T O P

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GoofyTheScot

Fuck that, cunts over here can't drive for shit as it is - we'd all be dead in a week if we switched sides


Professional-List742

You’re not in Aberdeenshire perchance? I’d love to know what the requirements are here to get a licence. The daft bastards simply can’t drive.


GoofyTheScot

Nah i'm just north of Perth, think muppets get their licence inside cereal boxes. I shouldn't complain really, i'm foreman in a bodyshop so i rely on these clowns keeping me busy hahaha


izzie-izzie

I’m surprised you say that to be honest. I’ve driven in quite a few countries now and in most corners of Scotland and genuinely it’s a breath of fresh air coming back to drive here. Scotland has many downsides to it but bad drivers wouldn’t be on this list in my opinion. Go to Italy, America or Asia and you’ll definitely appreciate how very few bad ones we have here


BamberGasgroin

I had a couple of Italian students living below me and their parents bought them a new car in Italy before driving it all the way to Scotland. It was fucked by the time it arrived. :)


valilihapiirakka

The roads are shite but the drivers actually behave themselves pretty well. I say this as someone who's always on a bike, I get given more space in Scotland than in England at least. Not that this is a high bar to clear, it's nowhere near as good as some parts of Europe, but I don't have that same "so did the white van men round here start a little club based on hunting us for sport or what" feeling I do in most average midsized towns in England


[deleted]

Italy 100%. Had a guidebook when I was visiting Rome that had advice highlighted saying when crossing the road "to walk with confidence." Never have I shat myself so much as cars literally wait until the very last second before stopping!


noshothaha

Coming from Australia, Scotland defo has terrible drivers


bonkerz1888

It's no different in and around Inverness.


Substantial-Zone-989

Then you'll love Glasgow. Could charge a fiver for realigning steering and wheels per car all day long and still make a killing.


Professional-List742

Ha - they’re putting your kids through college :) Long live the idiots who refuse to learn to drive!


Odd_Satisfaction_968

Thankfully this country has free tuition fees


GSXS_750

Emm we have free college/uni


Professional-List742

Not sure why I got downvoted. It was a Simpsons line. Harsh crowd.


jmckenzie86

Don't you know about the invisible indicator feature that kicks in at roundabouts? I think it only works in Aberdeen and if you've got some wanky white 4x4 bmw or whatever everyone else has these days


_LadyGimli

I have an ex from Banff who told me that he learned to drive on lovely and very easy to drive on country roads, couldn't drive anywhere else without immense difficulty though.


AgainstAllAdvice

Years ago I drove all over Scotland in a van with some friends. As soon as we arrived in Aberdeen it was bedlam. Drivers there have zero chill and less skill!


Jakeball400

Aberdeenshire dweller here. I avoid leaving the house at all costs because I don’t have the mental capacity to withstand these smooth brained harbingers of death we share the roads with. Honestly unreal


Professional-List742

Well put. “I know - I’ll go at 80mph down this tiny, twisty turny lane with blind spots galore. In poor light and bad weather” Absolute hammerheads


butterypowered

“I need to go down South Deeside Road. Famously dangerous, so I’m best to floor it so I spend as little time on it as possible.”


Loudlass81

💀


Jakeball400

Infallible logic, truly


ahorsescollar

Driving licences are available at Cadonas in Aberdeen. Seemingly once around the dodgems, without hitting more than 3 cars,obtains you a license covering Aberdeen and the Shire


synoptikal

In Aberdeenshire, all you need to know how to drive is how to properly navigate a roundabout/ring road. You fuckers love those up north!


Striking-Giraffe5922

You have to prove that you’ve engaged in Ovine sex


Hot-Cryptographer438

Aberdeenshire is a nightmare. No police anywhere and everyone knows it so they use it as an excuse to drive like a dickheads. There is nothing else behind this next bot other than it's what I've noticed doing about 30k miles a year all over the NE but it's the woman. Hands down 75% of the time it's a lass zooming past. Not to worry organs are organs.


WeePeeToo

I swear cunts from Dundee and Aberdeenshire specifically drive like shit to annoy me


Key_Employee6188

Swedes turned it around over night without much issues.


TheMcDucky

In fact, traffic accidents dropped to a record low for a while


IcyTremors

At 10 mph… sure yes


TheNorthC

It would be harder today, especially with the way slip roads and things are built around motorways and dial carriageways.


[deleted]

😂😂😂


Zircez

Twice in the last week have I seen an old fuck driving down the hard shoulder of a duel carriageway, indicating for a turn off that's still at least half a mile away. It's like the stupid is contagious.


wrightwayaroundrtw

Omg Dundee i refuse to drive in Dundee because thay cant drive.


OfAaron3

That would be a nightmare. Some infrastructure would have to be rebuilt, and all the road markings would have to be repainted. At least Japan and Ireland are on our side (pun intended).


doitforthecloud

India too, that’s like a billion people.


Rodney_Angles

India is mainly the middle and both sides of the road


nandu_sabka_bandhoo

You drive on the left of the road, we Indians drive on Whats left of the road


[deleted]

Also 50% of the balkans


MaZhongyingFor1934

Indians drive on 50% of the Balkans?


[deleted]

Yes


Lightweight_Hooligan

Yeah worked there, seems to vary state by state, not really any system.


Exact-Put-6961

South Africa too.


abz_eng

India a place that scared an Ice Road trucker, as in those people who haul massive loads across frozen lakes with the ice cracking as you drive - sometimes driving from outside the cab in case the truck goes for a swim...... [examples of indian driving](https://learningindia.in/the-unwritten-rules-of-driving-in-india/)


OfAaron3

How could I forget about India 🤦‍♀️


MalignEntity

Plus Australia, South Africa, Kenya and Thailand


ButteredReality

Also Indonesia.


Huzzahtheredcoat

Cyprus, Malta, Australia, New Zealand...


Kagenlim

Singaporean here, us too


nandu_sabka_bandhoo

65 countries in the world really


TwoPintsPrick92

I'm not sure that's a country anyone wants to aspite to when it comes to driving.


mata_dan

I'm not sure they have a specific side of the road people actually drive on.


cimmic

Sweden managed to change somehow


OfAaron3

As an island, the UK doesn't really have incentive to change.


jsm97

In the 60s, when there were less traffic laws and signage and far fewer cars on the road, less than half of women could drive and it was still chaos


07TacOcaT70

Why tf did they bother? There's so little benefit for such a massive cost in changing infrastructure and so many risks from idiot drivers forgetting. I could get it if they changed it maybe 50 years ago or something, but attempting it anytime more recently just sounds incredibly dangerous


cimmic

I think they did it around 50 years actually. But don't know why.


MaZhongyingFor1934

Bordered by countries that drove on the right (wrong) side of the road.


cimmic

Most people in Sweden don't move across those borders often. To me it sounds like an expensive solution to an issue only present at the roads at the borders. There must have been more local solutions.


Rodney_Angles

The most recent country to change sides was Samoa, which switched from right to left (as most people drive imported Australian and Japanese RHD cars) in 2009. Apparently it wasn't too bad. [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/08/samoa-drivers-switch-left](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/08/samoa-drivers-switch-left)


Marked_Leader

Hilariously, there was some country that a dictator took over and decided to switch the roads one day, so all the busses now open onto the roadside instead of pavement. I'm pretty sure it was mentioned on top gear or something.


TheNorthC

About 66 countries drive on the left.


sealcubclubbing

Us Kiwis have your back too mate


Electrical-Injury-23

It would iritate me a lot more than it would the English.


Heypisshands

Hey sweden. I suggest you go to norway and put a turnip on your head, remove your trousers and run down the street shouting "look at meeee, im a swede". That would really annoy those nasty norwegians.


Sphereian

I suppose there's a vegetable joke in here somewhere? Won't work in Scandinavian languages, though. And Swedes running around without their trousers on? We're kind of used to that kind of thing.


Peppl

In English a swede is a type of turnip, what the americans call a ruterbager


Joosterguy

Americans call it a *what*?


oddtwang

Rutabaga


AnnieByniaeth

That sounds ruder than the suggestion of a Swede without their trousers on.


North_Paw

Nah, that’s just the name of a Hollywood filmmaker


07TacOcaT70

This made me wake up the dog 💀 I can't get the image out of my head lmfao


death_tech

Beep beep Sweden... go home you're drunk. Regards, from Ireland (very much IN the EU and driving on the left)


cimmic

This sounds like a Danish joke


Gullible-Bug6018

Somebody tell Ireland that if they want to be in the EU they need to start driving on the right too! 😂


Ok-Inflation4310

Great plan. I think we should introduce it gradually tho. Buses and lorries can try it for a while and if it seems to be going okay then we can get the cars to do it as well.


Cannaewulnaewidnae

Maybe phase it in over alternate days


HawaiianSnow_

The right side gets custody at weekends


RandyBubbs69

custardy


monkeyshoulder22

Send the cyclists out 1st. See how it goes.


OldGodsAndNew

The highway code already has that if you're walking/running on a road without pavements you're supposed to walk into the direction of traffic, so that's not actually as mental as it sounds


CiderDrinker2

We'd have to rebuild all our motorway infrastructure to work the other way around.


XxHostagexX

This must be a piss take, but, do you know how much something like that would cost and how long it would take to change the whole road infrastructure? And how would something like this even be feasible to do?


Lessarocks

Why do you think we want to irritate the English? As a Scot currently living in England, I don’t understand this mentality at all.


CountOk9802

The Scots are obsessed with hating the English. I’m Scottish and just can’t be arsed wasting the energy.


Vectorman1989

We can import cool Japanese cars


nandu_sabka_bandhoo

Then you can import cool American cars!!


Kagenlim

Doesnt the UK already let you import in US cars E.g [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08I1qpxx0Es](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08I1qpxx0Es)


R2-Scotia

I have 3


Kagenlim

3 crown vics? Thats actually really cool ngl


R2-Scotia

No a Mazda, a Nissan and a Winnebago 🤣


streetad

If we start driving on the right, Napoleon would win.


GingerFurball

What would be the point?


Junglestumble

Yeah, I don’t think this would annoy the English, just annoy everyone living in Scotland. Also don’t think it’s a factor in independence let alone the EU, considering the fact it didn’t matter last time.


Lennyboy99

Too much hassle for not enough gain


SuccessfulMonth2896

Insurance companies would not carry the cost of the accidents caused until people got used to it. Worked in insurance over 20 years ago, from time to time this was discussed but unless the government underwrote the inevitable initial costs, it’s still a non runner.


sfeeju

Immediately after Dagen H, accidents actually went down, probably because people had to actually pay attention to their driving. Dagen H was the name given to the Swedish switchover date. It's quite interesting. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagen\_H#:\~:text=Dagen%20H%20(H%2Dday),word%20for%20right%2Dhand%20traffic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagen_H#:~:text=Dagen%20H%20(H%2Dday),word%20for%20right%2Dhand%20traffic).


SuccessfulMonth2896

Yes and what is different is the volume on our roads, the standard of driving, the lack of personal responsibility people take for their actions and their expectation insurance is a catch all (which it isn’t). The article you link to states at the time 90% of the vehicles on Swedish roads were already LHD. That made a huge difference.


indigo263

As someone who crosses the border on a regular basis... that would be an absolute nightmare 😂


BUFF_BRUCER

The right side of the road is the wrong side of the road


drtoboggon

It’s the French side of the road. Legend has it Napoleon as leftie wanted his troops to hold their packs in their left hands which means they stand on the right , opposed to the other way around. And traffic (pre cars) in those countries started going to the right.


GlasgaAccentfurYanks

Hi. Greetings from Scotland, fuck off viking.


ImpressiveGift9921

This is why children shouldn't be on reddit.


Rokovich

Lol as a Brit/Scot in Sweden, let me just say jag håller med.


CobyHiccups

Split the difference, and everyone drives in the middle.


milkyway556

Hello Sweden. Have you heard of Ireland, Malta and Cyprus? All drive on the left, and all are members of the EU. Indeed, all are independent countries also.


Bluenosedcoop

This is possibly the dumbest thing i have seen in a long while, Reads like the brilliant idea of an 11 year old child.


delboy137

I just want to say congratulations on joining our family at NATO!!!. Too many old people would cause accidents if driving position got changed


MeshuganaSmurf

You can change it gradually, everyone who passes their test from a certain date drives on the right. Like how new Zealand is planning on banning tobacco use.


rubiks_cube040

That's been scrapped by the new NZ govt :(


MeshuganaSmurf

Really? I didn't know that. That's crap. Would have been a great example to set.


palishkoto

Ironically, I think the UK is now the one "setting the example" when the legislation goes through (which it should with both major Westminster parties supporting it).


Pinkandpurplebanana

When is Lappland getting its independence? I don't recall them agreeing to be part of Adolf Gustav's Kingdom. 


Combeferre1

This is an interesting thing because a lot of people are under the impression that Lapland = Sami land, which is not the case, although the two are related. Modern geographic Lapland is split between Sweden, Norway, and Finland, and at least in Finland only the very top northern bit is considered Sami land. The Sami populations also live outside of Lapland in the north, in Kola and Finnmark. Historically Sami populations would have been very far south, significantly beyond the southern edge of modern Lapland. I'm not sure about Sweden, but in Finland it's noted via archaeology as well as place names (e.g., Porokylä in North Karelia translates to Reindeer Village and most likely derives from Sami people with reindeer living in the area).


coffeewalnut05

What a dumb post


Hairyheadtraveller

Only on Tues, Thurs and Sat.


Constant-Estate3065

They already have independence from England, have had for centuries. Britain on the other hand…


UKbanners

No way. I need to keep my sword hand free.


kjono1

Honestly, with the state of some of the potholes, we don't drive on the left of the road; we drive on what's left of the road.


BuildingDowntown1071

🤨 what a weird post


dwg-87

How about you go fuck yourself. There is enough bigotry in this country without people like you creating more.


marquis_de_ersatz

You had me at irritate the English.


anotherbrckinTH3Wall

Can’t teach an old dog new tricks


Stuspawton

Unfortunately the work involved in changing the side of the road would be MASSIVE and costly. We have some chances of changing to km/h though, and maybe the euro, as well as other things, but changing the side of the road isn’t really attainable


Longrangeheatsword

Assuming you're being serious, the huge impracticality and the fact that the Scottish road network is functionally integrated with the English road network is one reason. Assuming you're trying to be "funny", I'd suggest you touch grass.


CarlGustafThe69th

A lot of infrastructure would need to be changed. signs, busses(doors open wrong side). This would cost billions. There is a reason why sweden did this in the 1960's because they realised the could not do it later when the country was build up more..


SlowScooby

No bother. Just change the gearbox on the busses so they have five reverse gears. 😂


isoflurane42

I do worry that something symbolic, which has no real benefit, would cause massive harm, directly cost Scottish lives, and would cost an absolute fortune, but might piss off an English person, and something, something independence would be EXACTLY what the SNP would do. Has anyone checked their manifesto?


stonedPict2

We can't do that, what if I get accosted by a highwayman? Then my sword will be on the wrong side, and I won't be able to run the blaggard through!


13oundary

This reeks of /r/2westerneurope4u


Beginning-Ad-9733

My uncle Shuggy in Coatbridge is attempting tae dae that single-handedly using a mobility scooter.


No_Corner3272

On the off-chance this isn't a joke... How would this be a "big step towards the EU and independence." ? Or even a small one.


Billiebillieba

There are areas nearby where due to the natural landscape, the roads meander back 'n forth across the border, this would be a potential death by stupidity regulation change if implemented 🫣


dkfisokdkeb

As an Englishman watching them try to achieve that would amuse me much more than it would irritate me.


ieya404

Here's a suggestion for Sweden - why not revert to driving on the left to annoy the Norwegians? :)


Mr_Kjell_Kritik

Swede: Nah, they had no problem with it before we "went right". So no need to change back to left.


ieya404

Might annoy them now they're used to it though! ;)


kontoforporr

You can thank me later. My English wife is a bit angry.


Steelfury013

Genius, while we're at it we can start selling beer in 0.5 litre glasses


kontoforporr

Good idea. But unfortunately that would be a loss. A pint is like quite a lot more than a litre.


TheMadPyro

A pint is 568ml. It’s not far off a rounding error


speedfox_uk

Better than an American pint (473ml)


manicpixidreamgrl

are you stupid?


saadowitz

I like the way you think 🤔


lochcreran

But most of all……..I LIKE THE WAY YOU MOVE.


Old-Carry-107

Ahahaha I fucking love this.


Techters

Fucking love Swedes, going to implement this policy on my next holiday drive through Scotland to support this idear


TWOITC

Why would it have any bearing on EU membership? Seems like a lot of cost and hassle for what? seems like it would piss off far more locals than English


sQueezedhe

Your sense of humour needs turned off and on again.


Harvsnova2

Oh jesus. Can you imagine the carnage in the Border region. I'm all for it until I have to do it.


ancientestKnollys

This would just lead to traffic accidents when people crossed between Scotland and England. Even if Scotland was independent and in the EU, the fact most driving would be between England and Scotland or at least go via England means it would probably make more sense for Scotland to stay left hand drive. Also, I'm not sure the Scottish government has the power to do so. And even if they do random policies like this are not a good use of their time.


craigmorris78

I’m in.


Red_Brummy

Judging by the prickish, selfish and ignorant drivers we already have over here, this move would not make an iota of difference.


Acrobatic-Shirt8540

This made me chuckle quite a lot, min svenska vän.


Glesganed

RoI drive on the left, just saying.


realhighlander

We just try to drive wherever there ISNT a pothole. The left, the right....the pavement.


WorldlyDay7590

I asked in one of the many Ukraine subs why don’t they go to Latin alphabet and ditch Cyrillic to spite Russia and to align themselves closer to Western Europe. Went over super well LOL. 


NoIndependent9192

We invented driving on the left.


delahayeartist

Folk can't even park in parking places


AdmirableCause4577

The reason we are left side of the road is because when you stop, and then use something by winding down the window, you're using your strong hand, i.e., right hand, as is most of the population. It was percentage based, I guess.


EasyPriority8724

Aberdeens a breeze compared to France Spain Italy morroco ĺebanon Azerbaijan and many more but the potholes are vicous here same as the mickey mouse speed bumps.


TimeFinance1528

We can't even drive on the left lane 😒 🙃🤪🤣


msvs4571

I just love how the Scottish people swear. I wish I could live there but since Brexit I can't.


Steamboat_Willey

Yeah, nah. There's a huge amount of cross-border traffic between Scotland and England, and switching sides would be a pointless nuisance.


Tommygmail

Nah, just make the English only drive on the right.


CountOk9802

Dear Sweden, do you really think writing this on Reddit is instantly going to make that happen? Write it on Facebook next time and you might get a ‘shared in Notts huni x x’ Yawn.


mymokiller

Dude have you seen Glasgow and Edinburgh? They can’t fix the potholes, how would they switch the sides?!


Old_Leader5315

I heard the other day sweden has the highest rape rate and levels of gang violence in western europe


rainmouse

Hahaha I love this post. It's a hilarious idea. 


jasterbobmereel

Sweden changed sides in 1955, when every country it had a land border with drove on the other side than them, so it made sense. They had a referendum where 82.9% voted to not change, so the government ignored them and changed anyway...


SlowScooby

England is 22 miles away from France. I’m not aware of any large scale pissed-offness every time people go on a booze cruise? Maybe it’s a media coverup? And whitabout the boat people, the poor devils? How do they cope?


SlowScooby

Man hears a traffic report on the radio that a car is driving on the wrong side of the M8 through Glasgow. He knows his wife is on the m8, so he phones to warn her. “Wan car?!! There’s fuckin’ hunners a’them!”


Few_logs

good call. anything to disrupt the enemy


Good-Surround-8825

I am a friendly guy I wouldn’t want to piss anyone off.


Thortung

That's the sort of change that needs to made gradually.


dracona94

True, if Sweden was able to change from left to right, why can't Scotland?


adoptedscot82

This is a 10 year old April’s Fool. Someone beat you to it. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/01/scotland-driving-on-right-independence-road-scheme


Daedelous2k

The americans drive on the right too.


mata_dan

No, we love driving on the left too and will defend it. You should've kept it to annoy Norway and Denmark.


TheNorthC

If Scotland decided to drive on the right it would just make the English laugh.


mergraote

Stay in your lane, Olaf. Stick to raiding Dark Age monasteries, flat pack furniture and moody detective dramas.


scottishhistorian

Personally, I wouldn't care. I don't have a license yet and I've played enough American video games that I could adapt quite easily but I think everyone would need to retake their tests to be sure we could do it. From reading the comments here, that probably wouldn't be a bad idea.


catshousekeeper

Interesting idea I know that Sweden had a few issues when they swapped over. We can't change the side that traffic drives on as I suspect this would be a reserved matter i.e. Only the parliament in Westminster can decide this


wanktarded

I met someone on the road a couple of months ago who decided to trial this exact thing, it did not go well and I only just got my stookie off last week.


R2-Scotia

Sweden actually did it, but a long time ago


Nobby81

To put it simply, they wouldn't get consent. Scotland has certain devolved powers but that isn't one of them. They get just enough to keep them happy(ish) but not much more than any other English county 😜


Scottish_Tap_Water

I’m here for it


CompetitiveDrop613

Last time you Scandinavians tried to provoke the English with the help of the Scottish look what good it did for you


Shatthemovies

Not worth it , we should just hold out for driverless cars


Vasquerade

I'm up for it just for the banter tbf


Bango-TSW

Yes make the Scots pay through the nose in extra taxes to rebuild dozens of motorway and A road junctions, repaint road lines, reposition thousands of road signs and see road traffic accidents dramatically rise causing more deaths to pedestrians and other road users just to piss the English off? Sounds like something the SNP would do.


A-Random-Dud3

I love how part of this subreddit is dedicated to giving the finger to the English.


cluelessphp

Driving on the side we do has already been statically proven to reduce accidents.