DRIVING IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES

Driving a car in another country with a traffic system that is different from the system in our country, especially in the first few days is to have a lot of problems. The problem is not only technically, but also psychologically. Even just to pull over and park, I'm confused and nervous, especially when it is told to stop were police officers. When I was going out of town, police stopped me, I'm confused, pull over to the left or to the right. The police may understood and give signaled to pull over to the right. Luckily, he was a friendly policeman. He greeted friendly: "Hello Indonesia!" Uncomfortable, awkward and nervous every crossing at the intersection or bumping or overtaking other vehicle. Can be fatal if we are wrong in maneuvering. 

The traffic in Saudi Arabia as in other Arab countries, ie. using the right lane as a lane mandatory. Instead, Indonesia uses a system of driving in the left lane. There are two systems in  traffic lane , the right lane and the left lane. Approximately 34% of the world are driving in the left lane, and 66% on the right.

Historically, the driver's seat  of the first car, mounted in the middle. Some car makers choose to install close to the middle of the road to help drivers see the opposite lane. While others choose to install near the edge of the road so that the driver can avoid a collision with walls, hedges, ditches and other obstacles. The second idea is more widely used.

In Europe, in the 20th century, many countries are moving the steering wheel from left to right lane. Portugal moved to the right in the 20th century. Austria and Czechoslovakia move to the right when occupied by Nazi Germany in the late 1930s, and Hungary followed soon after. Sweden changed in 1967 and Iceland in 1968. Today, only four European countries still drive on the left lane: Great Britain, Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus. All of which is an island country that does not have borders with countries that are driving in the right lane. Countries with Left Hand Traffic (LHT) using vehicle Right Hand Drive (RHD), and the country Right Hand Traffic (RHT) using vehicles Left Hand Drive (LHD). This was also followed by most of the colonial countries and their former colonies.

The characteristics of The Right Lane Traffic

1. The opposite lane viewed from the left.

2. Traffic turning left must pass through the opposite lane.

3. Some traffic signs facing the driver is placed on the right side of the road.

4. Traffic in the roundabout, passing counterclockwise.

5. Vehicles coming from the left, generally take precedence

6. Pedestrians crossing the road two-way should look to the left first.

7. The driver's position is on the left.

The Countries With The Right Lane Traffic:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola (1928), Argentina (1945), Armenia, Aruba, Austria (1935-38), Azerbaijan, Bahrain (1967), Belarus, Belgium, Belize (1961), Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Myanmar (1970), Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon (1961), Canada (1920s), Cape Verde (1928), Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, People's Republic of China (1946), Colombia, Comoros, Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic (1939), Denmark1793, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea (1964), Estonia, Ethiopia (1964), the Faroe Islands, Finland (1858), France (1789), French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Gambia (1965), Georgia, Germany, Ghana (1974), Gibraltar (1929 ), Greece, Greenland, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau (1928), Haiti, Honduras, Hungary (1941), Iceland (1968), Iran, Iraq. Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, South Korea (1946), Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mayotte, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Midway Atoll, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua,  Niger, Nigeria (1972), Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama (1943), Paraguay (1945), Peru, the Philippines (1946), Poland, Portugal (1928), Puerto Rico, Qatar, Macedonia, Réunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe (1928), Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone (1971, Slovakia (1939-41), Slovenia, Somalia (1968), Spain ( October 1924), Sudan (1973), Svalbard, Sweden (1967), Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan (1946), Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States (1792), Uruguay (1945), Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wake Island, Wallis and Futuna, Western Sahara, Yemen (1977).

The characteristics of The Left Lane Traffic

1. The opposite lane is seen from the right.

2. The traffic turn right, pass through the opposite lane.

3. Some traffic signs that facing the driver are placed on the left side of the road.

4. To overtake another vehicle pass on the right.

5. The traffic on the roundabout way moves clockwise.

6. The Pedestrians crossing the two-way road must first look to the right.

7. Most vehicles have a driver's position on the right.

The Countries With The Left Lane Traffic:

Alderney, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bermuda, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cook Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, East Timor (1976), Falkland Islands , Fiji, Grenada, Guernsey, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Macau, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia (1918), Nauru (1918), Nepal, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa (2009), Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Kingdom, the British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Move to The Different Lane at The Border

There are several instances of traffic must change the lane at the border crossings, such as between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Laos and Thailand, Sudan and Uganda. Thailand is one example of crossing the border. Thailand is the only country that has a lane change with all the countries bordering with it. Many border formed by natural barriers such as mountains or rivers, and this is the true border where traffic is exchanged lanes of the road, especially in Asia. This natural barrier makes the number of border crossings decreases.

The method of lane changes are often used on the border are:

1. Traffic lights. For example : Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge,  between Thailand and Laos, the exchange occurred in the country of Laos.

2. Pedestrian bridge. Examples: Lok Ma Chau in Hong Kong and Mainland China, Lotus Bridge between Macau and Mainland China

2. Crossroads border with circles or other unidirectional traffic system. Example:

Man Kam To in Hong Kong and Mainland China, the land border between Macau and Mainland China

3. Without automated infrastructure (only directions), often found on the border with less traffic volume. Examples: Poipet between Thailand and Cambodia, the old bridge between Thailand (Mae Sai) and Myanmar, Khunjerab crossing between Pakistan and China.

Source : https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arah_lalu_lintas