Why are UK country roads so narrow? I have never been able to understand what seem to...

Gusman · 61-69, M

I thank all members who responded.
I honestly never thought about horse and carts or walking tracks.
I do believe that a grading on either side of the road will allow for two lanes.
Convince me otherwise.

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

Fatality rate on the roads is 2.69 per 100,000 people. Well below the European average (which in turn is well below the international average). Speed is the main cause of death.

The narrow roads were built for Roman armies, pony post, walking to school. Not for modern cars. We have motorways for those.

TheSirfurryanimalWales · 61-69, M

You would have loved my bus trip through narrow lanes the other day.
These roads have been there for centuries….they are not all like
that.

SpudMuffin · 61-69, M

You're talking about roads that pre-date cars. They were perfectly adequate for people on foot or horseback, and the width of the road has become defined by the boundaries of the fields or woods on either side. It's not as dangerous or inconvenient as you might think, there are usually places where two vehicles can pass, and fatalities are very rare.

FreddieUK · 70-79, M

Most single track roads have passing places and sometimes drivers have to be prepared to reverse if a large vehicle comes towards them. That can be a problem for the less competent driver. Fatalities on these roads? Rare*. Fatalities on motorways and fast A roads? Much higher.

*Excluding wildlife

SomeMichGuy · M

They have to be, esp. N - S roads.

England is from German; look at a map--England ist sicher ein ganz enges Land!

("a narrow country" = "ein enges Land")