What Lies Ahead?

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 314, 27 March 1928, Page 8

What Lies Ahead?

INDICATION BY SYMBOL GOVERNMENT PROVISION The words of Carlyle “Roads are many; authentic finger-posts are few,” will not apply to the highways of New Zealand when the new regulations dealing with sign-posts have been put into effect. Year bv year, through the excellent work of motoring organisations, the highways and byways of the land have been sign-posted more and more, so that one may read who drives and have no doubt of direction. In both islands there are few points at which, along the main highways, there is any element of doubt. In addition to the direction boards the indication of main roads has been undertaken b.v coloured bands on poles, a system which had its origin in the Southland Motor Association. The new motor regulations deal with road signs, and provide, in respect to the ordinary direction sign, for the use of diamond-shaped boards for certain purposes. In the past the- boards have been square or oblong for all purposes whether to indicate danger, or anything else. The new diamond shapes will be distinctive and arresting.

But the most important departure and one which should be of incalculable service to the motoring public is the provision of a set of 22 symbols for indicating graphically what lies ahead in the bend of the road or beyond it. The symbols are:—Sharp right or left angle: right or left curve: double right or left curve: intersection of two highways: cross road to right or left; double cross road: right or left angle with local road ahead: ascent to left or right: descent to right or left, and curves with local road to right or left. Particulars have reached Auckland of yet another record going to Percy Coleman riding a Harley-Davidson machine. At Blenheim on Saturday, March 10, Coleman rode for the first time a 35 h.p. 4-valve Harley-Davidson and succeeded in establishing a new world’s record for the mile grass track for 3$ h.p. machines. His time was 50 l-ss. This means that both the 35 h.p. and 7-9 h.p. records are held by HarleyDavidson’s, and incidentally, of course, Coleman.