They were all right hand drive then -- Ford gets credit (right or wrong) for putting it on the left side with the Model T introduced in late 1908....

If you have problems seeing this Youtube, you can see the video here on the CBS website (it comes up automatically, but go to full screen)

The quality is much better ( CBS worked on it some).
It was shown on 60 Minutes in Oct 2010.

>>>>> http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6964752n

Unless my eyes are bad all these cars are right hand drive. Is this a problem with film or were they all right hand drive in those days. I remember as a kid a fellow had a 1909 Cad and I don't remember it being right hand drive.

Just a question.

Gary

Here are some now... sorry about the old cars in these pictures, just wanted you all to see some of my relatives 60 years ago. lol

Hey guys - thanks for the updates.  There is a license plate club (ALPCA) that I used to belong to but after collecting a full run of North Dakota 1911-present and some ND odd-ball stuff I've let my membership last.  Last time I saw their magazine it was very nicely done.  North Dakota's first plates were issued in 1911 and, believe it or not, the state kept those early records.  I have micro-film copies of 1911-12-13-14.  1915 thru about 1925 are missing, as are the WII years, early stuff probably last in the Capitol Building fire in 1930. Don't know why the war years stuff didn't survive.   But they make some fascinating study - I've been working on a project to document who the first auto owners were in each of the towns of my home county, reading all the early newspapers....have the project partially complete.  Having the records gives me names of owners - which leads me to relatives, who many times have photos of the cars in old family albums.  I don't believe ND ever had a leather plate but some citieis in the state issued their own plates prior to 1911.....ya gotta wonder - where did all those old cars go???? 

OK, like you Jim, I did some research and found the following:
History of Nebraska Passenger Vehicle License Plates

Motor vehicles were first registered in June 1905. Individuals made their own plates, and registrations were recorded with the Secretary of State. The plates were made of leather with metal numbers. This practice continued until 1915 when the Department of Motor Vehicles began issuing the plates.

I read somewhere (it might have even been here in Nebraska), that license plates were required before they were actually issued by the state.  You would register your car, and they would issue you a series of numbers.  You would then buy a piece of leather and attach the numbers to it, and fasten that to your car.  I?ve seen a couple of those old original leather license plates over the years.  Lee

O.K. -- did my homework.  Should have grabbed James Fox's "License Plates of the United States" book before I posed the question about California license plates in 1906.  California's legislature made it law that vehicles had to be registered starting in 1905 -- but didn't begin issuing state license plates until 1914!  I'll bet those 1906 plates are super rare.  Probably made by some outside supplier.......

Interesting film - I wonder if some of those automobile drivers (actually they were called "machines" back then) were "in on" the filming.  The same car(s) keep going past the camera and making a U turn.  I didn't realize California had license plates in 1906 -- maybe they are S.F. plates (?).  Anybody know anything about Calif. plates???

Its hard to believe they had traffic problems back then. Now I know why they have laws against Jaywalking. Thank God for predestrian cross walks, stop signs and traffic lights. I also thought life would be slower back then but I was wrong, It appears everyone had something to do and they were in a hurry to get it done just like today. I do think road rage might had been around even then by all the close calls.

Thank You! Enjoyed it. Looks like prople were crazy drivers even in 1906. Not to mention the crazy people walking in all that traffic.

This video is a must see for history lovers and car lovers. You can feel what it was like driving in 1906 with horses and trolly cars all running together. Its hard to believe that a few days later everything was destroyed. Hope my link works. If not go to utube and type a search for 1906 trolly video.
There is a lot to discuss after watching this, it is a must see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGloeX1SpAU

Mike