Samoa Switches Sides

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

After years of driving on one side of the road, Samoans are making the switch. The tiny Pacific island nation has become the latest country to change traffic patterns (the last was Ghana in 1974), but Samoa’s change-up is unique in that it is actually switching from right-hand traffic (used by 70 percent of the world’s nations) to left-hand traffic. Why? Supposedly to improve access to used vehicles from Australia and New Zealand. But as the Wall Street Journal reports, not everyone is happy with the switch. The People Against Switching Sides, or PASS campaign has held protests, villages have refused to change over and petitions have been signed. The problem with debates about traffic, though, is that compromise isn’t exactly an option.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Areitu Areitu on Aug 24, 2009
    Pch101 : August 24th, 2009 at 12:33 pm I’m indecisive and I don’t like to offend anyone, so I just compromise by driving in the middle. Thumbs up to this one! I'm the same way.
  • Spike_in_Brisbane Spike_in_Brisbane on Aug 24, 2009
    To TomH From Samoa's perspective, they are rejecting the East.
  • Pacificpom2 Pacificpom2 on Aug 24, 2009

    Wow! Ford Australia, GMH & Toyota get another export market.

  • Charly Charly on Aug 24, 2009

    Isn't it more a question of different fittings than different lamps

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