ROAD RULES

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 34, 3 May 1927, Page 11

ROAD RULES

FOR PEDESTRIANS Auckland is by no means the only city faced with the necessity of controlling all road-users. London authorities are considering the punishment of those who. walk to the common danger. A Transport Ministry official is responsible for the follow- “ Motorists are hedged about by rules and regulations, and while they have no monopoly of the highways, they have equal rights with pedestrians. “Why, therefore, put all the responsibilities on the motorists? Why should not reasonable care be required of the pedestrian, and why should he not be fined if he disobeys? “Sooner or later, the question of what is familiarly known as ’jaywalking’ must be dealt with. “In some countries ‘walking to the common danger’ is an offence against the law, and many motoring- M.P.’s are in favour of some simple rules being laid down for pedestrians requiring them to take reasonable care.” Paris makes the offence punishable, and the pedestrian may suffer insult added to injury by being prosecuted after being knocked down. Rome is endeavouring to regulate pedestrian movement so that the crowded streets will cease to present the spectacle of a continuous football scrimmage. The Romans never heard of anything like pedestrian regulation and correspond to some of our own folk who don’t think much of such suggestions anyhow. They prefer the free-for-all, go-as-you-please, every-fel-low-for-himself, push-’em - out - of-your-way and walk-over-’em-if-they’re-down system so long in vogue As we are so are they. We are free, -we have the habit. The streets —they are for all. These “rules of the road” for pedestrians—pah! But little by little we have learnt a lot, and soon, no doubt, we will move with the times, and make order and safety even more of a characteristic of our streets. RIDICULE AIDS The pedestrian who disregards all the principles of safety and ambles heedlessly about the streets is rapidly being relegated to the realm of historic figures. Nobody likes to be called a “jay-walker” and ridicule has done a great deal toward eliminating this dangerous element in traffic control. Los Angeles is now operating under a “jay-walking” ordinance and it has proved highly successful. The unlucky individual who fails to heed the traffic signals is jeered and laughed at' and this has proved efficacious in educating the pedestrian in the necessity of traffic control. The pedestrian who ignores the traffic warning and deliberately walks ahead in defiance of the regulations contributes a dollar to the city treasury. In the case of “jay-walking,” ridicule has succeeded in bringing public opinion to bear to compel the pedestrians to observe the rules of the road