The division into multi-directional traffic began even when the first car was not in sight. Historians are constantly arguing about what kind of movement in Europe was the original.
In the era of the great Roman state, riders always rode on the left. This was done so that their right hand with a weapon was always ready to strike a counter enemy.
Evidence that in Rome there was no right-hand traffic, namely left-hand traffic, were the evidence found in 1998 in the English region of Swindon, where a Roman quarry was excavated, near which the broken left track was stronger than the right. In addition, in Roman dinarius, dating back to the fiftieth year BC. e., were depicted riders riding in the direction left of the crew pulled by horses.
In addition, it is much more convenient for a single crew with a coachman in front to ride on the right side, because when traveling with the rest of the crews, coachmen must pull the reins very strongly with their right hand.
In Russia, even under Tsar Peter the Great, right-hand traffic was adopted as the norm, and the sleigh and carts parted, adhering to the right side.
Subsequent emperors supported their predecessor. In 1752, Tsarina Elizaveta Petrovna, by her official decree, established and introduced the obligatory right-hand movement of carriages and wagons on Russian streets. Among Western countries, the law establishing the sides of movement was first issued in the UK: it was a bill dated 1756, according to which, on the London Bridge , movement on the left side was determined, and even then, when “moving towards”, a fine was charged - a pound of silver.
And only twenty years later, the British government issued its famous "Road Act", which prescribed the introduction of left-hand traffic. Exactly the same movement was established on the Manchester-Liverpool railway line that opened almost half a century later.
According to one of the existing versions, England borrowed this from its maritime rules, since it was an island, and the only connection with the rest of the countries was shipping: the ships passed other ships, which approached them on the right.
The countries with right-hand traffic consider Britain to be the main “culprit” of such “leftism”, which subsequently influenced some countries. Right-hand traffic is mainly associated with France. In the era of the French Revolution, a decree issued in Paris recommended that we move along the right, which is considered the "popular" side.
A little later, Napoleon strengthened this decree, ordering the military to stay in the right direction.
The right-hand movement, strange as it sounds, was connected with big politics at the beginning of the 19th century. Those countries that resisted the onslaught of Napoleonic forces — Britain, as well as Austria-Hungary, and Portugal — became “leftists,” and those that supported Napoleon — Germany, Italy, Holland, Spain, Switzerland, and Poland — switched to the right-hand traffic. At the same time, an interesting situation has developed in Austria: in some provinces the movement was "left", and in others - "right." Although only after the Anschluss with the Germans, in the thirties she completely re-qualified to the right-hand traffic.
In Europe, after the advent of the car began a real mess. Most countries traveled on the right side according to the custom imposed on them since Napoleonic times.
However, in foggy Albion, Sweden and in a certain part of Austria-Hungary, left-side traffic reigned .
At the same time, in Italy, each city generally had its own specific rules. The first cars were created with the right wheel, “wrong” for us, and regardless of which side the cars moved.
This was intended for one purpose, so that the driver could better see the car that he overtook. In addition, with the right wheel, the driver was able to get out of the car directly onto the sidewalk, and not onto the roadway.