A motto on a sundial around here is: "Sais tu mortel à quoi que je sers, à marquer le temps que tu perds" (Do you know, mortal, to what I serve, to indicate the time you waste).
It is dedicated to all who make improper use of this list. Willy Leenders Hasselt Belgium 50.9 N 5.4 E mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Robert Terwilliger wrote: > All, > > This is the sort of (Way.... off topic) reply that should properly be > addressed to the sender only. > > But... > > J D S wrote: > > > these swords protruded out to the left of the rider and if two of these > > gentlemen met in a narrow lane there would be a clash of swords > > I have not been keeping close track of this thread. Did we cover the > excellent and venerable reason why the English drive on the left? > > Consider a (right-handed) knight - riding on the left side of a road - > meeting an oncoming knight, who is also riding on his left side of the > road. > > Should they draw their swords with their right arms, they will be in the > best position to defend themselves, and to do battle with each other. > > Perhaps that's common knowledge?? - or at least a popular trivia > question. > > Since we are so far off topic, let's take right-handed knights one step > further. > > Staircases in medieval castles were usually built right into the walls > and were in the form of spirals. A Master Mason building a castle would > know to make his stair cases spiral clockwise as they ascended. > > Thus an attacker coming up the stairs would have to fight with his left > arm while a defender retreating backwards up the stairs could fight with > his right. > > I hope this was not a waste of time. Medieval studies, chivalry, and > castles are interests of mine. > > Bob > > > > J D S wrote: > > > > Hi Gang > > > > I realize I am a bit late with this but here goes. > > Mr Schilke hints darkly that it is we insular islanders who are 'sinister'. > > I believe the answer lies in our distant past. > > In olden days the English gentlemen would carry swords partly for their > > personal protection and also because it was the style of the times. This > > sword was a manly thing nearly three feet long -------not like the sneaky > > continental dagger--------- worn at the waist and so that it came quickly to > > hand, usually on the left hand side of the wearer. When our fine English > > gentlemen were riding horses of course these swords protruded out to the > > left of the rider and if two of these gentlemen met in a narrow lane there > > would be a clash of swords possibly leading to bad feeling, name calling or > > in extreme cases loss of blood. To avoid this the nobility took to riding > > their horses on the left of the lanes so that the worst that could happen > > was that a peasant walking in the mud would be hit on the back of the head > > with the 'gentleman's' scabbard. With the introduction of the motor car > > of course it was the Landed Gentry who first had them and they just > > continued this practise to the present day and countries where we "had an > > interest" were made to drive on that side also. > > Of course the explanation above begets the question. Why do the others > > drive on the right????????????? > > Regards, > > John > > 53.2n > > 2.5w > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of John Schilke > > Sent: 08 March 2002 19:17 > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: Right or Wrong > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Chuck Nafziger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > I get the impression that several people on the list think that driving is > > done on the left side of the road in China. Not so, only in Hong Kong is > > driving done on the left. All of mainland China drives on the right. The > > Japanese also drive on the left. Is there a trend here whereby left side > > driving is only done on isolated islands? > > > > What about India, formerly part of the British Empire? I am asking because > > I really don't know. > > > > John Schilke > > 122W36, 45N21 > > > > - > > > > - > - -
