spridgets
[Top] [All Lists]

[Spridgets] Driving on the left - was TV License

Subject: [Spridgets] Driving on the left - was TV License
From: grday at btinternet.com (Guy R Day)
Date: Sun, 22 May 2011 16:01:19 +0100
References: <BANLkTimQ04uQSUbfG4xUU2CQj+Cb3tW0BQ@mail.gmail.com>
Jousting was a game not invented when driving on the left was established. 
Go back to Italian Roman times when sliding your chariot about was in 
fashion and even in those days  you steered it on the left.  Evidenced from 
old quarries where deeper grooves in the road surface showed which side the 
laden carts were on when they were leaving the quarry.  This was imported 
into the UK when we lost that invasion and the same wear pattern was found 
over here as well.
The next thing is similar to what Kirk says but, as people were naturally 
right handed they held a sword in that hand and would face danger to the 
right.  In this case danger was from the right, the oncoming person.  Of 
minor interest is the direction of a spiral staircase,  where the attacker - 
coming from lower down - would be at a disadvantage to the right-handed 
defender in a properly built spiral staircase.  This does not always hold 
true as some were built with a 'widdershins' (left handed) spiral.
Next comes Napoleon who decreed in true Gaelic style that France would drive 
on the right because England drove on the left.  Or so it is said.  Around 
this time was the American War of Independence and France was supporting 
that in the right places in America.  The USA version of Parliamentarians 
appreciated that support and yet another group of people (America) essayed 
forth on the right.  However, there are also stories about which side you 
hold or lead a team of horses and this led to driving on the right - but 
that could be confusing fact with a good story.
Finally, the oldest documentary evidence in the UK about laws for driving on 
the left was made 19 March 1722 by the Bridgehouse Lands Committee in 
pursuance of the order of the Court of Aldermen following instruction of the 
Lord Mayor of London, Sir Gerard CONYERS, for making better regulation of 
the passage over London Bridge.  They appointed a street keeper called 
Edward GEORGE to do keep people to the left but he popped his clogs the day 
after he was appointed.  A chap called Richard NASH, another street keeper, 
was appointed to force traffic to drive on the left.  Parliament made this a 
national recommendation in 1773 (they were not empowered to make traffic 
laws in those days) but this became a national law (when they were 
empowered) in 1835.  So the history of that abominated profession, the 
traffic warden, was born.

Guy R Day


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kirk Hargreaves" <>
To: <spridgets at autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2011 9:43 PM
Subject: [Spridgets] License to Watch TV in Britain?


> Just got back from two weeks in Britain and a couple of days in Paris. .
> watched some TV in our various Brit hotel rooms. .  had no idea I needed 
> to
> get a license to do so?  I guess the hotels are covered under a blanket
> license of some sort?  Strange stuff to say the least.
>
> And did driving on the left side of the road really stem from the days of
> jousting as I was told by a few Brits while there?
>
> You can all tear this one apart as you see fit.  . but supposedly the
> jousting thing transferred to horse back and buggy days to automobiles as
> the jousters would hold their poles under their right arms facing off with
> each other.
>
> Just what I was told. . .
>
> Kirk
>
> When in France the driving returned to "normal."
> _______________________________________________
>
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation  $12.75
> Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
> Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
> Unsubscribe/Manage: 
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/grday at btinternet.com

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>