THE RULE OF THE ROAD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3100, 2 June 1917, Page 8

THE RULE OF THE ROAD

Sir.v-Wlien I was told that in Napier there were placards directing pedestrians to "Keep to the left," I told my young informant that lie must have 'made some mistake. I hare since theu visited Napier, and I find that he was correct. I have also visited Hastings, a. somewhat smaller and newer towu ten miles from Napier, where there are placards telling pedestrians to "Keep to the right." In Saturday's Dominion an unsophisticated correspondent says: "Why the rule for the footpath should he the opposite of the rule for the road perhaps a Londoner can explain, for I cannot." Well, first it is not the opposite, or reverse, )>ut the 'converse. Tho reasons for the rule are two: (1) Aβ it somehow came about that equestrians and vehicles on British ronds adopted the custom of keeping to the left, it became- evident that pedestrians would be safer if, on country roads where there were no footpaths, they walked on tho right-hand eide, so that they might fiico tho traffic coming towards them and bo out of the way of the traffic going in the auno direction as themselves.. (This reason is still moro' apparent when ono is walking ou a doitblo litre of Tailway.) ('2) In towns and suburbs where there are footpaths, • carters and wagoners, by walking on the right sido of tho path (i.e., on the kerb) are- better able to control their teams. Your correspondent "Keep to the Left" has. evidently uot been in the Old Country, with the nar-row-streoted towns, or this second'reason would certainly appeal to .him. Three horses abreast are common enough in New Zealand, but London wagons nearly always have their teams of threo or four iliorscs a-tandem, the wagoner, walking on the curb alongside- tho. loader. I. should like to put your second correspondent on London Bridge and see him try to got along on tho left sido of tho footway.—l am, etc., LONDOKEU NO. 2.