Eli5: If we drive on the right, the driver sits on the left; if we drive on the left, the driver sits on the right. Is there a reason/advantage for this?

Question

Recently back to Canada from Dublin, and driving here after taking a week to get used to opposite-land got me wondering.

In: 4

Answer 1

Martial combat. The origin of “driving” on the opposite side as you drive comes from martial combat, where it puts you and your opponent in favorable positions to strike at one another. Much like the size of the space shuttle, the reality has been obscured by centuries of tradition.