The Famous Author Who Helped Ban Cars from Bermuda
One of the questions guests ask us almost every day is: Why does Bermuda drive on the left side of the road?
The simple answer is that Bermuda inherited the practice from Britain. But the real story is far more interesting.
Long before automobiles existed, people traveled on foot or horseback. Most people were right-handed, and if you encountered a stranger on a narrow road, passing on the left allowed you to keep your sword hand free in case the meeting turned unfriendly. As a result, Britain’s General Highway Act of 1773 formalized left-side travel, a rule that eventually spread throughout the British Empire, including Bermuda.
What many visitors don’t realize is that Bermuda almost became a very different place.
In 1905, the island briefly experimented with a handful of motor vehicles including most notably the “Scarlet Runner,” which was introduced in 1905 to transport visitors to the South Shore. Residents complained that the noisy machines frightened horses, damaged the peaceful atmosphere, and threatened Bermuda’s appeal as a tranquil destination.
A petition quickly emerged to ban automobiles altogether signed by none other than Samuel Clemens (better known as Mark Twain), and Woodrow Wilson, who later became the 28th President of the United States. Both men were devoted visitors to Bermuda and believed the island’s charm should be protected from the growing automobile culture sweeping North America.
Their efforts succeeded. In 1908, Bermuda effectively banned private motor vehicles for nearly forty years.
The turning point came during World War II when thousands of American troops arrived bringing trucks and jeeps to build military facilities and the curious habit of driving on the right. When private automobiles were finally legalized in 1946, Bermuda enforced its British tradition of driving on the left—a practice that continues to this day.
So the next time you look the “wrong way” before crossing a Bermuda street, remember: you can thank a famous author for helping keep it that way!