Why does the Captain sit in the left seat?

[Brian Abraham]

Therefore if the Capt of Ship A is sitting on the left

All the ships on which I have had business had the the Captains chair (Throne?) located in the centre of the bridge, or at least within striking distance (box about the ears?) of the helmsman, who was so located. Poor chap would have to walk from there to the bridge wing.

[Prince of Dzun]

The Glorious Days of Steam.

wheelbrace,

Interesting what you say about firemen and right handedness. I'm looking into it.

I must take issue with you for denigrating my " Glorious Days of Steam " caption. Are you implying the days of steam locomotives were not glorious ?
If you are suggesting this then I would like to refer you to the " City of Lancaster " the pinnacle of steam locomotives, a 4-6-2 that combined both pull and speed and of such beauty that it put lovelies like Helen of Troy in the shade. British built of course.

Dickie Bird,
What you say about Great Western Railways being the only line to have its steam locomotive drivers on the right side of the cab is nonsense!! Who told you that ?

Prince of Dzun.

[DickieBird]

P of D

Suggest you look at any GWR steam loco cab, the regulator is cranked to the right hand side of the cab, and the reversing gear is also on the right hand side.

[Dairyground]

Suggest you look at any GWR steam loco cab, the regulator is cranked to the right hand side of the cab, and the reversing gear is also on the right hand side.

But if you look at most locos from the LNER and other companies, the regulator and reverser are on the left.

In most parts of the railway system the signals are on the left, so it makes sense for the driver to be on that side. In places where there are complex track arrangements, such as approaching major stations, signals may be almost anywhere to suit the local circumstances, but in general, where a train is moving fast, the signals are on the left.

For aircraft, I thought the driving seat on the left resulted from Americans following their automobile practice of left hand drive, which some suggest originates ultimately from a decision by Napoleon to disguise the direction in which his armies were marching.

[TheChitterneFlyer]

I had been told that the convention of the Captain sitting on the left side of the aeroplane stemmed from the fact that 'circuit flying' was originally established to be a 'left-hand' pattern in order to keep all arrival traffic going in the same direction. Therefore, when multi-engined aeroplanes arrived on the scene they put the Captain on the left in order that he/she could maintain a visual reference to the airfield. Likewise, a 'standard overhead join' pattern is established over the upwind end of the runway so that the captain could see the signal square.

TCF

[non iron]

Parabellum.

Spot on.

But since the cavalry had the first go ( and jousting preceded ) l suspect an element of the "sword hand being free" - shown by the spiral of castle steps - was the main cause.

[merch]

From Exaviator
"hence the origin of Port & Starboard. The ships master conned the vessel from the port side so that he could judge the approach to the dock"

Pedant mode on

The terms originally were Larboard and Starboard, but changed as they sound very similar.

The Rules For Preventing Collision at Sea state for overtaking, any vessel overtaking any other shall keep out of the way of the vessel being overtaken. It does not specify which side to overtake on, but it infers that you should overtake on the Port side (of the overtaken vessel) as if the overtaken vessel alters course to Starboard to avoid another vessel, the overtaking vessel would get in the way if overtaking on the Starboard side (of the overtaken vessel)

Pedant mode off

Also the Captains' cabin is on the starboard side - but don't ask me why!

merch

[StallBoy]

If Loco drivers sit on the right and the signals are on the left and a co-pilot sits on the right then why the bl$$dy hell don't aircraft have a guard at the tail end.

[john_tullamarine]

HOWEVER... Airbus cockpit layouts are a sinister conspiracy; the sidestick is manipulated at the left by the left hand.

.. which would, of course, lead to an entirely sinister situation ... hat and coat on and heading for the door ...


But if you look at most locos from the LNER and other companies, the regulator and reverser are on the left

absolutely amazing, this PPRuNe .. here I am, a chap who can't tell his Bo-Bo from a Co-Co ... without counting on his fingers ... and, in the space of one thread I have escalated my rolling stock knowledge by a factor of a big number ... absolutely amazing.