PASSING ON WRONG SIDE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 752, 27 August 1929, Page 6

PASSING ON WRONG SIDE

CULTIVATE ROAD SENSE . “Why can’t you hold out your hand?” “Keep to your own side.” Such was the short and snappy interchange heard the other evening on one of the thoroughfare leading out to the suburbs. The first speaker one of the thoroughfares leading out the other the driver of a car. There was an obstruction on the tram-line, and meeting this, and at the same time intending to turn to the left up a right-of-way. the car-driver had imlled out close to the rails to obtain clearance round a verandah post, therebv blocking following traffic. . The motorcyclist, however, evidently considered he was not blocked, and came up on the wrong side of tlie car just as it began to turn. Both stopped, and the motor-cyclist was joined by another The car-driver was first to get going again, and took his right. The motorcyclists, naturally, were annoyed. However, the cyclists were in the wrong. There are places where no great danger is incurred in passing a vehicle on the wrong side, but city thoroughfares are not among them. If a car swings out unduly from the kerb a following driver may be justified in counting the driver as all kinds of a ‘mutt,” but the very fact that he ap pears to be a “mutt” should be sufficient to warn the man behind that he probably is so. and therefore it were best to remain out of harm’s way. No \ehi c l e can possibly enter a narrow right-of-way, particularly as in this case where there are verandah posts without swinging out from the kerb Drivers should cultivate what is known as road sense, and avoid risk. It is an act fraught with serious dan Ser to take the wrong side of any vehicle, especially in city traffic. Even though a vehicle may be travelling out on the tram lines, as is so frequently seen lorries heing the principal offendei s, it is distinctly wiser to wait an opportunity of getting past on the correct side than to attempt to pass between the vehicle and , the kerb Vehicles travelling fast out in the roadway usually bear the impress that there is no fear of a change of direc tion. and following drivers frequently I take the wrong side to pass them, but when such a vehicle is slowing down l “ o ‘ 6 ' ns “ n excuse anyone behind for doing a thing so foolish as thus butting If passing on the left were once l d i„ n °? hing but could re„uu with innumerable accidents Consider the man in front as all sorts s-'hu- ,- mU u ,‘ f / ou lik e—lie quite posJr 1 don t be a “ mu S'’ vourf. f '. Keep to your own side; if you can t, then remain behind. That is pursue r ° Per and ° n,y to