Rules of the Road?

[Ken Lees]

I was asked a question today which I couldn't answer - nothing unusual about that, of course, but I thought I'd ask here. 

 

Did the French drive on the right in the Great War? When the British arrived, did they get instructions to drive on the right, or did they stay on the left in British sectors?

 

I'm intrigued. 

Edited 6 October , 2019 by Ken Lees

[Skipman]

That's a great question. I don't have my copy of Mike Young's Army Service Corps 1902-1918 at hand but it might be worth checking there?

 

Mike

[Fattyowls]

I'm with Mike on this one, that's a top question (for which I don't have any answer unfortunately). Just out of interest where where you when you were asked the question? I was wondering if the location might have prompted it.

 

Pete.

[Black Maria]

Just going with what i've read in memoirs i was under the impression that the B.E.F drove on the right .

[Ken Lees]

58 minutes ago, Fattyowls said:

I'm with Mike on this one, that's a top question (for which I don't have any answer unfortunately). Just out of interest where where you when you were asked the question? I was wondering if the location might have prompted it.

 

Pete.

I was in France, asked by an American!

[mancpal]

surely there must be original footage ( probably on youtube ) that would answer the question.

 

Simon

[Moonraker]

Not at all conclusive, but a couple o

 

these photos

 

suggest on the right-hand side, which would seem logical, given that British and French transport would be mixing.
 

Wikipedia

 

states that France had switched to the right after Revolution - and suggests that in the 1910s some European countries drove on the right, some on the left. In a couple it was one side of the road outside cities, the other within them.

 

Moonraker

 

[gmac101]

I've also seen quite extensive one way systems behind the lines as many of the lanes were too narrow for large amounts of two way traffic

[simond9x]

I'm pretty sure that most film and photos I've seen show everyone driving on the right.

[Steven Broomfield]

On 06/10/2019 at 22:03, Moonraker said:

 

 

states that France had switched to the right after Revolution - and suggests that in the 1910s some European countries drove on the right, some on the left. In a couple it was one side of the road outside cities, the other within them.

 

Moonraker

 

 

I was always led to believe that the French started driving on the wrong side of the road because we drove on the left. I also recall that Sweden drove on the left until the 1960's (possibly 70's)

[charlie2]

I had a look through the OH Transport on the Western Front but found up nothing relevant.

 

Charlie

[Howard]

On 07/10/2019 at 20:02, gmac101 said:

I've also seen quite extensive one way systems behind the lines as many of the lanes were too narrow for large amounts of two way traffic

There are some maps that show this, here is an example.

 

Does the fact that the lines are on the right signify anything? I do not know.

 

Howard

[Skipman]

Using search word "traffic" on the OH might be worth trying, for example this in Vol 1 1914 Click

 

Mike

 

Edit Have attached paragraph

 

 

Edited 11 October , 2019 by Skipman

[Skipman]

Number 11 of interest Click

 

Mike

[Chris Henschke]

SS 400 Drivers Orders dated March 1916. Everyone drove on the right hand side of the road in France and Belgium.

Chris Henschke

[Open Bolt]

I understood that infantry also switched to marching on the right-hand side of the road, width permitting, as might be expected.

[Marilyne]

Chris just answered the question… still having Young's "ASC" on my desk before returning it to the Library I did a quick look through the index but found Nothing that could indicate the answer's in that book anyway.

 

Howard, I like your post… what you see there is the classic logistic circuit, like we still have them today, the idea being that one enters the logistic circuit at one point, do your turn at Cl I, III, V and then leave again (in the"pull" system). I've drawn the one and other in my time at Log school… seeing one dating 14-18 is quite interesting.

do you have more of those???

 

M.