Re: Why are old Alfas right-hand drive?

[<livio@domain.elided>]

Sonny asked "Why are old Alfas right-hand drive?"

I noticed this as well this past summer when I visited the Alfa Museum
in Arese.  I asked the museum curator about this.  His response was that
back in those times most of the roads in Italy were very narrow (and still
are in my
opinion) with deep irrigation ditches on either side.  Upon approaching
oncoming
traffic it was easier to make room for the other car and judge one's
distance from
the precipitous edge if one was driving on the right side of the car,
looking over side.
Sounds a little mythical to me, but at the time I was so overcome by the
beauty of the
cars surrounding me in the museum that I would have taken anything for an
answer.
Believe what you will...

Livio Passera
Toronto, Canada
'77 Spider - ARCC member since 2000!

----- Original Message ----- >
> Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2001 10:33:37 -0500
> From: maxid@domain.elided
> Subject: Why are old Alfas right-hand drive?
>
> On historic photos obviously taken in Italy, it seems that all pre-1950
Alfas with two front seats are right-hand drive. RHD is presently only
employed in countries with left-hand traffic, although some specialized
vehicles have a reverse setup (London taxis if memory serves, US mail
vehicles). As far as I know, Italy has always had right-hand traffic. Could
anybody please explain the use of RHD in older Alfas and whether other
marques historically have had the opposite steering setup of what we today
consider normal?
> Sonny
> '91 164S, Baltimore, MD.

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