text:
Left- and right-hand traffic
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Countries by handedness of traffic, c. 2017
Right-hand traffic
Left-hand traffic
Change of traffic directions at the Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
The terms left-hand traffic (LHT) and right-hand traffic (RHT) refer to regulations requiring all bidirectional traffic, unless otherwise directed, to keep to the right or to the left side of the road, respectively.[1] This is so fundamental to traffic flow that it is sometimes referred to as the rule of the road.[2]
One hundred and sixty-three countries and territories use RHT, with the remaining seventy-six countries and territories using LHT. Countries that use LHT account for about a sixth of the world's area and a quarter of its roads.[3] In the early 1900s some countries including Canada, Spain, and Brazil had different rules in different parts of the country. During the 1900s many countries standardised within their jurisdictions, and changed from LHT to RHT, mostly to conform with regional custom. In 1919, 104 of the world's territories were LHT and an equal number were RHT. From 1919 to 1986, 34 of the LHT territories switched to RHT.[4]
Many of the countries with LHT are former British colonies in the Caribbean, Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Japan, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Mozambique, Suriname, East Timor, and Indonesia are among those LHT countries outside the former British Empire. In Europe, only four countries still drive on the left: the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus, all of which are on islands that have no direct road connections with countries driving on the right.
Nearly all countries use one side or the other throughout their entire territory. Most exceptions are due to historical considerations and/or involve islands with no road connection to the main part of a country. China is RHT except the Special Administrative Regions of China of Hong Kong and Macau. The United States is RHT except the United States Virgin Islands.[5] The United Kingdom is LHT, but its overseas territories of Gibraltar and British Indian Ocean Territory are RHT.
According to the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, water traffic is RHT. For aircraft the US Federal Aviation Regulations provide for passing on the right, both in the air and on water.[6]
Light rail vehicles generally operate on the same side as road traffic in a country. Some countries use RHT for automobiles but LHT for trains, often because of the influence of the British on early railway systems.
There is no technical reason to prefer one side over the other.[7] In healthy populations, traffic safety is thought to be the same regardless of handedness, although some researchers have speculated that LHT may be safer for ageing populations[8] since humans are more commonly right-eye dominant than left-eye dominant.[9]
Contents
1 History
1.1 Changing sides
1.1.1 Europe
1.1.2 Asia and the Pacific
1.1.3 Africa
2 Changing sides at borders
3 Road vehicle configurations
3.1 Driver seating position
3.2 Headlamps
4 Worldwide distribution by country
5 Traffic behaviour
6 Gallery
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
History[edit]
Left-hand traffic in Vienna, Austria circa 1930.
Ancient Greek, Egyptian, and Roman troops kept to the left when marching.[10] In 1998, archaeologists found a well-preserved double track leading to a Roman quarry near Swindon, in southern England. The grooves in the road on the left side (viewed facing down the track away from the quarry) were much deeper than those on the right side, suggesting LHT, at least at this location, since carts would exit the quarry heavily loaded, and enter it empty.[11]
The first reference in English law to an order for LHT was in 1756, with regard to London Bridge.[12]
Hong Kong drivers on the left.
Mainland China drives on the right.
Some historians, such as C. Northcote Parkinson, believed that ancient travellers on horseback or on foot generally kept to the left, since most people were right handed. If two men riding on horseback were to start a fight, each would edge toward the left.[10] In the year 1300, Pope Boniface VIII directed pilgrims to keep left.[10]
In the late 1700s, traffic in the United States was RHT based on teamsters' use of large freight wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. The wagons had no driver's seat, so the (typically right-handed) postilion held his whip in his right hand and thus sat on the left rear horse. Seated on the left, the driver preferred that other wagons pass him on the left so that he could be sure to keep clear of the wheels of oncoming wagons.[13]
In France, traditionally foot traffic had kept right, while carriage traffic kept left. Following the French Revolution, all traffic kept right.[12] Following the Napoleonic Wars, the French imposed RHT on parts of Europe. During the colonial period, RHT was introduced by the French in New France, French West Africa, the Maghreb, French Indochina, the West Indies, French Guiana and the Réunion, among others.
Meanwhile, LHT traffic was introduced by the British in Atlantic Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the East Africa Protectorate, British India, Southern Rhodesia and the Cape Colony (now Zimbabwe and South Africa), British Malaya (now Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore), British Guiana, and British Hong Kong. LHT was also introduced by the Portuguese Empire in Portuguese Macau, Colonial Brazil, East Timor, Portuguese Mozambique, and Angola.
The first keep-right law for driving in the United States was passed in 1792 and applied to the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike.[7] New York formalized RHT in 1804, New Jersey in 1813 and Massachusetts in 1821.[14]
Changing sides[edit]
Traffic moves from left to right in Stockholm, Sweden, on 3 September 1967
Europe[edit]
Influential in Europe was the 1920 Paris Convention, which advised driving on the right-hand side of the road, in order to harmonise traffic across a continent with many borders. This was despite the fact that left-hand traffic was still widespread: in 1915 for example, LHT was introduced everywhere in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.[15] However, three years later the Empire was split up into several countries, and they all changed eventually to RHT, notably including when Nazi Germany introduced RHT with almost immediate effect in Czechoslovakia in 1938-39.[16]
Sweden was LHT from about 1734 to 1967,[17] despite having land borders with RHT countries, and approximately 90 percent of cars being left-hand drive (LHD) vehicles.[18] A referendum was held in 1955, with an overwhelming majority voting against a change to RHT. Nevertheless, some years later the government ordered a conversion, which took place at 5 am on Sunday, 3 September 1967. The accident rate dropped sharply after the change,[19] but soon rose back to near its original level.[20] The day was known as Dagen H ("H-Day"), the 'H' being for Högertrafik or right traffic. When Iceland switched the following year, it was known as H-dagurinn, again meaning "H-Day".[21]
In the late 1960s, the UK Department for Transport considered switching to RHT, but declared it unsafe and too costly for such a built-up nation.[22] Road building standards, for motorways in particular, allow asymmetrically designed road junctions, where merge and diverge lanes differ in length.[23]
Asia and the Pacific[edit]
China adopted RHT in 1946. Taiwan changed to driving on the right at the same time. Hong Kong and Macau continue to be LHT.
Both North Korea and South Korea switched to RHT in September 1945 after liberation from Japan which was defeated and surrendered by the Allies.
Myanmar switched to RHT in 1970.[24]
Samoa, a former German colony, had been RHT for more than a century. It switched to LHT in 2009,[25] being the first territory in almost 30 years to switch.[26] The move was legislated in 2008 to allow Samoans to use cheaper right hand drive (RHD) vehicles imported from Australia, New Zealand or Japan, and to harmonise with other South Pacific nations. A political party, The People's Party, was formed to try to protest against the change, a protest group which launched a legal challenge,[27] and an estimated 18,000 people attending demonstrations against it.[28] The motor industry was also opposed, as 14,000 of Samoa's 18,000 vehicles are designed for RHT and the government has refused to meet the cost of conversion.[26] After months of preparation, the switch from right to left happened in an atmosphere of national celebration. There were no reported incidents.[3] At 05:50 local time, Monday 7 September, a radio announcement halted traffic, and an announcement at 6:00 ordered traffic to switch to LHT.[25] The change coincided with more restrictive enforcement of speeding and seat-belt laws.[29] That day and the following day were declared public holidays, to reduce traffic.[30] The change included a three-day ban on alcohol sales, while police mounted dozens of checkpoints, warning drivers to drive slowly.[3]
The Philippines was mostly LHT during its Spanish[31] and American colonial periods,[32][33] the latter despite United States switch to RHT in the 1930s (see above); as well as during the Commonwealth era.[34] During the Japanese occupation the Philippines remained LHT,[35] also because LHT had been required by the Japanese;[36] but during the Battle of Manila the liberating American forces drove their tanks to the right for easier facilitation of movement. RHT was formally finalised by Executive Order No. 34 signed by President Sergio Osmeña on 10 March 1945.[37]
Africa[edit]
A number of non-contiguous former British colonies in West Africa originally drove LHT and switched to RHT in the early 1970s to match the surrounding countries. Sierra Leone switched to RHT in 1971, Nigeria in 1972 and Ghana in 1974. Before this period The Gambia, a country entirely contained within RHT Senegal, had officially switched to RHT in 1965.
Rwanda, a former Belgian colony in central Africa, is RHT but is considering switching to LHT, to bring the country in line with other members of the East African Community (EAC).[38] A survey, carried out in 2009, indicated that 54% of Rwandans were in favour of the switch. Reasons cited were the perceived lower costs of RHD vehicles as opposed to LHD versions of the same model, easier maintenance and the political benefit of harmonisation of traffic regulations with other EAC countries. The same survey also indicated that RHD cars are 16 to 49 per cent cheaper than their LHD equivalents.[39] In 2014 an internal report from consultants to the Ministry of Infrastructure recommended a switch to LHT.[40] In 2015, the ban on RHD vehicles was lifted; RHD trucks from neighbouring countries cost $1000 less than LHD models imported from Europe.[41][42]
Changing sides at borders[edit]
A road sign in the British county of Kent placed on the right-hand side of the road.
Border between Sweden and Norway in 1934
Although many LHT jurisdictions are on islands, there are cases where vehicles may be driven from LHT across a border into a RHT area. The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic regulates the use of foreign registered vehicles in the 72 countries that are parties to the 1968 agreement.
Although the United Kingdom is separated from Continental Europe by the English Channel, the level of cross-Channel traffic is very high; the Channel Tunnel alone carries 3.5 million vehicles per year between the UK and France.
Some countries have borders where drivers must switch from LHT to RHT and vice versa.
LHT Thailand has three RHT neighbours: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar. Most of its borders use a simple traffic light to do the switch, but there are also interchanges which enable the switch while keeping up a continuous flow of traffic.[43]
There are four road border crossing points between Hong Kong and Mainland China. In 2006, the daily average number of vehicle trips recorded at Lok Ma Chau was 31,100.[44] The next largest is Man Kam To, where there is no changeover system and the border roads on the mainland side Wenjindu intersect as one-way streets with a main road.
The Takutu River Bridge (which links LHT Guyana and RHT Brazil[45]) is the only border in the Americas where traffic changes sides.
Road vehicle configurations[edit]
Driver seating position[edit]
Bolivia is RHT, with the exception of Yungas Road which is LHT to help drivers see their outer wheel.
In RHT jurisdictions, vehicles are configured with LHD, with the driver sitting on the left side. In LHT jurisdictions, the reverse is true. The driver's side, the side closest to the centre of the road, is sometimes called the offside, while the passenger side, the side closest to the side of the road, is sometimes called the nearside.[46]
Historically there was less consistency in the relationship of the position of the driver to the handedness of traffic. Most American cars produced before 1910 were RHD.[7] In 1908 Henry Ford standardised the Model T as LHD in RHT America,[7] arguing that with RHD and RHT, the passenger was obliged to "get out on the street side and walk around the car" and that with steering from the left, the driver "is able to see even the wheels of the other car and easily avoids danger."[47] By 1915 other manufacturers followed Ford's lead, due to the popularity of the Model T.[7]
In specialised cases, the driver will sit on the nearside, or kerbside. Examples include:
Where the driver needs a good view of the nearside, e.g. street sweepers, or vehicles driven along unstable road edges.[48]
Where it is more convenient for the driver to be on the nearside, e.g. delivery vehicles. The Grumman LLV is widely in used on RHD configurations in RHT North America. Some Unimogs are designed to be switch between LHD and RHD to permit operators to work on the more convenient side of the truck.
Generally, the convention is to mount a motorcycle on the left,[49] and kickstands are usually on the left[50] which makes it more convenient to mount on the safer kerbside[50] as is the case in LHT.
Headlamps[edit]
Low beam light pattern for RHT
The projection of light from low-beam headlamps is asymmetrical. The kerbside lamp projects light forwards, while the other headlamp dips the beam down and away from oncoming traffic, so as not to dazzle drivers coming in the opposite direction. In Europe, headlamps approved for use on one side of the road must be adaptable to produce adequate illumination with controlled glare for temporarily driving on the other side of the road.[51] This is done by affixing masking strips or prismatic lenses to a designated part of the lens or by moving all or part of the headlamp optic so all or part of the beam is shifted or the asymmetrical portion is occluded.[51] Some cars have a built-in adjustment to adapt the projection mechanically.[52]
Worldwide distribution by country[edit]
Of the 193 countries currently recognised by the United Nations (and the unrecognised Palestine), 140 use RHT and 54 use LHT. A country and its territories and dependencies is counted once.
Country
Road traffic
Road switched sides
Multi-track rail traffic generally
Notes
Afghanistan RHT RHT/LHT Was LHT until the 1950s, in line with neighbouring British Raj and later Pakistan.[53]
Albania RHT[54] RHT
Algeria RHT[54]
Andorra RHT[54]
Angola RHT[54] 1928
Antigua and Barbuda LHT[54]
Argentina RHT 10 June 1945 LHT The anniversary on 10 June is still observed each year as Día de la Seguridad Vial (road safety day).[55]
The Metrotranvía Mendoza uses RHT.
Armenia RHT[54] RHT
Australia LHT[56] LHT Commonwealth. Includes Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Norfolk Island
Austria RHT 1921 in Vorarlberg, 1930 in North Tyrol, 1935 in Carinthia and East Tyrol, 1938 in the rest of the country. RHT[57] Originally LHT, like most of former Austria-Hungary.
Azerbaijan RHT[54] RHT
Bahamas LHT[54] In Bahamas LHD vehicles are common due to the import of used cars from nearby USA[58].
Bahrain RHT 1967 Former British protectorate. Switched to same side as neighbours.[59]
Bangladesh LHT[54] LHT
Barbados LHT
Belgium RHT[54] 1899 LHT The Brussels Metro uses RHT.
Belarus RHT[54] RHT
Belize RHT 1961[2] Former British colony. Switched to same side as neighbours.
Benin RHT[54]
Bhutan LHT[54] Under British protection before 1949.
Bolivia RHT[54]
Botswana LHT[54]
Brazil RHT 1928[54] LHT A Portuguese colony until the early 19th century, switched some states still using LHT[60] to RHT in 1928.[61]
Most metro systems use RHT.
Brunei LHT[54]
Bosnia and Herzegovina RHT[54] RHT[62] Switched sides after the collapse of Austria-Hungary.
Bulgaria RHT[54] RHT
Burkina Faso RHT[54]
Burundi RHT Considering switching to LHT[63] in line with neighbours Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
Cambodia RHT RHT implemented while part of French Indochina. RHD cars, many of which were smuggled from Thailand, were banned from 2001, even though they accounted for 80% of vehicles in the country.[64]
Cameroon RHT[54] 1961
Canada RHT 1920s RHT Territories now in Canada have always been RHT, except British Columbia, which changed to RHT in stages from 1920 to 1923,[65][66] and New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island which changed in 1922, 1923, and 1924 respectively.[67] Newfoundland and Labrador changed to RHT in 1947 while still a dominion of the British Empire, two years before joining Canada.[68]
Cape Verde RHT[54] 1928
Central African Republic RHT[54]
Chad RHT[54]
Chile RHT[54] LHT The Santiago Metro uses RHT.
China RHT/LHT[56] 1946 LHT/RHT At one time, northern provinces were RHT due to American influence, while southern provinces were LHT due to British influence. LHT was uniform in the 1930s. China includes LHT Hong Kong and Macau, former colonies of Britain and Portugal, respectively.
Most metro systems use RHT, with the exception of the Hong Kong MTR.
Colombia RHT[54] RHT
Comoros RHT[54]
Congo RHT[54]
Democratic Republic of Congo RHT[54]
Costa Rica RHT[54]
Côte d'Ivoire RHT[54]
Croatia RHT[54] RHT Istria and Dalmatia were RHT, while Croatia-Slavonia was LHT when Croatia was part of Austria-Hungary [69]. The LHT regions switched to RHT on joining the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
Cuba RHT[54]
Cyprus LHT[54] Former British colony.
Czech Republic RHT[54] 1939 RHT Was LHT, like most of former Austria-Hungary, switched during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia.
Denmark RHT RHT[70] Includes Faroe Islands and Greenland
Djibouti RHT[54]
Dominica LHT[54] Former British colony.
Dominican Republic RHT[54]
East Timor LHT 1976 Originally LHT, like its colonial power Portugal. Switched to RHT with Portugal in 1928.[2] Under the Indonesian occupation of East Timor, changed back to LHT in 1976.
Ecuador RHT[54] LHT
Egypt RHT[54] LHT Road vehicles are RHT due to French influence, but railway system was built by British companies.
El Salvador RHT[54]
Equatorial Guinea RHT[54]
Eritrea RHT[54] 1964
Estonia RHT[54] RHT
Ethiopia RHT[54] 1964 LHT The Addis Ababa Light Rail runs on the right.
Fiji LHT
Finland RHT 1858 RHT Formerly ruled by LHT Sweden, switched to RHT as the Grand Duchy of Finland by Russian decree.[71] Majority of Helsinki commuter rail lines run on the left.
France RHT 1792 LHT[72]/RHT Includes French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna, French Guiana, Réunion, Saint Barthélemy, Collectivity of Saint Martin, Guadeloupe, Mayotte.
Most metro systems use RHT, except for the Lyon Metro.
Gabon RHT[54]
Gambia RHT [54] 1965
Georgia RHT[54] RHT About 40% vehicles in Georgia are RHD due to low cost of used cars from Japan[73].
Germany RHT[74] RHT
Ghana RHT 1974 Former British colony. When changing to RHT a Twi language slogan was "Nifa, Nifa Enan" or "Right, Right, Fourth".[75]
Greece RHT[54] RHT
Grenada LHT[54]
Guatemala RHT[54]
Guinea RHT[54]
Guinea-Bissau RHT[54] 1928
Guyana LHT[54]
Haiti RHT[54]
Honduras RHT[54]
Hungary RHT[54] 1941 RHT Originally LHT, like most of Austria-Hungary.
Iceland RHT 1968 The day of the switch was known as H-dagurinn. Most passenger cars were already LHD.
Iran RHT[54] RHT
Iraq RHT[54] LHT
India LHT[54] LHT Former British colony.
Indonesia LHT[56] RHT[76] The Jakarta MRT will use LHT.
Ireland LHT[54] LHT Former British Dominion.
Israel RHT[54] LHT The Jerusalem Light Rail uses RHT.
Italy RHT 1920s LHT Until 1927 the countryside was RHT while cities were LHT.[77] Rome changed to RHT in 1924 and Milan in 1926. Alfa Romeo and Lancia did not produce LHD cars until as late as 1950 and 1953 respectively, as many drivers favoured the RHD layout even in RHT as this offered the driver a clearer view of the edge of the road in mountainous regions at a time when many such roads lacked barriers or walls.[78]
The metro systems in Brescia, Genoa, Milan, and Turin use RHT, as well as all tram systems.
Jamaica LHT[54]
Japan LHT[79] LHT Post-World War II Okinawa was ruled by the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands and was RHT. It was returned to Japan in 1972 went LHT in 1978.[80] The conversion operation was known as 730 (Nana-San-Maru, which means Nana(7)-San(3)-Maru(0)). Okinawa is one of few places to have changed from RHT to LHT in the late 20th century.
Jordan RHT[54] RHT, despite the Mandate for Palestine and the Transjordan memorandum being under British rule till 1946.
Kazakhstan RHT[54] RHT
Kenya LHT[81] British colony until 1963.
Kiribati LHT[54]
North Korea and South Korea RHT 1946 LHT Korea had been LHT because of the influence of Japan in the 1900s. Switched to RHT under Soviet and American occupation after 1945.
Most metro systems in South Korea use RHT (exceptions include Seoul Subway Line 1 and the Bundang Line); metro system in Pyongyang uses a mixture of RHT and LHT.
Kuwait RHT[54]
Kyrgyzstan RHT RHT Former part of RHT Soviet Union. In 2012, over 20,000 cheaper used RHD cars were imported from Japan.[82]
Laos RHT[54] LHT RHT implemented while part of French Indochina.
Latvia RHT[54] RHT
Lebanon RHT[54] Former French mandate.
Lesotho LHT[54]
Liberia RHT[54]
Libya RHT[54]
Liechtenstein RHT[54]
Lithuania RHT[54] RHT
Luxembourg RHT[54] RHT
Macedonia RHT[54] RHT
Madagascar RHT[54]
Malawi LHT[54]
Malaysia LHT[54] LHT Former British colony.
Maldives LHT[54]
Mali RHT[54]
Malta LHT[54] British colony until 1964.
Marshall Islands RHT[54]
Mauritania RHT Mining roads between Fdérik and Zouérat are LHT.[83]
Mauritius LHT[54] Former British colony. Island nation.
Mexico RHT[54] RHT
Micronesia RHT [54] RHT
Moldova RHT[54] RHT
Monaco RHT[54] LHT
Mongolia RHT[54] RHT
Montenegro RHT[54] RHT
Morocco RHT[54] RHT
Mozambique LHT[84] LHT
Myanmar RHT 1970 LHT Much of infrastructure still geared to LHT, most cars are pre-owned RHD vehicles, imported from Japan.[85]
Netherlands RHT 1906[86] RHT Rotterdam was LHT until 1917.[87] Includes Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba
Namibia LHT 1918 RHT as a German colony. After South Africa occupied German South-West Africa during World War I, switched to LHT.[2] South-West Africa was made a South African mandate by the League of Nations, and the new rule of the road was established in law.[88]
Nauru LHT[54] 1918
Nepal LHT[89]
New Zealand LHT[56] LHT Includes territories Niue and Cook Islands
Nicaragua RHT[54]
Niger RHT[54]
Nigeria RHT 1972[90] LHT Former British colony. Switched to RHT as it is surrounded by former French RHT colonies.
Norway RHT[54] RHT
Oman RHT Not a party to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and bans all foreign-registered RHD vehicles.[91]
Palau RHT[54] RHT
Palestine RHT[54]
Pakistan LHT[54] LHT
Panama RHT 1943[92]
Papua New Guinea LHT[54]
Paraguay RHT 1945[93]
Peru RHT[54] LHT
Philippines RHT 1946[37] RHT LHT up until the Battle of Manila in 1945
Poland RHT RHT Partitions of Poland belonging to the German Empire and the Russian Empire were RHT. Partitions that were part of Austria-Hungary were LHT and changed to RHT in the 1920s.[94]
Portugal RHT[56] 1928 LHT Colonies Goa, Macau and Mozambique, which had land borders with LHT countries, did not switch and continue to drive on the left.[84] The Porto Metro uses RHT.
Qatar RHT[54]
Romania RHT[54] RHT
Russia RHT[54] RHT In the Russian Far East RHD vehicles are common due to the import of used cars from nearby Japan.[95] Railway between Moscow and Ryazan is LHT. Sormovskaya line in Nizhny Novgorod Metro also uses LHT.
Rwanda RHT[63] Former Belgian mandate. Considering switching to LHT[63][96] like its neighbours Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
Saint Kitts and Nevis LHT
Saint Lucia LHT
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines LHT
Samoa LHT 2009 Switched to LHT to allow the import of cars more cheaply from Australia, New Zealand and Japan.[56]
San Marino RHT[54]
São Tomé and Príncipe RHT[54] 1928
Saudi Arabia RHT[54] LHT
Senegal RHT[54]
Serbia RHT[54] RHT Vojvodina was LHT while part of Austria-Hungary.
Seychelles LHT[54]
Sierra Leone RHT 1971[97] Importation of RHD vehicles was banned in 2013.[98]
Singapore LHT[54] LHT Former British colony.
Slovakia RHT[54] 1939–41 RHT
Slovenia RHT[54] LHT
Solomon Islands LHT[54]
Somalia RHT 1968[99]
South Africa LHT[100][101] LHT Former British colony.
South Sudan RHT 1973 Was LHT during the period of British colonial rule. Split from Sudan in 2011 after the majority of the population voted for independence.
Spain RHT 1924 RHT Up to the 1920s Barcelona was RHT, and Madrid was LHT until 1924. The Madrid Metro is LHT.[102]
Sri Lanka LHT[54] LHT Former British Colony.
Sudan RHT[54] 1973 Former British Colony.
Suriname LHT[54]
Swaziland LHT[54]
Sweden RHT[54] 1967 LHT The day of the switch was known as Dagen H. Most passenger cars were already LHD. The tram systems in Gothenburg and Norrköping use RHT; the tram system in Stockholm uses a mixture of LHT and RHT.[103]
Switzerland RHT[54] LHT The tram system in Zurich and the Lausanne Metro use RHT.
Syria RHT[54]
Taiwan RHT 1946 LHT Was LHT during the period of Japanese rule. The government of the Republic of China changed Taiwan to RHT in 1946 along with the rest of China.[104] The Taipei Metro uses RHT.
Tajikistan RHT[54] RHT
Tanzania LHT[54]
Thailand LHT[56] LHT One of the few LHT countries not a former British colony. Shares long land border with RHT Laos and Cambodia.
Togo RHT[54]
Tonga LHT[54]
Trinidad and Tobago LHT[105] Former British colony.
Tunisia RHT[54] LHT French RHT was enforced in the French protectorate of Tunisia from 1881.
Turkey RHT[54] RHT
Turkmenistan RHT[54] RHT
Tuvalu LHT[54]
Uganda LHT[54]
Ukraine RHT 1922[94] RHT West Ukraine was LHT, like most of former Austria-Hungary. Carpathian Ruthenia remained LHT as part of Czechoslovakia before switching in 1941 as part of Hungary. The rest of Ukraine, having been part of the Russian Empire, already drove on the right.
United Arab Emirates RHT[54] RHT
United Kingdom LHT LHT/RHT Includes Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension, Tristan da Cunha are all left hand drive. Gibraltar has been RHT since 1929 because of its land border with Spain.[106] The Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey) drove on the right under German occupation until their liberation in 1945.[107] The Falkland Islands similarly drove on the right during their occupation by Argentina in 1982.[108]
United States RHT RHT/LHT[109] Includes American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico. U.S. Virgin Islands is LHT, like much of the Caribbean.
Uruguay RHT[93] 1945 LHT Became LHT in 1918, but as in some other countries in South America, changed to RHT on 2 September 1945. A speed limit of 30 km/h (19 mph) was observed until 30 September for safety.
Uzbekistan RHT[54] RHT
Vanuatu RHT[110]
Venezuela RHT[54] LHT The Caracas Metro uses RHT.
Vietnam RHT[54] LHT Became RHT as French Indochina.
Yemen RHT 1977[2] South Yemen, formerly the British colony of Aden, changed to RHT 1977. A series of postage stamps commemorating the event was issued.[111] North Yemen was already RHT.
Zambia LHT[54]
Zimbabwe LHT LHT Former British colony. In 2010 the government attempted to ban LHD vehicles.[112]
Traffic behaviour[edit]
LHT
RHT
Manoeuvre
LHT
RHT
Unless overtaking stay on the left right
In roundabouts traffic rotates clockwise anticlockwise
Oncoming traffic is seen coming from the right left
Traffic must cross oncoming traffic when turning right left
Most traffic signs are on the left right
Pedestrians crossing a two-way road look first for traffic from their right left
Dual carriageway ramps are on the left right
After stopping at a red light it may be legal to turn left right
Gallery[edit]
Gibraltar is RHT (since 1929)
A sign reminding motorists to keep left in Australia
Vehicles entering and leaving Macau cross over each other at the Lotus Bridge.
Sign reminding motorists to drive on the left in Ireland
The entrance to the Channel Tunnel in France.
See also[edit]
Hook turn
Traffic-light signalling and operation
World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations
References[edit]
^ Draper, Geoff (1993). "Harmonized Headlamp Design for Worldwide Application". Motor Vehicle Lighting. Society of Automotive Engineers. pp. 23–36.
^ a b c d e Kincaid, Peter (December 1986). The Rule of the Road: An International Guide to History and Practice. Greenwood Press. pp. 50, 86–88, 99–100, 121–122, 198–202. ISBN 0-313-25249-1.
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Google Maps placemarks of border crossings where traffic changes sides (browser-based), also available as a Google Earth placemarks file (requires Google Earth)
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Smokey and the Bandit
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Smokey and the Bandit
Promotional poster by John Solie
Directed by
Hal Needham
Produced by
Mort Engelberg
Robert L. Levy
Screenplay by
James Lee Barrett
Charles Shyer
Alan Mandel
Story by
Hal Needham
Robert L. Levy
Starring
Burt Reynolds
Sally Field
Jackie Gleason
Jerry Reed
Mike Henry
Music by
Bill Justis
Jerry Reed
Cinematography
Bobby Byrne
Edited by
Walter Hannemann
Angelo Ross
Production
company
Rastar
Distributed by
Universal Pictures
Release date
May 27, 1977 (1977-05-27)
Running time
96 minutes[1]
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$4.3 million[2]
Box office
$300 million[2]
Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 American action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams and Mike Henry. The film was the directorial debut of stuntman Hal Needham. It inspired several other trucking films, including two sequels, Smokey and the Bandit II and Smokey and the Bandit Part 3.
There was also a series of 1994 television films (Bandit Goes Country, Bandit Bandit, Beauty and the Bandit, and Bandit's Silver Angel) from original director/writer Hal Needham that were loosely based on the earlier version, with actor Brian Bloom playing Bandit. The three original films introduced two generations of the Pontiac Trans Am, and the Dodge Stealth in the television movie. Smokey and the Bandit was the second-highest-grossing film of 1977 behind Star Wars.
Contents
[hide]
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production
3.1 Vehicles
3.2 Legal status of Coors beer
4 Soundtrack
4.1 Track listing
5 Reception
6 Cultural impact
6.1 Trans Am
6.2 Diablo sandwich
6.3 The Bandit Run
6.4 Mobil 1 commercial
7 Television censorship and alternative versions
8 Spinoff
9 See also
10 References
11 External links
Plot[edit]
Wealthy Texan Big Enos Burdette and his son Little Enos seek a truck driver willing to bootleg Coors beer to Georgia for their refreshment. At the time, Coors was regarded as one of the finest beers in the United States,[3] but it could not be legally sold east of the Mississippi River. Truck drivers who had taken the bet previously had been caught and arrested by "Smokey" (CB slang for highway patrol officers, referring to the Smokey Bear–type hats worn in some states).
The Burdettes find legendary trucker Bo "Bandit" Darville competing in a truck rodeo at Lakewood Fairgrounds in Atlanta; they offer him $80,000 to haul 400 cases of Coors beer from Texarkana, Texas back to Atlanta in 28 hours; Big Enos has sponsored a driver running in the Southern Classic stockcar race and "when he wins I want to celebrate in style." Bandit accepts the bet and recruits his partner Cledus "Snowman" Snow to drive the truck, while Bandit drives the "blocker", a black Pontiac Trans Am bought on an advance from the Burdettes, to divert attention away from the truck and its illegal cargo.
The trip to Texas is mostly uneventful except for at least one pursuing Arkansas State Trooper whom Bandit evades with ease. They reach Texarkana an hour ahead of schedule, load their truck with the beer and head back toward Atlanta. Immediately upon starting the second leg of the run, Bandit picks up runaway bride Carrie, whom he eventually nicknames "Frog" because she is "kinda cute like a frog," she is "always hoppin' around," and because he "wants to jump" her. But in so doing, Bandit makes himself a target of Texas Sheriff Buford T. Justice, a career lawman whose handsome but slow-witted son Junior was to have been Carrie's bridegroom. Ignoring his own jurisdiction, Sheriff Justice, with Junior in tow, chases Bandit all the way to Georgia, even as various mishaps cause his cruiser to disintegrate around them.
The remainder of the film is one lengthy high-speed chase, as Bandit's antics attract more and more attention from local and state police across Dixie while Snowman barrels on toward Atlanta with the contraband beer. Bandit and Snowman are helped along the way via CB radio by many colorful characters, including an undertaker with his hearse driver and their funeral procession, an elderly lady, a drive-in waitress and all her customers, a convoy of trucks, and even a madam who runs a brothel out of her RV. Neither Sheriff Justice nor any other police officers have any knowledge of Snowman's illegal manifest.
The chase intensifies as Bandit and Snowman get closer to Atlanta; moments after crossing back into Georgia, Bandit comes to the rescue when Snowman is pulled over by a Georgia State Patrol motorcycle patrolman, and state and local police step up their pursuit with more cruisers, larger roadblocks, and even a police helicopter to track Bandit's movements. Discouraged by the unexpected mounting attention, and with just four miles left to go, Bandit is about to give up, but Snowman refuses to listen and takes the lead, smashing through the police roadblock at the entrance to the fairgrounds. They arrive back at Lakewood Speedway (while the Southern Classic race is being run) with only 10 minutes to spare, but instead of taking the payoff, Frog and Bandit accept a double-or-nothing offer from Little Enos — a challenge to run up to Boston and bring back clam chowder in 18 hours. They quickly escape in one of Big Enos' Cadillac convertibles as Georgia State Patrol cruisers flood the racetrack to confiscate the Trans Am and truck, passing Sheriff Justice's badly damaged police car by the side of the road. Bandit first directs Sheriff Justice to Big and Little Enos, but then in a gesture of respect, reveals his true location and invites Justice to give chase, leaving Junior behind.
Cast[edit]
Burt Reynolds as Bo Darville ("Bandit")
Sally Field as Carrie ("Frog")
Jerry Reed as Cledus Snow ("Snowman")
Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Buford T. Justice ("Smokey")
Mike Henry as Junior Justice
Pat McCormick as Big Enos Burdette
Paul Williams as Little Enos Burdette
Macon McCalman as Mr. B
Susan McIver as Hot Pants
George Reynolds as Sheriff George Branford
Laura Lizer Sommers as Little Beaver
Michael Mann as Branford's Deputy
Lamar Jackson as Sugar Bear
Ronnie Gay as Georgia Trooper
Quinnon Sheffield as Alabama Trooper
Alfie Wise as Alabama Patrolman
Pat Hustis as Tow Truck Driver
Ingeborg Kjeldsen as Foxy Lady
Ben Jones as Trucker #1
Joe Klecko as Trucker #2
Hank Worden as Trucker #3
Production[edit]
Director Hal Needham originally planned the film as a low-budget B movie with a production cost of $1 million,[2] with Jerry Reed as the Bandit. It was not until Needham's friend Burt Reynolds read the script, and said he would star, that the film was aimed at a more mainstream release; Reed would now portray Bandit's friend Snowman (Reed would eventually play the Bandit in Smokey and the Bandit Part 3). At that time Reynolds was the top box office star in the world. In the original script Carrie was called Kate while Big Enos and Little Enos were called Kyle and Dickey. Bandit's car was a second generation Ford Mustang and the prize for completing the run was a new truck rather than $80,000.[4]
Burt Reynolds revealed in his autobiography that Needham had written the first draft script on legal pads. Upon showing it to his friend, Reynolds told Needham that it was the worst script he had ever read but that he would still make the movie. Most of the dialogue was improvised on set.[5]
Universal Studios bankrolled Smokey and the Bandit for $5.3 million, figuring it was a good risk.[2] Just two days before production was to begin, Universal sent a "hatchet man" to Atlanta to inform Needham that the budget was being trimmed by $1 million. With Reynolds' salary at $1 million, Needham was left with only $3.3 million to make the film. Needham and assistant director David Hamburger spent 30 hours revising the shooting schedule.[2]
"Buford T. Justice" was the name of a real Florida Highway Patrolman known to Reynolds' father, who was once Police Chief of Riviera Beach, Florida. His father was also the inspiration for the word "sumbitch" used in the film, a variation of the phrase "son-of-a-bitch" that, according to Reynolds, he uttered quite often.
Jackie Gleason was given free rein to ad-lib dialogue and make suggestions. It was his idea to have Junior alongside him throughout. In particular, the scene where Sheriff Justice unknowingly encounters the Bandit in the "choke and puke" (a roadside diner) was not in the original story, but rather was Gleason's idea.
Before Gleason was cast in the film, Richard Boone was originally considered for the role of Buford T. Justice.[5]
Sally Field only accepted the part after her agent advised her that she needed a big movie role on her resume. Reynolds actively pushed for her casting after Universal initially resisted, claiming Field was not attractive enough. Field enjoyed making the film, but remembers that virtually the entire project was improvised.
Reportedly, Needham had great difficulty getting any studios or producers to take his project seriously, as in the film industry, he was better known as a stuntman. He managed to obtain studio attention after his friend Reynolds agreed to portray the Bandit in the film.
The movie was primarily filmed in Georgia in the cities of McDonough, Jonesboro and Lithonia. The scenes set in Texarkana were filmed in Jonesboro and the surrounding area, and many of the chase scenes were filmed in the surrounding areas on Highway 54 between Fayetteville and Jonesboro for a majority of the driving scenes, Mundy's Mill Road, Main Street in Jonesboro, Georgia State Route 400, I-85 (Pleasant Hill exit), and in McDonough. However, the scene where they drive through the Shell gas station was filmed in Ojai, California on the corner of Ojai and El Paseo. Much of the surrounding scene comes from that immediate vicinity. The scene featuring the racetrack was filmed at Lakewood Speedway at the old Lakewood Fairgrounds on the south side of Atlanta. The roller coaster seen in the movie was the Greyhound. It had not been used for some time and was repainted for the film. It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and a flashback scene in Part 3.[6]
The film's theme song, "East Bound and Down", was written virtually overnight by Jerry Reed. He gave Needham a preview of the song, and when initially he got no reaction from the director, offered to rewrite the song. Needham, however, liked the song so much he assured Jerry not to change a word. It became one of Reed's biggest hits and his signature song.[7]
The area around Helen, Georgia was also used for some locations. The scene where Buford T. Justice's car has the door knocked off by a passing semi truck was shot on Georgia State Route 75, 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Helen. The tow truck driver was a local garage owner, Berlin Wike.
The film features the custom clothing and costuming of Niver Western Wear of Fort Worth, Texas.[8] Niver provided much of the western attire worn in the film, as well as the custom-made sheriff's uniforms (waist size 64 inches) that Jackie Gleason wore throughout the film.
Reynolds and Sally Field began dating during the filming of Smokey and the Bandit.
While made to take advantage of the ongoing 1970s CB radio fad, the film added to the craze.[9]
Though the film Moonrunners (1975) is the precursor to the television series The Dukes of Hazzard (1979-1985), from the same creator and with many identical settings and concepts, the popularity of Smokey and the Bandit and similar films helped get the Dukes series on the air. Three actors from the main cast of The Dukes of Hazzard appear in small uncredited roles in Smokey and the Bandit: Ben Jones, John Schneider and Sonny Shroyer (who played a police officer in both). In return, Reynolds portrayed the Dukes character Boss Hogg (originally portrayed by Sorrell Booke) in the film adaptation The Dukes of Hazzard (2005). Reynolds is also referenced by name in several early episodes of the series.
Vehicles[edit]
Needham saw an advertisement for the soon-to-be-released 1977 Pontiac Trans Am and knew right away that would be the Bandit's car, or, as Needham referred to it, a character in the movie. He contacted Pontiac and an agreement was made that four 1977 Trans Ams and two Pontiac LeMans 4-door sedans would be provided for the movie.[10] The Trans Ams were actually 1976-model cars with 1977 front ends. (From 1970 to 1976, both the Firebird/Trans Am and Chevrolet Camaro had two round headlights, and in 1977, the Firebird/Trans Am was changed to four rectangular headlights, while the Camaro remained unchanged.) The decals were also changed to 1977-style units, as evidenced by the engine size callouts on the hood scoop being in liters rather than cubic inches, as had been the case in 1976. The hood scoop on these cars says "6.6 LITRE", which in 1977 would have denoted an Oldsmobile 403-equipped car or a non W-72, 180 hp version of the 400 Pontiac engine. All four of the cars were badly damaged during production,[11] one of which was all but destroyed during the jump over the dismantled bridge. The Trans Am used for the dismantled bridge jump was equipped with a booster rocket, the same type that was used by Evel Knievel during his failed Snake River Canyon jump. Needham served as the driver for the stunt (standing in for Reynolds) while Lada St. Edmund was in the same car (standing in for Sally Field during the jump). By the movie's ending, the final surviving Trans Am and LeMans were both barely running and the other cars had become parts donors to keep them running. The Burdettes' car is a 1974 Cadillac Eldorado convertible painted in a "Candy Red" color scheme, and is seen briefly at the beginning of the movie and as Bandit, Snowman, Fred, and Frog make their escape in the final scene.
The film also made use of three Kenworth W900A short-frame semi trucks, which Jerry Reed can be seen driving, each equipped with 38-inch sleepers. Two units were 1974 models as evidenced by standard silver Kenworth emblems on the truck grille, and one unit was a 1973 model as evidenced by the gold-painted Kenworth emblem on the truck's grille signifying Kenworth's 50 years in business. The paint code for each truck was coffee brown with gold trims, and the 48-foot (15 m) mural trailer used was manufactured by Hobbs Trailers in Texas with a non-operational Thermo King Refrigeration unit. This is obvious, because there is no fuel tank on the underside of the trailer to power the refrigeration unit, and the unit is never heard running.[12]
Legal status of Coors beer[edit]
In 1977, Coors was unavailable for sale east of Oklahoma. A 1974 Time magazine article explains why Coors was so coveted that one would be willing to pay the Bandit such a high price to transport it. Coors Banquet Beer had a brief renaissance as certain people sought it out for its lack of stabilizers and preservatives. The article says that future Vice President Gerald Ford hid it in his luggage after a trip to Colorado in order to take it back to Washington. President Dwight D. Eisenhower had a steady supply airlifted to Washington by the Air Force. The article also mentions Frederick Amon, who smuggled it from Colorado to North Carolina and sold it for four times the retail price.[13] The lack of additives and preservatives meant that Coors had the potential for spoiling in a week if it were not kept cold throughout its transportation and in storage at its destination. This explains the 28-hour deadline.[14]
Soundtrack[edit]
Smokey And The Bandit: Music from the Motion Picture
Soundtrack album by Various artists
Released
1977 (1977)
Genre
Truck-driving country
country rock
country
bluegrass
rock
Length
41:11
Label
MCA Records
Producer
Sonny Burke
Singles from Smokey And The Bandit: Music from the Motion Picture
"East Bound and Down"
Released: August 1, 1977
The theme music, "East Bound and Down", was sung and co-written by Reed (credited under his birth name, Jerry Hubbard) and Dick Feller. It became Reed's signature song and is found on multiple albums, including Country Legends and his live album Jerry Reed: Live Still. In 1991 it was arranged for orchestra by Crafton Beck and recorded by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra for their album Down on the Farm. Several other groups, such as US rock band Tonic, have also covered it. Reed also penned and performed the song for the opening credits, entitled "The Legend", which tells of some of The Bandit's escapades prior to the events of the film, and the ballad "The Bandit", which features in several versions in the movie and on the soundtrack. Reed's hit notwithstanding, Bill Justis is the first name on the credits for the soundtrack as he composed and arranged original music throughout the film. Musicians such as Beegie Adair and George Tidwell played on the soundtrack as part of long careers in music. Legendary five-string banjo player Bobby Thompson is also heard prominently towards the end of "East Bound and Down." The soundtrack album was released in 1977 on vinyl, cassette and 8-track through MCA Records.[15]
Track listing[edit]
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1. "The Legend" Jerry R. Hubbard 2:09
2. "Incidental CB Dialogue" (Voice ["Bandit"] – Burt Reynolds, Voice ["Snowman"] – Jerry Reed) 0:28
3. "West Bound And Down" Jerry R. Hubbard, Dick Feller 2:45
4. "Foxy Lady" Bill Justis 2:51
5. "Incidental CB Dialogue" (Voice ["Bandit"] – Burt Reynolds, Voice ["Smokey"] – Jackie Gleason, Voice ["Snowman"] – Jerry Reed) 0:56
6. "Orange Blossom Special" Ervin T. Rouse 2:40
7. "The Bandit" Dick Feller 3:00
8. "March Of The Rednecks" Bill Justis 2:22
9. "If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry" Gerald Sanford, Hal Mooney 2:47
10. "East Bound and Down (Incidental CB Dialogue Included)" (Voice ["Bandit"] – Burt Reynolds, Voice ["Snowman"] – Jerry Reed) Jerry R. Hubbard, Dick Feller 4:42
11. "The Bandit" Dick Feller 2:48
12. "And The Fight Played On!" Bill Justis 2:22
13. "Ma Cousin Plays Steel" Bill Justis 3:11
14. "Hot Pants Fuzz Parade" Bill Justis 4:48
15. "Incidental CB Dialogue" (Voice ["Bandit"] – Burt Reynolds, Voice ["Snowman"] – Jerry Reed) 1:05
16. "The Bandit (Reprise)" Dick Feller 2:17
Total length: 41:11
Reception[edit]
Smokey and the Bandit was a smash hit at the box office. With an original budget of $5.3 million (cut to $4.3 million two days before initial production),[2] the film grossed $126,737,428 in North America,[16] making it the second-highest-grossing movie of 1977. The worldwide gross is estimated at over $300 million.[2]
Film critic Leonard Maltin gave the film a good rating (3 stars out of a possible 4) and characterized it as "About as subtle as The Three Stooges, but a classic compared to the sequels and countless rip-offs which followed."[17]
Gene Siskel, in his review in the Chicago Tribune, gave the film two stars and complained that the film failed to tell the audience when the clock started on the beer run, thus removing suspense throughout the film concerning how long remained to them. He also claimed that Bandit is never made aware of Frog's leaving Junior at the altar, which is why the Bandit continually asks why a Texas sheriff is chasing him. However, this is inaccurate: within seconds of Bandit picking her up, Frog tells him "there is a wedding in search of a bride", and goes on to explain her ill-advised romance with Junior, as Bandit holds up the CB mic for Snowman to hear.
The film's editors, Walter Hannemann and Angelo Ross, were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing. It currently holds a 79% "Fresh" rating on review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 28 reviews.[18]
Burt Reynolds rated the film as the one he most enjoyed and had the most fun making in his career.[19]
Legendary film maker Alfred Hitchcock stated that the movie was one of his favorites.[20]
Upon meeting Burt Reynolds, Billy Bob Thornton told him that the picture was not considered as such in the south, and was considered more of a documentary.[21]
Smokey and the Bandit was released in the United Kingdom on August 28, 1977 and was a sizeable success there, garnering positive reviews.[22]
American Film Institute Lists
AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs – Nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills – Nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains:
Bandit (Bo Darville) – Nominated Hero
Cultural impact[edit]
Trans Am[edit]
After the debut of the film the Trans Am became wildly popular with sales almost doubling in two years of the film's release, to the delight of General Motors; in fact, it outsold its Camaro counterpart for the first time ever.[23] Reynolds was given the 1977 vehicle used during promotion of the film as a gift, though the car itself never actually appeared in the film. Because of the popularity of the movie and the sales success of the Trans Am, then President of Pontiac Alex Mair promised to supply Reynolds with a Trans Am each year. Owing to his financial difficulties, in 2014 Reynolds put his vast collection of artwork and memorabilia up for auction, including the Trans Am. High estimates for the car were up to $80,000, but that was dwarfed by the actual sale price of $450,000. Also up for auction was a go-kart replica of the car, which sold for nearly $14,000.[24] In 2016, Trans Am Depot, a Florida-based automobile customization company, announced that it would build 77 Trans Ams that would be modeled after the car that Reynolds drove in the 1977 original, despite Pontiac having been discontinued by GM in 2009. These new models were built off the Camaro platform (the very same one that the real Firebird and Trans Am used), came with Pontiac arrowhead, flaming bird and Bandit logos, as well as instrument panels, center consoles and hood scoops emulating their 1977 counterparts, and were signed by Reynolds. Some differences included the use of a supercharged 454-cid (7.4-liter) Chevrolet-sourced engine that put out 840 HP, and four round headlights, which appeared on the 1967-69 Firebirds/Trans Ams only; the actual 1977-81 models had rectangular headlights.[25]
Diablo sandwich[edit]
The diablo sandwich ordered by Sheriff Justice in the Arkansas barbecue restaurant scene has entered popular culture as a minor reference to the film. While no authoritative source identifies the composition of the sandwich, there are several possibilities. A segment of the CMT program Reel Eats used a sloppy joe-style recipe consisting of seasoned ground beef, corn and sour cream.[26] Another proposal, based more closely on images from the film and the shooting location of the scene (at an Old Hickory House restaurant in Georgia), is pulled pork and hot sauce on a hamburger bun.[27]
The Bandit Run[edit]
First run in 2007 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the movie, The Bandit Run was the brainchild of Dave Hall, owner of Restore A Muscle Car. A group of Trans Am owners and fans of the movie take part in an annual road trip from Texarkana to Jonesboro, Georgia, recreating the route taken by the characters in the film.
The Bandit Run quickly caught on and has become a fixture, most recently celebrating the 40th anniversary of the movie with a special screening of the film attended by Burt Reynolds and a recreation of the jump undertaken by Bandit and Frog across a river.[28]
Mobil 1 commercial[edit]
In 2014, petroleum company Mobil 1 produced television commercials, featuring NASCAR star Tony Stewart, closely based on the film. Called Smoke is the Bandit playing on Stewart's nickname, the commercials featured him as the Bandit opposite Darrell Waltrip who played Snowman and Jeff Hammond as Buford T. Justice. The story replaced the Coors beer with Mobil 1 products. The adverts poked fun at the film and even featured a Pontiac Trans Am and a cover version of the song East Bound and Down. The commercials were produced after Stewart mentioned that the movie was one of his favorites.[29]
Television censorship and alternative versions[edit]
When Smokey and the Bandit first aired on American network television in the early 1980s, censors were faced with the challenge of toning down the raw language of the original film. For this purpose, they overdubbed dialogue deemed offensive, which was (and remains, to an extent) common practice. The most noted change made for network broadcast was the replacing of Buford's often-spoken phrase "sumbitch" (a contraction of "son of a bitch"; usually in reference to the Bandit) with the phrase "scum bum". This phrase achieved a level of popularity with children, and the 2007 Hot Wheels release of the 1970s Firebird Trans Am has "scum bum" emblazoned on its tail. The TV prints of the first two Bandit films are still shown regularly on television, although a few TV stations aired the unedited version in recent years as some of the phraseology (i.e. "(son of a) bitch", "ass", etc.) became more acceptable on TV.
The original actors mostly redubbed their own lines for the television version, except for Gleason. Actor Henry Corden, who voiced Fred Flintstone after original performer Alan Reed died, was used to replace a considerable amount of Sheriff Justice's dialogue. This is fitting, as Fred Flintstone was a parody of/homage to Gleason's character Ralph Kramden and The Flintstones was a parody of/homage to The Honeymooners.
In the UK, the heavily dubbed version was shown for a number of years, particularly by the BBC. However, in more recent years, the original version has been shown (on ITV, a commercial channel), usually with the stronger language edited out, often quite awkwardly and noticeably.
The theatrical release itself had a few lines deleted, including a creative edit in which Sheriff Justice tells a state trooper to "fuck off." His expletive is obscured when a passing big rig sounds its horn. At the time, using the 'F' word would immediately require an R rating and this clever self-censorship allowed the film to avoid this rating and reach a much larger audience. However, the scene and the obscured expletive was played for comedy value and written as such, with the passing truck being the gag of the scene more than a way to avoid the censors.
In 2006, a DVD re-release was issued of Smokey and the Bandit featuring a digitally-remastered audio track with 5.1 Dolby-compatible surround sound. It should be noted however that many of the film's original sounds were replaced. For instance, the diesel engine start and run up sequence in the opening sequence of the film was completely dubbed over with a totally new sound. A few other examples of "sound effect replacement" occur when Bandit takes off after managing to get a reluctant Cledus involved in the bet, and after he comes to a screeching halt on a roadway moments before picking up Carrie. Some of the original sound effects (such as Cledus' dog Fred's barking) and music (such as the final chase to the Southern Classic) were removed and not replaced. (Note: earlier DVD releases and the 40th Anniversary Blu-ray of the film have the original soundtrack intact.)[30]
Major portions of the audio 'background' have been modified with different engine sounds or tire squeals from the original film. The updated version of the film features sounds inaccurate for what would be produced by the Trans Am or the numerous other Pontiac vehicles in the film. The original film had correct sounds that were usually recorded live as the action took place.
Some TV versions also feature a longer version of the scene where Cledus wades into the pond after Fred.[31]
Spinoff[edit]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2013)
A series of television movies aired in 1994. The car featured was a Dodge Stealth.
See also[edit]
Film portal
The Bandit Run
The Cannonball Run
Hooper
References[edit]
Jump up ^ "Smokey and the Bandit (A)". British Board of Film Classification. 1977-06-13. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g How "Smokey and the Bandit" Was Born. CNN Money. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
Jump up ^ "BREWING: The Beer That Won the West". Time. February 11, 1974.
Jump up ^ http://mentalfloss.com/article/80484/13-fast-facts-about-smokey-and-bandit
^ Jump up to: a b "13 Fast Facts About Smokey and the Bandit". May 25, 2016.
Jump up ^ "Greyhound - Lakewood Park (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
Jump up ^ "Page not found - Movieline". [permanent dead link]
Jump up ^ Niver Western Wear Corporate Records
Jump up ^ "Media Now: Understanding Media, Culture, and Technology". Retrieved February 24, 2016.
Jump up ^ http://www.pontiacsonline.com/JIM%20WANGERS.htm
Jump up ^ "How "Smokey and the Bandit" was born". Fortune.
Jump up ^ "BIZARRE QUESTION". Archived from the original on October 16, 2007. Retrieved September 14, 2007.
Jump up ^ Author Unknown. "BREWING: The Beer That Won the West" Time. 11 February 1974. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,908509,00.html
Jump up ^ Koerth-Baker, Maggie. "How the Bandit, Coors and a bunch of Makers changed the course of booze history". Boing Boing. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
Jump up ^ "Various – Smokey And The Bandit (Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Discogs. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
Jump up ^ "Smokey and the Bandit, Box Office Information". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
Jump up ^ Maltin, Leonard, ed. (2003). Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide: 2004 Edition. Penguin.
Jump up ^ Smokey and the Bandit, Movie Reviews. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
Jump up ^ "Burt Reynolds at the 2015 Macon Film Festival". Atlanta's CW69. July 21, 2015.
Jump up ^ "Seven Quirky Lowbrow Favorite Films of Highbrow Directors - The Moveable Fest". July 15, 2012.
Jump up ^ Rebello, Stephen. "Remembering Hal Needham and the Birth of Redneck Cinema".
Jump up ^ "Smokey and the Bandit - Film from RadioTimes". RadioTimes.
Jump up ^ "Smokey and the Bandit (1977)". IMDb. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
Jump up ^ Nunez, Alex (15 December 2014). "Burt Reynolds' Bandit Trans Am sells for $450,000". Road & Track. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
Jump up ^ Hlavaty, Craig (30 March 2016). "See a "New" Vintage Bandit Trans Am Approved by Burt Reynolds Himself". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
Jump up ^ LaGrou, Lisa (February 9, 2014). "Diablo Sandwich Recipe from CMT's Reel Eats". Oakland County Moms.
Jump up ^ "Diablo Sandwich / "Diablo & Doc" From Smokey & the Bandit, Identified!". Roadfood.com.
Jump up ^ http://thebanditrun.com/
Jump up ^ "Stewart plays off 'Smokey and the Bandit in Mobil 1 ad".
Jump up ^ Salmons, Tim (2017-05-29). "Smokey and the Bandit: 40th Anniversary Edition". The Digital Bits. Retrieved 2017-11-12.
Jump up ^ Video on YouTube[dead link]
External links[edit]
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Smokey and the Bandit
Smokey and the Bandit on IMDb
Smokey and the Bandit at AllMovie
Smokey and the Bandit at the TCM Movie Database
Smokey and the Bandit at the American Film Institute Catalog
Smokey and the Bandit at Box Office Mojo
Smokey and the Bandit at Rotten Tomatoes
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Films directed by Hal Needham
Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
Hooper (1978)
The Villain (1979)
Death Car on the Freeway (1979)
Smokey and the Bandit II (1980)
The Cannonball Run (1981)
Megaforce (1982)
Stroker Ace (1983)
Cannonball Run II (1984)
Rad (1986)
Body Slam (1987)
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