OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 April 1942, Page 4

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

TRAFFIC PROBLEMS (To the Editor.) Sir,—Will you kindly endeavour to give a little enlightment if possible re the following:—This morning, one of our citizens was proceeding by car (coming from the south -end of the town) and, wishing to turn into a street on his right, gave to the pointsman on duty the correct righthand sign. The pointsman instructed him to proceed, which he did, passing the pointsman on his right. Whether the man on duty was a new chum or not (we all have to be taught), the driver of the vehicle, after parking his car, went back and asked the man if what he did was correct, as the man had given him two or three different signs. Not getting anything very satisfactory, he endeavoured to get a little enlightment from some of the military chaps who were standing about on the corner.' One of these informed him that he had no business to speak to the man on duty (evidently taking the man as a robot). Apologies were tendered etc., but he wished to be informed what was the correct procedure. He was informed that he should have passed the pointsman on the inside of the man. Now, Sir, which is correct? as I am afraid that if any of our friends Attempt to pass*on the inside, whether a robot, disc or any other deI vice they will soon find themselves besore5 ore the “beak-”—Yours, etc., “PERPLEXED.” I Masterton, April 15.

The point raised by our correspondent is covered by a clause in the Traffic Regulations, 1936, which reads: “Every driver of a motor-vehicle intending to turn at an intersection from any roadway into another roadway to his right shall, when approaching and turning, maintain his position to his left of his centre-line of the roadway out of which he is turning until he enters the area of the intersection and shall then turn into the roadway into which he is entering as directly and quickly as he can with safety.” This indicates that the correct procedure is to pass cn the inside of the pointsman cn duty. Cases are known, where traffic has passed on the outside, in which pointsmen have been hit by the bumpers of passing cars.