Why is the steering wheel on the right side in Hong Kong?

[McAdrian]

There are currently two traffic systems in the world: one is left-hand traffic, and the other is right-hand traffic. Mainland China has always adopted left-hand traffic, with the steering wheel on the left side; Hong Kong and Macau were formerly Western colonies and, even after their return, continue to maintain right-hand traffic, with the steering wheel on the right side. The details are as follows: 1. About 90% of the world's countries implement right-hand traffic: Most countries choose right-hand traffic for vehicles, while some island nations and others adopt left-hand traffic. Right-hand traffic is considered safer because, when holding the steering wheel with both hands, most people instinctively turn the wheel to the right in emergencies. Driving on the right side prevents vehicles from swerving into the opposite lane, reducing danger. 2. Mainland China has always adopted left-hand traffic: In ancient China, pedestrians, horses, and vehicles generally stayed and moved on the left side of the road, known as "left greeting." When greeting guests, people typically used their right hand for the gesture while keeping their body on the left. Mainland China has always followed left-hand traffic, so the steering wheel is naturally on the left. 3. The biggest advantage of right-hand traffic: The greatest benefit of right-hand traffic is that it is adopted by the vast majority of regions worldwide. Therefore, drivers accustomed to right-hand traffic do not need to readjust to left-hand traffic when driving in most parts of the world. Additionally, for the same reason, left-hand drive vehicles sell far more than right-hand drive vehicles. When a car model is mass-produced, the higher sales volume of left-hand drive vehicles results in lower marginal costs compared to right-hand drive vehicles, leading to relatively cheaper prices.