“Keep to the Left.”

Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1921, Page 1

“Keep to the Left.”

CONTI’S lON IN SYDNEY STREETS. SYDNEY, Aug. 0. Ever since July Ist, the rule el Die streets in Sydney lms been “Keep to the left.” The people, following the habit of u lifetime, are keeping to the right. Everyone who knows the crowded condition of the pedestrian traffic in Sydney’s narrow streets can imagine the result. The now rule was not lightly made. It was decided on as a result ol a careful study of many street accidents. It wa* found that while all vehicular traffic kept to the left, and all pedestrian tinllic to the right, persons walking on the outer side of the sidewalks were going the same way as the vehicles on the nearest side of the road. Therefore any pedestrian stepping out suddenly into the road was in danger front vehicles coming tip unseen behind him. Ilut if pedestrians also kept to the left, thi' people on the outer side ol the footpaths would always he facing t,ho nearest stream of vehicular traffic, and the risk of accidents would he lessened. Everyone recognised the wisdom ol the new rule, and everyone who remembered it obeyed it. Hut for everyone who remembered, a hundred did not, and Ihe latter naturally kept to the right. Police were put on special duty in the busier streets to remind the people of the new rule, i hey weic readily obeyed. Hut sooner or later {hit stream of “Keep to the left” traffic, flowing away from the policeman, would encounter a. forgetful “keep to flu 1 right” stream which had not yet met a policeman, and been (hanged over. Th(> conscious “lefters” would thereupon barge into the unconscious “lighters,” and in a moment there would he wild confusion. The people ure learning very slowly, and there has been much confusion in the streets. The police are now adopting new tactics. Sandwich-hoard men are '"imdeiing round with “Keep to the left notices, and similar notices are being painted on the footpaths. A broad while line is also being drawn along the middle of the city footpaths as a reminded to pedestrians to keep to the left of it. Few people realised until they saw the attempt being made to enforce the new traffic law. how strong a thing is habit with the mass.