Stockholm 1958

[geogphotos]

Something about the traffic confused me. Now I know the answer.

 

Just posting because I thought it might be of interest. Makes a change from me moaning and groaning about things.

 

 

Edited July 18, 2022 by geogphotos

[geogphotos]

They are driving on the left. 

 

They don't now.

 

"Dagen H, today usually called "Högertrafikomläggningen", was 3 September 1967, the day Sweden switched from driving on the left-hand side of the road to the right. The "H" stands for "Högertrafik", the Swedish word for right-hand traffic."

 

Imagine!

Edited July 18, 2022 by geogphotos

[Betty LaRue]

When we vacationed in St. Croix, we rented a car to get around the island. They also drive on the

left side of the road, and I had to concentrate every second to stay there. If my sister spoke to me and I listened, I found myself almost drifting back to what I was used to in the states. Yet the car we rented was set up exactly like here, with the steering wheel on the left. I’m confused just trying to write about it! 😂

It would be interesting to have the number of accidents for the last year before the change vs the first year after the new change while people were trying to adapt.

[Michael Ventura]

I have driven quite a bit on British or former British islands and, like you Betty, I really had to concentrate to keep me from using my “muscle memory” and drift to the wrong side of the road, especially when pulling out from a parking lot or something similar.  No accidents thank goodness!

[geogphotos]

At 5am on 3 September 1967 Sweden switched from left to right. 

[Allan Bell]

7 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

I have driven quite a bit on British or former British islands and, like you Betty, I really had to concentrate to keep me from using my “muscle memory” and drift to the wrong side of the road, especially when pulling out from a parking lot or something similar.  No accidents thank goodness!

 

We have a lot US forces here who have to learn to drive on the left side of our roads but there are still accidents occurring where the US service men/women forget and drift to the wrong side.

 

It is not just US personnel either I have had it happen with a continental lorry driver. I was driving on a two lane road when the lorry driver came up off a dual carriageway and turned right onto the road I was on heading straight for me. After flashing my lights and leaning on the horn as well as the brakes he swerved over to the correct side and was smiling as he went past in some confused fashion thinking he was appeasing me.

 

Allan

 

[Betty LaRue]

17 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

I have driven quite a bit on British or former British islands and, like you Betty, I really had to concentrate to keep me from using my “muscle memory” and drift to the wrong side of the road, especially when pulling out from a parking lot or something similar.  No accidents thank goodness!

Turning corners seemed to be the most difficult for me. It’s like brain freeze happened and I couldn’t quite work out what lane I needed to be in. So I wobbled (zigzagged) a lot for a few seconds while turning that first day! 😂😳 it’s like one part of my brain knew I should be in the left, while the other part shouted “DANGER! DANGER! STOP!

What was bad, is that the pilot who flew us in his small plane from Puerto Rico to St. Croix was 2 1/2 hours late. He finally wandered in looking like he’d just woken from his hangover sleep. Instead of getting to St. Croix in the daylight, we got there after dark. I had to drive in the “wrong” lane, look for side roads and try to find our out-of-the-way small resort with only headlights to help.

Edited July 19, 2022 by Betty LaRue