document_title: Left- and right-hand traffic

question_text: what side of the street do they drive on in sweden

text: Left- and right-hand traffic

text: History[edit]

text: Ancient Greek, Egyptian, and Roman troops kept to the left when marching.[10] In 1998, archaeologists found a well-preserved double track leading to a Roman quarry near Swindon, in southern England. The grooves in the road on the left side (viewed facing down the track away from the quarry) were much deeper than those on the right side, suggesting LHT, at least at this location, since carts would exit the quarry heavily loaded, and enter it empty.[11]

text: The first reference in English law to an order for LHT was in 1756, with regard to London Bridge.[12]

text: Some historians, such as C. Northcote Parkinson, believed that ancient travellers on horseback or on foot generally kept to the left, since most people were right handed. If two men riding on horseback were to start a fight, each would edge toward the left.[10] In the year 1300, Pope Boniface VIII directed pilgrims to keep left.[10]

text: In the late 1700s, traffic in the United States was RHT based on teamsters' use of large freight wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. The wagons had no driver's seat, so the (typically right-handed) postilion held his whip in his right hand and thus sat on the left rear horse. Seated on the left, the driver preferred that other wagons pass him on the left so that he could be sure to keep clear of the wheels of oncoming wagons.[13]

text: In France, traditionally foot traffic had kept right, while carriage traffic kept left. Following the French Revolution, all traffic kept right.[12] Following the Napoleonic Wars, the French imposed RHT on parts of Europe. During the colonial period, RHT was introduced by the French in New France, French West Africa, the Maghreb, French Indochina, the West Indies, French Guiana and the Réunion, among others.

text: Meanwhile, LHT traffic was introduced by the British in Atlantic Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the East Africa Protectorate, British India, Southern Rhodesia and the Cape Colony (now Zimbabwe and South Africa), British Malaya (now Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore), British Guiana, and British Hong Kong. LHT was also introduced by the Portuguese Empire in Portuguese Macau, Colonial Brazil, East Timor, Portuguese Mozambique, and Angola.

text: The first keep-right law for driving in the United States was passed in 1792 and applied to the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike.[7] New York formalized RHT in 1804, New Jersey in 1813 and Massachusetts in 1821.[14]

text: Changing sides[edit]

text: Europe[edit]

text: Influential in Europe was the 1920 Paris Convention, which advised driving on the right-hand side of the road, in order to harmonise traffic across a continent with many borders. This was despite the fact that left-hand traffic was still widespread: in 1915 for example, LHT was introduced everywhere in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.[15] However, three years later the Empire was split up into several countries, and they all changed eventually to RHT, notably including when Nazi Germany introduced RHT with almost immediate effect in Czechoslovakia in 1938-39.[16]

text: Sweden was LHT from about 1734 to 1967,[17] despite having land borders with RHT countries, and approximately 90 percent of cars being left-hand drive (LHD) vehicles.[18] A referendum was held in 1955, with an overwhelming majority voting against a change to RHT. Nevertheless, some years later the government ordered a conversion, which took place at 5 am on Sunday, 3 September 1967. The accident rate dropped sharply after the change,[19] but soon rose back to near its original level.[20] The day was known as Dagen H ("H-Day"), the 'H' being for Högertrafik or right traffic. When Iceland switched the following year, it was known as H-dagurinn, again meaning "H-Day".[21]

text: In the late 1960s, the UK Department for Transport considered switching to RHT, but declared it unsafe and too costly for such a built-up nation.[22] Road building standards, for motorways in particular, allow asymmetrically designed road junctions, where merge and diverge lanes differ in length.[23]

text: Asia and the Pacific[edit]

text: China adopted RHT in 1946. Taiwan changed to driving on the right at the same time. Hong Kong and Macau continue to be LHT.

text: Both North Korea and South Korea switched to RHT in September 1945 after liberation from Japan which was defeated and surrendered by the Allies.

text: Myanmar switched to RHT in 1970.[24]

text: Samoa, a former German colony, had been RHT for more than a century. It switched to LHT in 2009,[25] being the first territory in almost 30 years to switch.[26] The move was legislated in 2008 to allow Samoans to use cheaper right hand drive (RHD) vehicles imported from Australia, New Zealand or Japan, and to harmonise with other South Pacific nations. A political party, The People's Party, was formed to try to protest against the change, a protest group which launched a legal challenge,[27] and an estimated 18,000 people attending demonstrations against it.[28] The motor industry was also opposed, as 14,000 of Samoa's 18,000 vehicles are designed for RHT and the government has refused to meet the cost of conversion.[26] After months of preparation, the switch from right to left happened in an atmosphere of national celebration. There were no reported incidents.[3] At 05:50 local time, Monday 7 September, a radio announcement halted traffic, and an announcement at 6:00 ordered traffic to switch to LHT.[25] The change coincided with more restrictive enforcement of speeding and seat-belt laws.[29] That day and the following day were declared public holidays, to reduce traffic.[30] The change included a three-day ban on alcohol sales, while police mounted dozens of checkpoints, warning drivers to drive slowly.[3]

text: The Philippines was mostly LHT during its Spanish[31] and American colonial periods,[32][33] the latter despite United States switch to RHT in the 1930s (see above); as well as during the Commonwealth era.[34] During the Japanese occupation the Philippines remained LHT,[35] also because LHT had been required by the Japanese;[36] but during the Battle of Manila the liberating American forces drove their tanks to the right for easier facilitation of movement. RHT was formally finalised by Executive Order No. 34 signed by President Sergio Osmeña on 10 March 1945.[37]

text: Africa[edit]

text: A number of non-contiguous former British colonies in West Africa originally drove LHT and switched to RHT in the early 1970s to match the surrounding countries. Sierra Leone switched to RHT in 1971, Nigeria in 1972 and Ghana in 1974. Before this period The Gambia, a country entirely contained within RHT Senegal, had officially switched to RHT in 1965.

text: Rwanda, a former Belgian colony in central Africa, is RHT but is considering switching to LHT, to bring the country in line with other members of the East African Community (EAC).[38] A survey, carried out in 2009, indicated that 54% of Rwandans were in favour of the switch. Reasons cited were the perceived lower costs of RHD vehicles as opposed to LHD versions of the same model, easier maintenance and the political benefit of harmonisation of traffic regulations with other EAC countries. The same survey also indicated that RHD cars are 16 to 49 per cent cheaper than their LHD equivalents.[39] In 2014 an internal report from consultants to the Ministry of Infrastructure recommended a switch to LHT.[40] In 2015, the ban on RHD vehicles was lifted; RHD trucks from neighbouring countries cost $1000 less than LHD models imported from Europe.[41][42]

text: Changing sides at borders[edit]

text: Although many LHT jurisdictions are on islands, there are cases where vehicles may be driven from LHT across a border into a RHT area. The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic regulates the use of foreign registered vehicles in the 72 countries that are parties to the 1968 agreement.

text: Although the United Kingdom is separated from Continental Europe by the English Channel, the level of cross-Channel traffic is very high; the Channel Tunnel alone carries 3.5 million vehicles per year between the UK and France.

text: Some countries have borders where drivers must switch from LHT to RHT and vice versa.

text: LHT Thailand has three RHT neighbours: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar. Most of its borders use a simple traffic light to do the switch, but there are also interchanges which enable the switch while keeping up a continuous flow of traffic.[43]

text: There are four road border crossing points between Hong Kong and Mainland China. In 2006, the daily average number of vehicle trips recorded at Lok Ma Chau was 31,100.[44] The next largest is Man Kam To, where there is no changeover system and the border roads on the mainland side Wenjindu intersect as one-way streets with a main road.

text: The Takutu River Bridge (which links LHT Guyana and RHT Brazil[45]) is the only border in the Americas where traffic changes sides.

text: Road vehicle configurations[edit]

text: Driver seating position[edit]

text: In RHT jurisdictions, vehicles are configured with LHD, with the driver sitting on the left side. In LHT jurisdictions, the reverse is true. The driver's side, the side closest to the centre of the road, is sometimes called the offside, while the passenger side, the side closest to the side of the road, is sometimes called the nearside.[46]

text: Historically there was less consistency in the relationship of the position of the driver to the handedness of traffic. Most American cars produced before 1910 were RHD.[7] In 1908 Henry Ford standardised the Model T as LHD in RHT America,[7] arguing that with RHD and RHT, the passenger was obliged to "get out on the street side and walk around the car" and that with steering from the left, the driver "is able to see even the wheels of the other car and easily avoids danger."[47] By 1915 other manufacturers followed Ford's lead, due to the popularity of the Model T.[7]

text: In specialised cases, the driver will sit on the nearside, or kerbside. Examples include:

text:
Where the driver needs a good view of the nearside, e.g. street sweepers, or vehicles driven along unstable road edges.[48]
Where it is more convenient for the driver to be on the nearside, e.g. delivery vehicles. The Grumman LLV is widely used on RHD configurations in RHT North America. Some Unimogs are designed to be switch between LHD and RHD to permit operators to work on the more convenient side of the truck.

text: Generally, the convention is to mount a motorcycle on the left,[49] and kickstands are usually on the left[50] which makes it more convenient to mount on the safer kerbside[50] as is the case in LHT. Some jurisdictions prohibit fitting a sidecar to a motorcycle's offside.[51][52]

text: Headlamps[edit]

text: The projection of light from low-beam headlamps is asymmetrical. The kerbside lamp projects light forwards, while the other headlamp dips the beam down and away from oncoming traffic, so as not to dazzle drivers coming in the opposite direction. In Europe, headlamps approved for use on one side of the road must be adaptable to produce adequate illumination with controlled glare for temporarily driving on the other side of the road.[53] This is done by affixing masking strips or prismatic lenses to a designated part of the lens or by moving all or part of the headlamp optic so all or part of the beam is shifted or the asymmetrical portion is occluded.[53] Some cars have a built-in adjustment to adapt the projection mechanically.[54]

text: Crash Testing differences[edit]

text: Some crash test results indicate that the RHD variant of a vehicle primarily developed for a LHD country may not protect the driver as well as the LHD variant, although differences in testing methodology could also cause the results to vary. [55]

text: One of the possible causes of this difference in crash test results is the RHD variant will not be an exact mirror image of the LHD variant. The number of differences in chassis, bodywork and parts needed to produce the RHD variant will be minimised to reduce the cost. The RHD vehicle is usually a variant of the LHD markets, due to potentially lower sales volumes of the RHD variant. When minimising the changes needed for the RDH variant, there is a possibility that key strengthening structures that would protect the driver in a crash may not be transferred to the driver side in the RHD variant. (There are no easily reference-able sources for LHD variant performing less well in crash testing than the RHD variant where the vehicle is primarily manufactured for/in RHD markets).

text: It is commonplace in Europe for only the LHD variant of a vehicle to be tested under the Euro NCAP crash testing scheme, although the result will be used in the promotion of the RHD variant in European countries which operate LHT.

text: Worldwide distribution by country[edit]

text: Of the 193 countries currently recognised by the United Nations (and the unrecognised Palestine), 140 use RHT and 54 use LHT. A country and its territories and dependencies is counted once.

text:
Country
Road traffic
Road switched sides
Multi-track rail traffic generally
Notes

 Afghanistan
RHT

RHT/LHT
Was LHT until the 1950s, in line with neighbouring British Raj and later Pakistan.[56]

 Albania
RHT[57]

RHT

 Algeria
RHT[57]

 Andorra
RHT[57]

 Angola
RHT[57]
1928

 Antigua and Barbuda
LHT[57]

 Argentina
RHT
10 June 1945
LHT
The anniversary on 10 June is still observed each year as Día de la Seguridad Vial (road safety day).[58]
The Metrotranvía Mendoza uses RHT.

 Armenia
RHT[57]

RHT

 Australia
LHT[59]

LHT
Commonwealth. Includes  Christmas Island,  Cocos Islands,  Norfolk Island

 Austria
RHT
1921 in Vorarlberg, 1930 in North Tyrol, 1935 in Carinthia and East Tyrol, 1938 in the rest of the country.
RHT[60]
Originally LHT, like most of former Austria-Hungary.

 Azerbaijan
RHT[57]

RHT

 Bahamas
LHT[57]

In Bahamas LHD vehicles are common due to the import of used cars from nearby USA[61].

 Bahrain
RHT
1967

Former British protectorate. Switched to same side as neighbours.[62]

 Bangladesh
LHT[57]

LHT

 Barbados
LHT

 Belgium
RHT[57]
1899
LHT
The Brussels Metro uses RHT.

 Belarus
RHT[57]

RHT

 Belize
RHT
1961[2]

Former British colony. Switched to same side as neighbours.

 Benin
RHT[57]

 Bhutan
LHT[57]

Under British protection before 1949.

 Bolivia
RHT[57]

 Botswana
LHT[57]

 Brazil
RHT
1928[57]
LHT
A Portuguese colony until the early 19th century, switched some states still using LHT[63] to RHT in 1928.[64]
Most metro systems use RHT.

 Brunei
LHT[57]

 Bosnia and Herzegovina
RHT[57]

RHT[65]
Switched sides after the collapse of Austria-Hungary.

 Bulgaria
RHT[57]

RHT

 Burkina Faso
RHT[57]

 Burundi
RHT

Considering switching to LHT[66] in line with neighbours Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

 Cambodia
RHT

RHT implemented while part of French Indochina. RHD cars, many of which were smuggled from Thailand, were banned from 2001, even though they accounted for 80% of vehicles in the country.[67]

 Cameroon
RHT[57]
1961

 Canada
RHT
1920s
RHT
Territories now in Canada have always been RHT, except British Columbia, which changed to RHT in stages from 1920 to 1923,[68][69] and New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island which changed in 1922, 1923, and 1924 respectively.[70] Newfoundland and Labrador changed to RHT in 1947 while still a dominion of the British Empire, two years before joining Canada.[71]

 Cape Verde
RHT[57]
1928

 Central African Republic
RHT[57]

 Chad
RHT[57]

 Chile
RHT[57]

LHT
The Santiago Metro uses RHT.

 China
RHT
(Mainland China)
LHT
(Hong Kong & Macau)[59]
1946
RHT/LHT
At one time, northern provinces were RHT due to American influence, while southern provinces were LHT due to British influence. LHT was uniform in the 1930s. China includes LHT  Hong Kong and  Macau, former colonies of Britain and Portugal, respectively.
Most metro systems use RHT, with the exception of the Hong Kong MTR.

 Colombia
RHT[57]

RHT

 Comoros
RHT[57]

 Congo
RHT[57]

 Democratic Republic of Congo
RHT[57]

 Costa Rica
RHT[57]

 Côte d'Ivoire
RHT[57]

 Croatia
RHT[57]

RHT
Istria and Dalmatia were RHT, while Croatia-Slavonia was LHT when Croatia was part of Austria-Hungary [72]. The LHT regions switched to RHT on joining the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

 Cuba
RHT[57]

 Cyprus
LHT[57]

Former British colony.

 Czech Republic
RHT[57]
1939
RHT
Was LHT, like most of former Austria-Hungary, switched during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia.

 Denmark
RHT

RHT[73]
Includes  Faroe Islands and  Greenland

 Djibouti
RHT[57]

 Dominica
LHT[57]

Former British colony.

 Dominican Republic
RHT[57]

 East Timor
LHT
1976

Originally LHT, like its colonial power Portugal. Switched to RHT with Portugal in 1928.[2] Under the Indonesian occupation of East Timor, changed back to LHT in 1976.

 Ecuador
RHT[57]

LHT

 Egypt
RHT[57]

LHT
Road vehicles are RHT due to French influence, but railway system was built by British companies.

 El Salvador
RHT[57]

 Equatorial Guinea
RHT[57]

 Eritrea
RHT[57]
1964

 Estonia
RHT[57]

RHT

 Ethiopia
RHT[57]
1964
LHT
The Addis Ababa Light Rail runs on the right.

 Fiji
LHT

 Finland
RHT
1858
RHT/LHT
Formerly ruled by LHT Sweden, switched to RHT as the Grand Duchy of Finland by Russian decree.[74] Majority of Helsinki commuter rail uses LHT.

 France
RHT
1792
LHT[75]/RHT
Includes  French Polynesia,  New Caledonia,  Saint Pierre and Miquelon,  Wallis and Futuna,  French Guiana,  Réunion,  Saint Barthélemy,  Collectivity of Saint Martin,  Guadeloupe,  Mayotte.
Most metro systems use RHT, except for the Lyon Metro.

 Gabon
RHT[57]

 Gambia
RHT [57]
1965

 Georgia
RHT[57]

RHT
About 40% vehicles in Georgia are RHD due to low cost of used cars from Japan[76].

 Germany
RHT[77]

RHT

 Ghana
RHT
1974

Former British colony. When changing to RHT a Twi language slogan was "Nifa, Nifa Enan" or "Right, Right, Fourth".[78]

 Greece
RHT[57]

RHT

 Grenada
LHT[57]

 Guatemala
RHT[57]

 Guinea
RHT[57]

 Guinea-Bissau
RHT[57]
1928

 Guyana
LHT[57]

 Haiti
RHT[57]

 Honduras
RHT[57]

 Hungary
RHT[57]
1941
RHT
Originally LHT, like most of Austria-Hungary.

 Iceland
RHT
1968

The day of the switch was known as H-dagurinn. Most passenger cars were already LHD.

 Iran
RHT[57]

RHT

 Iraq
RHT[57]

LHT

 India
LHT[57]

LHT
Former British colony.

 Indonesia
LHT[59]

RHT[79]
The Jakarta MRT will use LHT.

 Ireland
LHT[57]

LHT
Former British Dominion.

 Israel
RHT[57]

LHT
The Jerusalem Light Rail uses RHT.

 Italy
RHT
1920s
LHT
Until 1927 the countryside was RHT while cities were LHT.[80] Rome changed to RHT in 1924 and Milan in 1926. Alfa Romeo and Lancia did not produce LHD cars until as late as 1950 and 1953 respectively, as many drivers favoured the RHD layout even in RHT as this offered the driver a clearer view of the edge of the road in mountainous regions at a time when many such roads lacked barriers or walls.[81]
The metro systems in Brescia, Genoa, Milan, and Turin use RHT, as well as all tram systems.

 Jamaica
LHT[57]

 Japan
LHT[82]

LHT
Post-World War II Okinawa was ruled by the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands and was RHT. It was returned to Japan in 1972 went LHT in 1978.[83] The conversion operation was known as 730 (Nana-San-Maru, which means Nana(7)-San(3)-Maru(0)). Okinawa is one of few places to have changed from RHT to LHT in the late 20th century.

 Jordan
RHT[57]

RHT, despite the Mandate for Palestine and the Transjordan memorandum being under British rule till 1946.

 Kazakhstan
RHT[57]

RHT

 Kenya
LHT[84]

British colony until 1963.

 Kiribati
LHT[57]

 North Korea and  South Korea
RHT
1946
LHT
Korea had been LHT because of the influence of Japan in the 1900s. Switched to RHT under Soviet and American occupation after 1945.
Most metro systems in South Korea use RHT (exceptions include Seoul Subway Line 1 and the Bundang Line); metro system in Pyongyang uses a mixture of RHT and LHT.

 Kuwait
RHT[57]

 Kyrgyzstan
RHT

RHT
Former part of RHT Soviet Union. In 2012, over 20,000 cheaper used RHD cars were imported from Japan.[85]

 Laos
RHT[57]

LHT
RHT implemented while part of French Indochina.

 Latvia
RHT[57]

RHT

 Lebanon
RHT[57]

Former French mandate.

 Lesotho
LHT[57]

 Liberia
RHT[57]

 Libya
RHT[57]

 Liechtenstein
RHT[57]

RHT

 Lithuania
RHT[57]

RHT

 Luxembourg
RHT[57]

RHT

 Macedonia
RHT[57]

RHT

 Madagascar
RHT[57]

 Malawi
LHT[57]

 Malaysia
LHT[57]

LHT
Former British colony.

 Maldives
LHT[57]

 Mali
RHT[57]

 Malta
LHT[57]

British colony until 1964.

 Marshall Islands
RHT[57]

 Mauritania
RHT

Mining roads between Fdérik and Zouérat are LHT.[86]

 Mauritius
LHT[57]

Former British colony. Island nation.

 Mexico
RHT[57]

RHT

 Micronesia
RHT [57]

 Moldova
RHT[57]

RHT

 Monaco
RHT[57]

LHT

 Mongolia
RHT[57]

RHT

 Montenegro
RHT[57]

RHT

 Morocco
RHT[57]

RHT

 Mozambique
LHT[87]

LHT

 Myanmar
RHT
1970
LHT
Much of infrastructure still geared to LHT, most cars are pre-owned RHD vehicles, imported from Japan.[88]

 Netherlands
RHT
1906[89]
RHT
Rotterdam was LHT until 1917.[90] Includes  Curaçao,  Sint Maarten, and  Aruba

 Namibia
LHT
1918

RHT as a German colony. After South Africa occupied German South-West Africa during World War I, switched to LHT.[2] South-West Africa was made a South African mandate by the League of Nations, and the new rule of the road was established in law.[91]

 Nauru
LHT[57]
1918

   Nepal
LHT[92]

 New Zealand
LHT[59]

LHT
Includes territories  Niue and  Cook Islands

 Nicaragua
RHT[57]

 Niger
RHT[57]

 Nigeria
RHT
1972[93]
LHT
Former British colony. Switched to RHT as it is surrounded by former French RHT colonies.

 Norway
RHT[57]

RHT

 Oman
RHT

Not a party to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and bans all foreign-registered RHD vehicles.[94]

 Palau
RHT[57]

RHT

 Palestine
RHT[57]

 Pakistan
LHT[57]

LHT

 Panama
RHT
1943[95]

 Papua New Guinea
LHT[57]

 Paraguay
RHT
1945[96]

 Peru
RHT[57]

LHT

 Philippines
RHT
1946[37]
RHT
LHT up until the Battle of Manila in 1945

 Poland
RHT

RHT
Partitions of Poland belonging to the German Empire and the Russian Empire were RHT. Partitions that were part of Austria-Hungary were LHT and changed to RHT in the 1920s.[97]

 Portugal
RHT[59]
1928
LHT
Colonies Goa, Macau and Mozambique, which had land borders with LHT countries, did not switch and continue to drive on the left.[87] The Porto Metro uses RHT.

 Qatar
RHT[57]

 Romania
RHT[57]

RHT

 Russia
RHT[57]

RHT
In the Russian Far East RHD vehicles are common due to the import of used cars from nearby Japan.[98] Railway between Moscow and Ryazan is LHT. Sormovskaya line in Nizhny Novgorod Metro also uses LHT.

 Rwanda
RHT[66]

Former Belgian mandate. Considering switching to LHT[66][99] like its neighbours Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

 Saint Kitts and Nevis
LHT

 Saint Lucia
LHT

 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
LHT

 Samoa
LHT
2009

Switched to LHT to allow the import of cars more cheaply from Australia, New Zealand and Japan.[59]

 San Marino
RHT[57]

 São Tomé and Príncipe
RHT[57]
1928

 Saudi Arabia
RHT[57]

LHT
The Makkah Metro uses RHT.

 Senegal
RHT[57]

 Serbia
RHT[57]

RHT
Vojvodina was LHT while part of Austria-Hungary.

 Seychelles
LHT[57]

 Sierra Leone
RHT
1971[100]

Importation of RHD vehicles was banned in 2013.[101]

 Singapore
LHT[57]

LHT
Former British colony.

 Slovakia
RHT[57]
1939–41
RHT

 Slovenia
RHT[57]

LHT

 Solomon Islands
LHT[57]

 Somalia
RHT
1968[102]

 South Africa
LHT[103][104]

LHT
Former British colony.

 South Sudan
RHT
1973

Was LHT during the period of British colonial rule. Split from Sudan in 2011 after the majority of the population voted for independence.

 Spain
RHT
1924
RHT
Up to the 1920s Barcelona was RHT, and Madrid was LHT until 1924. The Madrid and Bilbao metro systems use LHT.[105]

 Sri Lanka
LHT[57]

LHT
Former British Colony.

 Sudan
RHT[57]
1973

Former British Colony.

 Suriname
LHT[57]

 Swaziland
LHT[57]

 Sweden
RHT[57]
1967
LHT
The day of the switch was known as Dagen H. Most passenger cars were already LHD. The tram systems in Gothenburg and Norrköping use RHT; the tram system in Stockholm is mostly RHT but some LHT.[106] The railways in Malmö uses RHT due to the connection to Denmark.

  Switzerland
RHT[57]

LHT
The tram system in Zurich and the Lausanne Metro use RHT.

 Syria
RHT[57]

 Taiwan
RHT
1946
LHT
Was LHT during the period of Japanese rule. The government of the Republic of China changed Taiwan to RHT in 1946 along with the rest of China.[107] Most metro systems use RHT.

 Tajikistan
RHT[57]

RHT

 Tanzania
LHT[57]

 Thailand
LHT[59]

LHT
One of the few LHT countries not a former British colony. Shares long land border with RHT Laos and Cambodia.

 Togo
RHT[57]

 Tonga
LHT[57]

 Trinidad and Tobago
LHT[108]

Former British colony.

 Tunisia
RHT[57]

LHT
French RHT was enforced in the French protectorate of Tunisia from 1881.

 Turkey
RHT[57]

RHT

 Turkmenistan
RHT[57]

RHT

 Tuvalu
LHT[57]

 Uganda
LHT[57]

 Ukraine
RHT
1922[97]
RHT
West Ukraine was LHT, like most of former Austria-Hungary. Carpathian Ruthenia remained LHT as part of Czechoslovakia before switching in 1941 as part of Hungary. The rest of Ukraine, having been part of the Russian Empire, already drove on the right.
Some sections of Kryvyi Rih Metrotram use LHT due to tramcars have doors only on right side, which makes it impossible to use RHT at stations with island platforms[109].

 United Arab Emirates
RHT[57]

RHT

 United Kingdom
LHT

LHT/RHT
Includes Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories  Isle of Man,  Guernsey,  Jersey,  Anguilla,  Bermuda,  British Virgin Islands,  Cayman Islands,  Falkland Islands,  Montserrat,  Pitcairn Islands,  Turks and Caicos Islands,  Saint Helena, Ascension, Tristan da Cunha are all left hand drive.  Gibraltar has been RHT since 1929 because of its land border with Spain.[110] The Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey) drove on the right under German occupation until their liberation in 1945.[111] The Falkland Islands similarly drove on the right during their occupation by Argentina in 1982.[112]

 United States
RHT

RHT/LHT[113]
Includes  American Samoa,  Guam,  Northern Mariana Islands,  Puerto Rico.  U.S. Virgin Islands is LHT, like much of the Caribbean.

 Uruguay
RHT[96]
1945
LHT
Became LHT in 1918, but as in some other countries in South America, changed to RHT on 2 September 1945. A speed limit of 30 km/h (19 mph) was observed until 30 September for safety.

 Uzbekistan
RHT[57]

RHT

 Vanuatu
RHT[114]

 Venezuela
RHT[57]

LHT
The Caracas Metro uses RHT.

 Vietnam
RHT[57]

LHT
Became RHT as French Indochina.

 Yemen
RHT
1977[2]

South Yemen, formerly the British colony of Aden, changed to RHT 1977. A series of postage stamps commemorating the event was issued.[115] North Yemen was already RHT.

 Zambia
LHT[57]

 Zimbabwe
LHT

LHT
Former British colony. In 2010 the government attempted to ban LHD vehicles.[116]

text: Traffic behaviour[edit]

text:
Manoeuvre
LHT
RHT

Unless overtaking stay on the
left
right

In roundabouts traffic rotates
clockwise
anticlockwise

Oncoming traffic is seen coming from the
right
left

Traffic must cross oncoming traffic when turning
right
left

Most traffic signs are on the
left
right

Pedestrians crossing a two-way road look first for traffic from their
right
left

Dual carriageway ramps are on the
left
right

After stopping at a red light it may be legal to turn
left
right

text: Gallery[edit]

text:
Gibraltar is RHT (since 1929)

A sign reminding motorists to keep left in Australia

Vehicles entering and leaving Macau cross over each other at the Lotus Bridge.

Sign reminding motorists to drive on the left in Ireland

The entrance to the Channel Tunnel in France.


document_title: Government of Virginia

question_text: what are the three types of local government in virginia

root

text: Government of Virginia

text: Executive branch[edit]

text: The statewide elected officials are governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.

tag: p

text: All three officers are separately elected to four-year terms in years following Presidential elections (1997, 2001, 2005, etc.) and take office in January of the following year. Virginia is one of only five states that elects its state officials in odd numbered years (the others are Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and New Jersey). The last gubernatorial election was in 2017, and the next will occur in 2021.

text: The governor serves as chief executive officer of the Commonwealth and as commander-in-chief of its militia. The Constitution does not allow a governor to succeed himself in office (though a governor is allowed to serve multiple non-consecutive terms). The Lieutenant Governor, who is not elected on the same ticket as the governor, serves as president of the Senate of Virginia and is first in the line of succession to the governor. The Lieutenant Governor is allowed to run for reelection. The Attorney General is chief legal advisor to the governor and the General Assembly, chief lawyer of the Commonwealth and the head of the Department of Law. The attorney general is second in the line of succession to the governor. Whenever there is a vacancy in all three executive offices of governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, then the Speaker of the House of the Virginia House of Delegates becomes governor.

text: Cabinet[edit]

text: The Virginia Governor's Cabinet is a body of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch, responsible for advising the Governor. It is composed of the following offices,[1] nominated by the Governor and then presented to the Virginia General Assembly for confirmation:

text:
Chief of Staff
Deputy Chief of Staff
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Secretary of Administration
Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry
Secretary of Commerce and Trade
Secretary of Education
Secretary of Finance
Secretary of Health and Human Resources
Secretary of Natural Resources
Secretary of Public Safety
Secretary of Technology
Secretary of Transportation
Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security

tag: ul

text: Many executive branch agencies have the authority to promulgate regulations. Proposals to create or amend state regulations are often subject to review by the executive branch.

text: Legislative branch[edit]

text: The legislative branch or state legislature is the General Assembly. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members, and an upper house, the Senate of Virginia, with 40 members. Combined together, the General Assembly consists of 140 elected representatives from an equal number of constituent districts across the commonwealth. The General Assembly holds sessions in the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond.

text: The House of Delegates is presided over by the Speaker of the House, while the Senate is presided over by the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. The House and Senate each elect a clerk and sergeant-at-arms. The Senate of Virginia's clerk is known as the "Clerk of the Senate" (instead of as the "Secretary of the Senate," the title used in the United States Senate). The General Assembly also selects the Commonwealth's Auditor of Public Accounts. The statutory law enacted by the General Assembly is codified in the Code of Virginia.

text: Judiciary[edit]

text: The judiciary of Virginia is defined under the Constitution and law of Virginia and is composed of the Supreme Court of Virginia and subordinate courts, including the Court of Appeals, the Circuit Courts, and the General District Courts. Its administration is headed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Judicial Council, the Committee on District Courts, the Judicial Conferences, and various other officers.

text: Local government[edit]

text: The political subdivisions of Virginia are the areas into which the state is divided for political and administrative purposes. In Virginia, the political subdivisions have only the legal powers specifically granted to them by the General Assembly and set forth under the Code of Virginia.

text: Some are local governments; others are not. However, all local governments (cities, counties, and incorporated towns) are political subdivisions of the state. All public school divisions are political subdivisions of the state, although each has local and some controlling relationships of varying types with the counties, cities and/or towns they serve. Some political subdivisions are defined geographically; others by function. Many authorities (such as water, or transportation districts) are created by specific legislation as political subdivisions of the state.

text: Structure and authority[edit]

text: Every location in Virginia is within a county or an independent city, but never both. The 95 counties and the 39 independent cities all have their own governments. Cities are governed by an elected Mayor or city council which choose a city manager or county administrator to serve as a professional, non-political chief administrator under the council-manager form of government, while counties are governed by a county board of supervisors.[2] Many specifics are set forth in "charters", specific legislation adopted by the General Assembly. Other forms of local government are also provided by statute.[3]

text: Virginia limits the authority of cities and counties to enact ordinances by what is known as the Dillon's Rule. Counties and cities may only pass laws expressly allowed by the state legislature or which are necessary to effect powers granted by the state.[4] Dillon's Rule will invalidate local ordinances that exceed authority granted by the state.[5]

text: There are exceptions to the general structure for counties and cities, notably the City of Richmond, which has a popularly elected mayor who serves as chief executive separate from the city council, an innovative arrangement which has caused some local turmoil under the first mayor so elected, former Governor Lawrence D. Wilder. As of November 2007, the courts were in the process of clarifying the duties and powers, and limitations thereupon in response to multiple lawsuits filed by other locally elected officials.[6]

text: Officers[edit]

text: Local government consists of city and county officers, as well as people who are known as constitutional officers. The positions of these constitutional officers are provided for by the Virginia Constitution. Article 7, Section 4 of the Virginia constitution provides, "There shall be elected by the qualified voters of each county and city a treasurer, a sheriff, an attorney for the Commonwealth, a clerk, who shall be clerk of the court in the office of which deeds are recorded, and a commissioner of revenue." The local constitutional offices are not appointed by the city or county. The Judges of the Circuit Court, the General District Court and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court are appointed by the State legislature. The constitutional officers have salaries set by the state through its compensation board,[7] although the locality may supplement the salaries.[8] This structure allows those officers a measure of independence within the local government setting.

text: The Commonwealth's Attorney is the elected prosecuting attorney for the locality.[9] The Sheriff is the law enforcement officer for localities without a police department. Where a police department has been established, the Sheriff remains authorized to enforce the criminal laws.[10] The Sheriff, however, is responsible for the operation of the local jail, courthouse security and service of civil papers and may also execute criminal warrants.[11]

text: History[edit]

text: Founded in 1619, the Virginia General Assembly is still in existence as the oldest legislature in the New World. In colonial Virginia, the lower house of the legislature was called the House of Burgesses. Together with the Governor's Council, the House of Burgesses made up the "General Assembly". The Governor's Council was composed of 12 men appointed by the British Monarch to advise the Governor. The Council also served as the "General Court" of the colony, a colonial equivalent of a Supreme Court. Members of the House of Burgesses were chosen by all those who could vote in the colony. Each county chose two people or burgesses to represent it, while the College of William and Mary and the cities of Norfolk, Williamsburg and Jamestown each chose one burgess. The Burgesses met to make laws for the colony and set the direction for its future growth; the Council would then review the laws and either approve or disapprove them. The approval of the Burgesses, the Council, and the governor was needed to pass a law. The idea of electing burgesses was important and new. It gave Virginians a chance to control their own government for the first time. At first, the burgesses were elected by all free men in the colony. Women, indentured servants, and Native Americans could not vote. Later the rules for voting changed, making it necessary for men to own at least fifty acres (200,000 m²) of land in order to vote.

text: Like many other states, by the 1850s Virginia featured a state legislature, several executive officers, and an independent judiciary. By the time of the Constitution of 1901, which lasted longer than any other state constitution, the General Assembly continued as the legislature, the Supreme Court of Appeals acted as the judiciary, and the eight executive officers were elected: the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth, State Treasurer, Auditor of Public Accounts, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Commissioner of Agriculture and Immigration. The Constitution of 1901 was amended many times, notably in the 1930s and 1950s, before it was abandoned in favor of more modern government, with fewer elected officials, reformed local governments and a more streamlined judiciary.


document_title: The Girl on the Train (2016 film)

question_text: who does allison janney play in girl on the train

text: The Girl on the Train (2016 film)

text: Plot[edit]

text: Rachel Watson is an alcoholic who rides a train aimlessly since losing her job.  From the train, she fixates on the lives of her former husband, Tom Watson, and his current wife, Anna, and their neighbors, Scott and Megan Hipwell, whom she idealizes. Megan worked for the Watsons as a nanny, but recently quit.

text: During her marriage, Rachel became depressed about her infertility and developed a drinking problem that has resulted in continual blackouts and destructive behavior. At a BBQ held by Tom's boss, she drunkenly made a scene and is blamed when Tom is fired.

text: From the train, Rachel spots Megan kissing a stranger and becomes infuriated at her ruining her marriage.  She leaves to confront Megan, but hours later she wakes up in her bed, covered in blood.

text: Megan disappears and Rachel is questioned by Detective Riley because she was seen in the vicinity that day. Rachel contacts Scott, pretending to be a friend, to tell him about the affair.  Scott pulls up a picture of Megan's psychiatrist Dr. Kamal Abdic, and Rachel identifies him as the man she saw.  It is alluded to that Megan and Dr. Abdic were involved sexually.

text: Dr. Abdic told the police Scott was abusive and suspicion shifts to him.  Believing Dr. Abdic is involved in Megan's disappearance, Rachel schedules an appointment with him, but discusses her own issues.

text: Megan is found dead and tests show she was pregnant, but that neither Scott nor Dr. Abdic were the father. Scott confronts Rachel for lying to him about knowing Megan and angrily grabs her. Rachel goes to report the assault, believing Scott murdered Megan, but the detective says he has been ruled out as a suspect.

text: On the train, Rachel sees Tom's former boss's wife Martha, and apologizes for her behavior, but Martha says she did nothing wrong.  Tom had actually been fired for having sex with coworkers. Rachel realizes that Tom planted false memories in her head during her drinking binges.

text: Anna suspects Tom of cheating and finds a secret phone with text messages on it to another woman, who is revealed to be Megan when Anna calls and hears the voicemail.  Rachel goes back to the tunnel and in a flash back remembers that she caught Tom meeting Megan that day, and that Tom attacked her, injuring her.

text: Rachel goes to warn Anna, and tells her Tom is dangerous and he killed Megan. Anna knows about the affair and when Tom arrives home, both women confront him with details of the affair with Megan.  Tom knocks Rachel unconscious and in a flashback, it is revealed that Tom beat Megan to death when she announced her pregnancy and refused to get an abortion.

text: When Rachel awakens he tries to strangle her, but she gets away. Tom chases her and she stabs him in the neck with a corkscrew, and Anna twists it deeper into Tom's neck, killing him.

text: Rachel and Anna are interviewed by Detective Riley, and tell identical stories about killing Tom in self-defense, after he admitted to being Megan's killer.  Later, a now sober Rachel sits on the opposite side of the train looking forward to the future.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Emily Blunt as Rachel Watson, a lonely  alcoholic and Tom's ex-wife
Rebecca Ferguson as Anna Watson, a real estate agent and Tom's current wife
Haley Bennett as Megan Hipwell, Scott's wife
Justin Theroux as Tom Watson, Rachel's ex-husband and Anna's current husband
Luke Evans as Scott Hipwell, Megan's husband
Allison Janney as DS. Riley, a detective
Édgar Ramírez as Dr. Kamal Abdic, Megan's psychiatrist
Lisa Kudrow as Martha, the wife of Tom's former boss
Laura Prepon as Cathy, Rachel's college friend, roommate and landlord
Darren Goldstein as Man in the Suit, a stranger who witnesses Rachel's behavior

text: Production[edit]

text: DreamWorks Pictures acquired the film rights to Hawkins' novel and the film was planned for production by Marc E. Platt (through Marc Platt Productions) in March 2014.[7] In early 2015, Erin Cressida Wilson was hired to write the script[8] and Tate Taylor was hired to direct the film.[9] Hawkins told The Sunday Times that the film's setting would be moved from London to Westchester, New York.[10]

text: Casting[edit]

text: In June 2015, Emily Blunt was offered for the title role, the lonely and alcoholic divorcee Rachel.[11] The studio had eyed Kate Mara for another of the three lead roles.[11] In August, Rebecca Ferguson was confirmed to play Anna and Haley Bennett was added to the cast to play the third female lead role, Megan.[12][13]

text: Jared Leto and Chris Evans were in talks to join the film, where Evans would play Tom, Rachel's ex-husband, and Leto would play the neighbor's husband.[14] However, Justin Theroux replaced Evans and Luke Evans replaced Leto, who both left the film due to scheduling issues.[15][16] In October, Édgar Ramírez joined the film to play Dr. Kamal Abdic, who is in an affair with the married Megan, and becomes a suspect in her disappearance.[17] Allison Janney also joined the cast to play a police detective.[18] The next month, Lisa Kudrow was cast as Martha, the wife of Tom's former boss.[19] Laura Prepon joined the cast as Cathy, the landlord, roommate, and college friend of Rachel Watson.[20]

text: Filming[edit]

text: Principal photography on the film began on November 4, 2015, in New York City.[21][22] In late November 2015, filming also took place in White Plains,[23] as well as in Hastings-on-Hudson and Irvington, New York.[24] Filming wrapped up on January 30, 2016.[25]

text: Post-production[edit]

text: During post-production on the film, a cameo appearance by Paula Hawkins was cut from the film.[26]

text: Release[edit]

text: In November 2015, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures scheduled the film for an October 7, 2016, release through their Touchstone Pictures banner.[27][28][29]

text: The film was part of DreamWorks' distribution deal with Walt Disney Studios, which began in 2009. However, DreamWorks and Disney did not renew their distribution deal, and in December 2015, Universal Pictures acquired the film's distribution rights, as part of their new distribution deal with DreamWorks' parent company, Amblin Partners.[30]

text: Universal retained Disney's original release date.[6] Universal also distributed overseas, except in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where distribution was handled by Mister Smith Entertainment through other film companies.[28] Entertainment One released the film in the United Kingdom on October 5, 2016.[1]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: The Girl on the Train grossed $75.4 million in the United States and Canada and $97.8 million in other countries for a worldwide total of $173.2 million, against a production budget of $45 million.[4]

text: In the United States and Canada, the film was projected to gross around $25–30 million in its opening weekend, with some having it opening to as low as $18 million. The film was expected to play like the similarly-themed Gone Girl, which opened to $37.5 million in October 2014, although that film had more star power to carry it.[31][32] It went on to gross $24.5 million in its opening weekend, finishing first at the box office.[33] In its second weekend it grossed $12 million, finishing third at the box office.[34]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 45% based on 267 reviews, with an average rating of 5.4/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Emily Blunt's outstanding performance isn't enough to keep The Girl on the Train from sliding sluggishly into exploitative melodrama."[35] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 48 out of 100, based on 49 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[36] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale.[33]

text: IGN critic Terri Schwartz gave the film a score of 5.5/10, writing: "The Girl on the Train has a talented cast, but ultimately squanders it for the sake of a hollow, ponderous plot. Alternately overly convoluted and predictable, the film relies too heavily on its twists while offering little in the way of character development, leaving its three central women as unrelatable and unlikable stereotypes."[37]

text: Chicago Sun-Times'  Richard Roeper gave 2 stars out 4, and said that the film is "shiny trash that begins with promise but quickly gets tripped up by its own screenplay and grows increasingly ludicrous and melodramatic, to the point where I was barely able to suppress a chuckle at some of the final scenes".[38]

text: Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com gave 1½ stars out of 4, and described the film as, "a flat and suspense-free tale of pretty people in peril".[39]

text: Rolling Stone's Peter Travers gave the film a positive review, commenting that: "[T]he movie gives away the game faster than the novel, but Emily Blunt digs so deep into the role of a blackout drunk and maybe murderer that she raises Girl to the level of spellbinder."[40]

text: Accolades[edit]

text:
Award

Date of ceremony

Category

Recipient(s) and nominee(s)

Result

Ref.

British Academy Film Awards

February 12, 2017

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Emily Blunt

Nominated

[41]

Hollywood Film Awards

November 6, 2016

Hollywood Producer Award

Marc Platt (also for Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk and La La Land)

Won

[42]

Location Managers Guild Awards

April 8, 2017

Outstanding Film Commission Award

New York State Governor's Office of Motion Picture Development

Nominated

[43]

Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild

February 19, 2017

Feature-Length Motion Picture – Contemporary Hair Styling

Alan D'Angerio

Nominated

[44]

People's Choice Awards

January 18, 2017

Favorite Thriller Movie

The Girl on the Train

Won

[45]

Saturn Awards

June 28, 2017

Best Thriller Film

The Girl on the Train

Nominated

[46]

Best Actress

Emily Blunt

Nominated

Screen Actors Guild Awards

January 29, 2017

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Emily Blunt

Nominated

[47]

tag: table


document_title: 1st Lok Sabha

question_text: who is the first lok sabha speaker of india

text: 1st Lok Sabha

text: Lok Sabha officers[edit]

text: As per Article 93 of Constitution of India, the Lok Sabha must have elected and non-elected officers. The elected members are Speaker and the Deputy Speaker whereas the non-elected members are the Secretariat staff.[2] Following were the 1st Lok Sabha officers and other important members.[1]

text:
#
Position
Name
From
To
Days in office

01
Speaker

Ganesh Vasudev Mavlankar
M. A. Ayyangar

8 May 1952
8 Mar 1956

27 Feb 1956
10 May 1957

1,390
428

02
Deputy Speaker

M. A. Ayyangar
Sardar Hukam Singh

30 May 1952
20 Mar 1956

7 Mar 1956
4 Apr 1957

1,377
380

03
Secretary-General
M. N. Kaul
17 Apr 1952
4 Apr 1957
1,813

04
Leader of the House
Jawaharlal Nehru
17 Apr 1952
4 Apr 1957
1,813

05
Leader of the Opposition (Not Officially Declared)
A K Gopalan
17 Apr 1952
4 Apr 1957
1,813

text: Leader of the Opposition position got recognition in 1977 post Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act.[3]

text: List of members by state[edit]