UK to vote whether to switch to driving on right

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MINI Supports UK Road Switch Vote Changeover Period Should Mean Fun Driving For MINI Owners

Woodcliff Lake, April 01, 2001...With the forthcoming vote on changing the centuries old UK tradition of driving on the left, MINI is urging the UK public to say "Yes To Switch".

Driving on the left derives from the knights of old who would pass each other sword to sword. While historically correct, the custom has long caused problems in the UK for foreign drivers and American tourists who are often observed struggling to reboard their tour bus through the driver's door. Therefore in the interests of world harmony the UK is considering switching from driving on the left to the right hand side of the road.

To avoid confusion, the UK government will implement the switch in stages, with trucks and buses switching in the first week, SUVs and sedans in week two, and motorcycles and bicycles in week three. Although a progressive changeover will mean some lively encounters between those now driving on the right and those still driving on the left, MINI spokesman Ima Kedeengya has no fears for MINI drivers. He said;

"As MINIs possess supernatural handling prowess, they are better suited than most to handle what should be an hair raising and memorable three weeks. In fact, as the situation will create a natural slalom effect, MINI drivers may enjoy their drive to work even more than usual."

Should the Switch scheme prove successful, the UK Government plans to introduce other proven New World initiatives such as decent restaurant food and cosmetic dentistry.

BMW News

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2001

Answers

I may still be asleep, but can you imagine the cost of going around and changing all the signs?

would the roundabouts be changed to boutarounds?

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2001


"Driving on the left derives from the knights of old who would pass each other sword to sword."

Mebbe so, but the way I learned it, everyone was doing their thing on the left until Caesar or Napoleon or someone told them to do something different. Britain was never adequately invaded to enforce that requirement.

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2001


This is from the Onion, right? The "switch in stages" sends me chortling.

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2001

Quick, take your money--all of it--and invest it in British body shops and spare parts. I can tell you from experience this is going to cause a LOT of wrecks. Even now, after 35 years here, I find myself going to the wrong side of the car to get in. I also catch myself looking the wrong way when crossing the street.

As for those roundabouts, when Sweetie was driving over there we would go round and round because your whole body is screaming at you not to turn THAT way, you'll get killed! We were nearly at Stonehenge before we could get turned around and go north.

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2001


Actually Cash, it's from the BMW USA website, under current news... looks like they may have hired a writer or two from the Onion though :)

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2001


While I've never driven for more than 3 weeks at a time in Britain over the trips in the past couple of decades, I still occasionally have flashbacks and flinch because a car coming down the correct side of the road just doesn't seem right to one set of reflexes. I remember once coming back from several weeks in England, and telling a person at a local shop that I had two fully developed sets of reflexes, but not to worry, because at home I always knew where I needed to be from context. I then set off down the left side of the road for a half mile, until I saw the stop sign coming up and realized that it was on the right side, and that if it was meant to be on the right side, maybe I was too.

Maybe that's what the foot in mouth movement prohibitions are about, getting used to keeping movement controlled so that they can implement this.

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2001


******I also catch myself looking the wrong way when crossing the street. **** this is serious business. An Australian woman was killed here in Fl yesterday and child hurt, because they looked the wrong direction and stepped in front of a car. I did this in a small village in Tasmania where they go through town at 60km and if a man on the side walk hadn't grabbed my coat and jerked me back, I would surely be dead. As it was I ended up in the gutter minus a shoe. A bout 10 years ago a US Boy Scout leader and scouts were in the Snowy Mtns of Australia at night and when a car came around the bend he thought it was in his lane. Out of habit/reaction he whipped his van to the right and hit head on, killing the Australian family, busting him up bad along with his son in the front next to him. The other scouts in the van were not hurt badly but this guy was tried on manslaughter in Oz. It can be very dangerous! Habits are hard to break and when one acts in reaction you will go with what your habits dictate.

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2001

considering the trouble some people have driving in the US where they have always been on the right side, it should not be legal for them to drive in countries with left side rules at all.

Consider our own FHP that recently hit a car and killed all the occupants while he was driving on the wrong side of a 'divided, limited access, highway.'

Tell me this idiot wasn't drunk! His lawyer taped the guy eating and drinking as he alleged he did just prior to the accident, and his B/A level was less than the law allows. Yeah, right!

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2001


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