JAY WALKING SAID TO BE PREVALENT

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 45, 16 November 1940, Page 4

JAY WALKING SAID TO BE PREVALENT

Dunedin Pedestrians Criticism of the control of pedestrians in Dunedin streets was expressed at a meeting of the executive of the Automobile Association (Otago). It was remarked by Mr. A. E. Ansell that the association had for some time been pressing for more stringent pedestrian control. “But very little, if anything, has been done,” he said. “The control of pedestrians appears to be nobody’s business.” It was noticeable that both police and traffic inspectors were quite indifferent to the fact that pedestrians wandered at will across the streets at any angle, to their own danger anil to the embarrassment of motorists, he continued. Now that pedestrian crossings were most clearly indicated, there was no excuse for such neglect. Though it had been stated by the Transport Department that the police were co-operating with the various traffic departments in pedestrian control, there was no evidence of cooperation in Dunedin, whatever was being done in the north. There was no objection to pedestrians crossing directly from one side of the street to the other, the president, Mr. P. W. Breen, said. The big danger was created by jay walkers, and surely some more definite action could be taken to put a stop to sueh a risky practice. The meeting adopted a recommendation from the Safety First Committee that the city council should be asked to instruct its traffic inspectors to devote some time to the education of pedestrians and to check indiscriminate jay walking, and that the Police Department be asked to cooperate.