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RE: Continuing "Britishisms"

To: "'Angelo Graham'" <a3graham@admmail.uwaterloo.ca>,
Subject: RE: Continuing "Britishisms"
From: "Michael Marr" <mmarr@nexant.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 11:00:09 -0600
> Hello List:
> Not to continue this for too long, does anyone have an idea
> of what the
> terms "offside" and "onside" (I think) mean with respect to
> the roadway?

Actually, I think the more normal usage is "off-side" and "near-side".  My
understanding is that this defines the side of the car relative to the kerb,
assuming the car is parked on the correct side of the road!  Thus, on an
English car, with driver on the right side of the car, the near-side is the
left side of the car looking forward (port side, for you sailors out there)
and the off-side is the driver's side, or right side of the car, looking
forward.  I always assumed these terms were used to avoid the confusion of
which side is right or left, depending upon whether you are looking at or
out of the car.


Michael J. Marr, P.E. (and USCG licensed Captain!)
Naperville, IL
1960TR3A




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