SAFETY OF FOOT TRAFFIC

Hokitika Guardian, 2 April 1930, Page 5

SAFETY OF FOOT TRAFFIC

LEGISLATION URGED

PEDESTRIANS ON RIGHT-HAND SIDE,

NEW PLYMOUTH, March 30. 'File opinion that the North Island )I otor Union should sponsor legislation making it obligatory upon pedestrians to walk on. the right-hand side of country roads was expressed by Mr W. G. Walk ley at a meeting of the South Taranaki Automobile Association. The matter is to be placed before the .Motor Union at its approaching meeting at Wellington. “To put the matter concisely,’’ said Mr Walkley “it appears at present that the law is that motor traffic must keep to the left and overtake on the light. Although it may he the rule of tne road as stated by the Magistrate for pedestrians to walk on the righthand side of the road, the practice in this country is for pedestrians to take the left-hand side. The object of making it obligatory upon motorists to keep to the left is obviously to make tiie highway as safe as possible for vehicular users. It seems only reasonable that regulations should be made making it equally obligatory for pedestrians to observe some universally recognised rule of the road. In fixing such a rule two cardinal points must be kept in mind—(l) safety of pedestrians; (2) protection of other road users.” The advantage to the pedestrian in keeping to the right is that he is walking towards approaching traffic and is therefore in a position to do his share towards averting an accident if the necesistv arises. When a pedestrian walks on the left he lias his back to the over-taking traffic and in most cases places all the responsibility on the driver of the overtaking vehicle. It stakes two to make an accident in such a case and the present practice of leaving all precautions in the hands of the motorist is unwise, unfair and’ distinctly dangerous to the pedestrian. When two cars are meeting at night there is always a ‘black area’ in which it is impossible for a driver momentarily to discern anything, no matter how good his car lights may be. Any pedestrian walking with his back to approaching traffic is exposed to the peril of being run down in thfc black area.’4 A further point urged by Mr Walkley was that, on a wet or a foggy night, a person walking with his back to approaching traffic attained the maximum of invisiblty. On the other hand, if he walked on the side of approaching traffic he enjoyed maximum visibility by reason of his white face, collar and shirt front. Mr Walkley considered there would lie very feu disadvantages. It might he argued people to walk on the right, but he pointed out that it took New Zealand motorists only a few weeks to accustom themselves to the-“right hand” rule.