On September 3 in 1967, all traffic in Sweden switched from the left side of the road to the right. All traffic had been banned from the roads from 1:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. on the day of the switch to allow work crews time to change signs; then, very cautiously, everybody started driving on the opposite side of the road.
The Swedes didn't want to switch. No one likes to change the way they've been doing a thing all their lives. But the government said it was going to happen and so it did. All the other countries in continental Europe drove on the right side, including Sweden's neighbors Norway and Finland. And most Swedes already drove cars with the steering wheel on the left side.
No one knows why the Swedes started driving on the left side originally. It hadn't been a problem when there weren't that many cars on the road. But after the war when everyone started buying cars and the number of accidents increased, the government decided Sweden needed to get in step with the rest of the continent.
On the advice of psychologists, the government began an education program in 1963. The coming change was called Högertrafik, the Swedish word for "right traffic." The big blue H logo was plastered everywhere including on milk cartons and underwear. There was a contest for songs about the change and the winner was "Keep to the right, Svensson." It reached #4 on the Hit Parade
As part of the change, every intersection was equipped with an extra set of poles and signals. New lines were painted on the road and covered in black tape until H Day. The new lines were white replacing the old yellow lines. Over 350,000 signs had to be removed or replaced. It was the biggest logistical event in Sweden's history.
The British reporters who showed up on H Day to gloat at the expected chaos were disappointed. The change went smoothly as everyone was super cautious at first. The accident rate went down for a while, but returned to its normal level after a few weeks.
Why did the British and their former colonies drive on the left? The theory goes back to Roman days. Most people were right handed and you wanted to be able to defend yourself with your sword in your right hand so you drove your cart or chariot to the left. But Napoleon was left handed so he and the rest of the continent kept to the right. These are just theories.
If you've ever driven a car in a country that drives on the left, you can appreciate what a mind blowing experience the Swedes put themselves through. Teresa and I drove a rental car around England for three weeks on one vacation. It was not a relaxing experience. You have to stay constantly alert. It's particularly tough for older drivers. I think it would have taken me another three weeks, then three more before I would feel competent to daydream whilst tooling along England's narrow roadways.
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H Day logo: Europeans put the day of the month on the left, dammit! |
So, I guess I'll have to put your fork on the right and your spoon on the left tomorrow night, in honor of your post. Ha!
ReplyDelete"Sven & Ula Do Dublin". THE RAVEN Vol 7, Issue 1, 2003
ReplyDelete"Sven was supposed to be the navigator and alternate driver, but it was Inga who helped Ula (Chairman Joe) navigate the mountainous regions of the Dingle coast. She drove from the backseat and guided him verbally using a series of high-pitched wails, tension-filled inhalations, and dramatic gasps, contorting her face in varying expressions from elation to horror along the treacherously narrow winding roads above the crashing waves, fearing that in his gross ineptitude he would plunge the van into a deep valley or ocean depth ..."