From Lose Friends Radio comes this ‘Believe it or not’ segment Number 8, called ‘Swap lanes’. You can read the transcript below, or listen to the original broadcast by clicking on the green play button:
Jonar_Nader_08_BION_Swap_lanes.mp3
Believe it or not, according to Jonar Nader, a United Nations Sub-committee has been formed to look at the feasibility of making all member countries drive on the same side of the road. At the moment, there are compelling historical facts as to why, in the USA, drivers use the right side of the road, while those in Australia and Britain drive on the left side of the road.
Generally if a country uses the left side for driving, its pedestrians tend to also walk on the left side. Singapore is an interesting aberration. There, although cars use the left side, pedestrian seem to walk on the right. If two people are walking towards each other in Singapore, they will each move to their right to avoid bumping into each other. This and many other idiosyncrasies are included in the discussions of the UN Sub-committee.
Critics have accused the UN of having nothing better to do, declaring that it would be impossible to ever align all countries, as the sheer logistics involved in making the necessary changes in a country like the USA or Australia would be prohibitive. Which country will agree to swap sides? How much will it cost to modify the cars? How much will it cost to move gearboxes and air bags? What about the trillions of dollars to change all the traffic lights, road signs, and other driver education?
The critical problem is that any such move would need to be made in one split second. There would have to be one single moment in time when all drivers will agree to swap sides and stay there. How many collisions would occur in those first few minutes simply because some drivers had not heard about the change?
Nations are reminded that each year, thousands of people die as a result of misunderstandings of the road rules, especially by foreigners who step off pavements and onto the road, looking in the wrong direction, only to be hit by passing traffic.
That is why at major events like the Olympics, the host City has to paint arrows on the sidewalks to remind tourists which way to look before they cross the street.
Believe it… or not.
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