necoandjeff wrote:

> John W. wrote:
>> John W. wrote:
>>> necoandjeff wrote:
>>>
>>>> Does anyone know the origin of driving on the left side of the
>>>> street in Japan? I seem to recall hearing from someone a long time
>>>> ago (it may have even been my Iaido buddies) that it was actually
>>>> an established custom long
>>>> before automobiles, and that passing on the left had to do with
>>>> drawing one's sword (if you were to pass on the right it would be
>>>> difficult to draw
>>>> your sword and strike in the event you are attacked since you draw
>>>> from left
>>>> to right.) A friend, on the other hand, seems to think it was a more
>>>> recent
>>>> development and had to do with an early association between Japan
>>>> and British motor car companies. I did a quick Google search and
>>>> didn't
>>>> come up
>>>> with much.
>>>>
>>> Did a Yahoo! search for [japan driving on the left why] (no
>>> brackets), and came up with ample results. The first one I checked
>>> out was Japan-Guide, which led to http://www.2pass.co.uk/japan.htm.
>>> Confirms the samurai theory, with some historical notes from folks
>>> who witnessed the behavior.
>>>
>> Note that the above site also mentions that Japan got their rail
>> system from the UK, and that enforced the previous samurai behavior.
>> Somehow
>> the notion that the British rail system is more efficient is...
>> interesting.
> 
> I haven't been to Britain but given how impeccable the Japanese rail
> system is, I'm guessing that the pupil has basically become the master
> here. The BART system here in San Francisco sure could learn a hell of a
> lot from the Japanese...

If you think that's bad, try the CTA here in Chicago.  Abysmal at best.

> Jeff

-- 
Preston Kutzner
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