The random thought thread

[Iowatech]

The story goes that in the UK we drive on the left with the driver in the middle of the road as a throw back to the middle ages when knights would joust. However because it is reversed on the continent this would still be possible but as to why it is reversed could just be down to sheer bloody mindedness, the fact that Europe at one time owned practically the rest of the planet meant that its influence carried over to everywhere else.

How true this is I do not know.

This makes way more sense than what I was told back in the day - namely that if all cars were driving the same side of the road that it would affect the rotation of the Earth.

[Iowatech]

If things I've seen on the internet are true, and I haven't done any research into confirming their validity, nor have I researched to find out if anything else may fall into the categories - but from what I've seen, North America and Russia are the only places where I've seen video footage of people driving on the right side of the road with the driver on the left. This assumption leads me to believe accordingly that we must be backwards from the rest of the world.

I know for a fact that in Panama they drive on the right hand side of the road, so maybe it isn't that bad.
Also, you should see what a bus looks like there!
Google Image Result for http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MY8GaJcOFTU/TUoKFGwxXWI/AAAAAAAAADk/uIqIMdVdfDk/s1600/panama+bus.jpg
Well, I though it looked cool.

[mojorolla]

Found this explanation:

Why do the English drive on the "wrong" side of the road ?

Well it's one of those trivia questions that can really nag at you until you find an answer, I did some research and discovered the following:
In days of old logic dictated that when people passed each other on the road they should be in the best possible position to use their sword to protect themselves. As most people are right handed they therefore keep to their left. This practice was formalised in a Papal Edict by Pope Benefice around 1300AD who told all his pilgrims to keep to the left.

Nothing much changed until 1773 when an increase in horse traffic forced the UK Government to introduce the General Highways Act of 1773 which contained a keep left recommendation. This became a law as part of the Highways Bill in 1835.


Reasons to travel on the right are less clear but the generally accepted version of history is as follows: The French, being Catholics, followed Pope Boneface's edict but in the build up to the French Revolution in 1790 the French Aristocracy drove their carriages at great speed on the left hand side of the road, forcing the peasantry over to the right side for their own safety. Come the Revolution, instincts of self preservation resulted in the remains of the Aristocracy joining the peasants on the right hand side of the road. The first official record of this was a keep right rule introduced in Paris in 1794


OK, that explains the UK and France but what about the rest of the world ?


Britain's imperial expansion (all of the pink bits on old maps) spread the keep left rule far and wide. This included India, Australasia and much of Africa (Although many African countries changed to the right later when they became independent).


France also had quite an empire after the revolutionary wars and the keep right rule spread through much of modern day Europe and to colonies such as Egypt. The connection with the USA is thought to be General Lafayette who recommended a keep right rule as part of the help that he gave the Americans in the build up to the war of Independence. The first reference to keep right in USA law is in a rule covering the Lancaster to Philadelphia turnpike in 1792.


But what about Japan ? well in the 1850's Gunboat diplomacy forced the Japanese to open their ports to the British and Sir Rutherford Alcock, who was Queen Victoria's man in the Japanese court persuaded them to adopt the keep left rule.

[Shadow1]

Learn how to drive right!

...and I was always told in America that initially most "roads" were nothing more than single lane tracks and when two horses met head on it was easier to go right since most horses and their riders were right handed - the horses went right naturally, and the riders were more likely to pull the right hand reign if riding English or to be holding the reigns in their right hand if riding western, and therefore also easier to pull right. The practice also had something to do with the term "right of way" though I don't recall if that was the chicken or the egg...

It was said in America that the Brits were to stupid to see the common sense of it, and across the pond we Yanks were too lazy to learn proper horsemanship.

[mjarbar]

Found this explanation:

Why do the English drive on the "wrong" side of the road ?

Well it's one of those trivia questions that can really nag at you until you find an answer, I did some research and discovered the following:
In days of old logic dictated that when people passed each other on the road they should be in the best possible position to use their sword to protect themselves. As most people are right handed they therefore keep to their left. This practice was formalised in a Papal Edict by Pope Benefice around 1300AD who told all his pilgrims to keep to the left.

Nothing much changed until 1773 when an increase in horse traffic forced the UK Government to introduce the General Highways Act of 1773 which contained a keep left recommendation. This became a law as part of the Highways Bill in 1835.


Reasons to travel on the right are less clear but the generally accepted version of history is as follows: The French, being Catholics, followed Pope Boneface's edict but in the build up to the French Revolution in 1790 the French Aristocracy drove their carriages at great speed on the left hand side of the road, forcing the peasantry over to the right side for their own safety. Come the Revolution, instincts of self preservation resulted in the remains of the Aristocracy joining the peasants on the right hand side of the road. The first official record of this was a keep right rule introduced in Paris in 1794


OK, that explains the UK and France but what about the rest of the world ?


Britain's imperial expansion (all of the pink bits on old maps) spread the keep left rule far and wide. This included India, Australasia and much of Africa (Although many African countries changed to the right later when they became independent).


France also had quite an empire after the revolutionary wars and the keep right rule spread through much of modern day Europe and to colonies such as Egypt. The connection with the USA is thought to be General Lafayette who recommended a keep right rule as part of the help that he gave the Americans in the build up to the war of Independence. The first reference to keep right in USA law is in a rule covering the Lancaster to Philadelphia turnpike in 1792.


But what about Japan ? well in the 1850's Gunboat diplomacy forced the Japanese to open their ports to the British and Sir Rutherford Alcock, who was Queen Victoria's man in the Japanese court persuaded them to adopt the keep left rule.

Nice to see I was on the right track, but this makes more sense

[Iowatech]

If I understand it correctly, thunderstorms require a certain amount of water vapor. So, ever wonder what happens when an energetic thunderstorm runs out of water vapor? Here's some pictures!
Red Waves Are Breaking Across the Land

[Kidaver]

I'll have to see if I still have some sandstorm pics from Iraq. It's really odd that at noon when you are outside and it's ORANGE.

[Iowatech]

I'll have to see if I still have some sandstorm pics from Iraq. It's really odd that at noon when you are outside and it's ORANGE.

Actually, while following what was going on in Iraq was when I learned about this. I think a dust storm like this was called a haboob there.
Rats, I'm going outside the scope of this thread (THAT'S NOT RANDOM). I'll just shut up now.

[mjarbar]

Blueberry Pancakes!!!

[igi]

sea-food platter