on the left rule in England and probably throughout out the empire. This continues in England to this day. Also: This keep-left rule was so common that, in 1300 AD, Pope Boniface VIII decreed that all pilgrims headed to Rome from wherever they were coming from should abide by the keep-left rule of the road along their journey. This then held across most of the Western World until the late 1700s. Later in the US: What ended up happening to force the switch in the 18th century were teamsters in the United States, who would drive large wagons with a team of horses, as the name implies. These wagons tended to dominate the road and force everybody else to abide by the rule of the road they were using. Very importantly, in many of those old, large American wagons, they did not include a seat on the wagon for the driver. Rather, the driver would typically sit on the rear left most horse, when the driver was right handed. This allowed them to easily drive a whole team of horses with a lash in their right hand. This then forced the issue of having oncoming traffic on your left as the drivers would want to make sure any part of their team or wagon didn’t collide with oncoming traffic. When sitting on the rear left most horse, this was much easier to do when using a keep-right rule of the road. Just as important, if you wanted to pass a wagon in front of you, or at least see further down the road when you are sitting on the left side, it is much easier done if you are using the keep-right rule; this would give you much greater visibility of oncoming traffic when sitting on the left of your wagon. Gradually, this system spread so that by the late 18th century, the first laws in the United States were passed, starting in 1792 in Pennsylvania, where the rule of the road was now officially a keep-right rule. This quickly spread throughout the United States and Canada. So how did this spread through Europe? It started with France. The reasons why the French switched to a keep-right rule instead of the traditional keep-left rule aren’t completely clear. Some say it is because the French Revolutionists didn’t want anything to do with anything that had ever been Pope decreed. Others say it was because they didn’t want to use the same rule of the road the English used. Still others say it was entirely Napoleon’s doing. The reasons why he may have done this, if that is the case, are even murkier ground. Whatever the case, France switched to the keep-right system. Napoleon then spread this system throughout the countries he conquered. Even after he was defeated, most of the countries he had conquered chose to continue with the keep-right system. The most important of these countries, as far as eventually further spreading the keep right system, was Germany. Fast forward to the 20th century and, as Germany conquered countries in Europe, they forced their keep-right system onto those countries. Then, some of us recall that the French switched from driving on the left to driving on the right in a phased approach. Trucks started driving on the right on a Monday, busses on a Tuesday and finally cars on a Wednesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 And is that why helicopter pilots also sit in the right seat....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DustyMiller SASS # 54661 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 And is that why helicopter pilots also sit in the right seat....? No. The collective (or power lever) can be locked into position and it is on the left side of the pilot. The cyclic or stick must always be controlled and it is run by the right hand. So if the pilot locks the collective his left hand is free to use buttons and switches on the center console. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheriff Oso, SASS #57788L Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 And I thought it was because the cup holder was over there on the right.. silly me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 I have seen some local drivers that can't make up their mind. The drive on either. Some have even been know to try to drive in the ditch alongside the roadway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 And is that why helicopter pilots also sit in the right seat....? No. The collective (or power lever) can be locked into position and it is on the left side of the pilot. The cyclic or stick must always be controlled and it is run by the right hand. So if the pilot locks the collective his left hand is free to use buttons and switches on the center console. Sshhhh.... We know that, Dusty... but that's not as muchy fun as cupholders and buggy whip sockets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el Gato Gordo - SASS #15162 Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 How about coaches in England and Europe? Left side of the road, but still driven from the right side seat. This guy doesn't stand a chance of cracking that whip from the other seat... PIC That's great! A gun cart for the whole Posse, so you just need one! eGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Phil Peeno #50923 Posted December 21, 2011 Author Share Posted December 21, 2011 I think I will go with the cup holder explanation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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