What Side Are You On?

A little investigation using Gemin:

As far as I know the Dutch drive on the opposite side of the road to the Indonesians and yet the Dutch governed Indonesia up until 1949. Why the difference?

The reason for this fascinating divergence comes down to a mix of early colonial timing, European warfare, and sheer geographical distance.

Here is how the Netherlands and Indonesia ended up driving on opposite sides of the road:

The Original Dutch Standard

When the Dutch first arrived in the Indonesian archipelago in 1596, they brought their own road customs with them. At that time, nearly everyone in Europe—including the Dutch—travelled on the left side of the road. This practice was established early on in the Dutch East Indies and remained the standard for centuries.

The Napoleonic Disruption

The split between the motherland and the colony occurred in the early 19th century due to Napoleon Bonaparte. Following the French Revolution, France standardized driving on the right side of the road. When Napoleon conquered the Netherlands, he imposed French laws and customs upon the newly conquered territory, legally forcing the Dutch to switch to right-hand traffic.

Why Indonesia Remained Unchanged

Despite the immediate shift in the Netherlands, the Dutch East Indies never made the switch to the right. This happened for three primary reasons:

⚬ Geographical Distance: Napoleon's reach was vast, but it did not extend to the distant overseas colonies of the countries he conquered. Forcing a massive logistical and infrastructural change halfway across the world was simply not feasible or a priority for the French Empire.

⚬ The British Interregnum: During the Napoleonic Wars, the British (who firmly drove on the left) temporarily seized control of Java from the Dutch-French administration between 1811 and 1816. Under the leadership of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the British naturally reinforced the existing left-hand driving rules.

⚬ Institutional Inertia: When the Napoleonic Wars ended, the Netherlands regained its independence and its colonies. The Dutch chose to maintain the newly established right-hand driving at home, but there was no practical incentive to force their distant colonies to switch. Left-hand traffic was already a deeply entrenched custom in the East Indies.

As a result, modern Indonesia continues to drive on the left, ironically preserving a centuries-old Dutch custom that the Netherlands itself abandoned over 200 years ago.

As you say, the British always drove on the left and yet America was originally under British control. Why the difference?

The shift in the United States from the British custom of left-hand driving to right-hand driving was primarily driven by practical innovations in freight transport, early legislation, and a desire to forge a distinct post-colonial identity.

Here is how America ended up driving on the right side of the road:

The Conestoga Wagon

The most significant factor in the American switch was the introduction of the Conestoga wagon in the late 18th century. These massive, heavy freight wagons were designed to transport goods across rough terrain and were typically pulled by teams of six to eight horses.

Crucially, the Conestoga wagon did not have a driver's seat. Instead, the driver rode on the left rear horse. This position allowed the driver to keep their right arm free to wield a whip and control the team of horses. Because the driver was seated on the left, it was much safer to drive the wagon on the right side of the road. This positioning allowed the driver to look down and clearly see the center of the dirt roads, ensuring that the wagon wheels did not collide with oncoming traffic passing to their left.

Early Legislation

As these large freight wagons became the standard for moving goods across the expanding American territory, informal custom was codified into law. In 1792, Pennsylvania passed legislation mandating that all traffic on the newly constructed Lancaster Turnpike keep to the right. New York followed suit in 1804, applying the right-hand rule to all public highways in the state. By the time the automobile was invented, right-hand traffic was already a deeply entrenched legal standard across most of the country.

Anti-British Sentiment

Following the American Revolutionary War, there was a strong cultural push to cast off British traditions and establish a unique American identity. While the practical needs of wagon drivers drove the initial change, the transition was readily embraced by a newly independent nation eager to distance itself from the customs of its former colonizers.

The Henry Ford Effect

Any remaining ambiguity was permanently erased by Henry Ford in the early 20th century. Before Ford, early automobiles had steering wheels placed indiscriminately on the right, left, or even in the center. However, Ford decisively placed the steering wheel on the left side of his wildly popular Model T. His reasoning was that with a left-positioned steering wheel, passengers could safely exit the vehicle straight onto the right-hand curb, and the driver had a perfect line of sight down the center of the road to pass oncoming traffic on the left. Because the Model T dominated the early automotive market, left-hand steering and right-hand driving became the undisputed American standard.