TRAFFIC CONTROL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 94, 22 April 1931, Page 9

TRAFFIC CONTROL.

■ ■ ■ METHODS IN BIG CITIES. UNITED STATES EFFICIENCY. RULE OF THE ROAD DISCUSSED. "The United States appear to lead the world in the control of road traffic," said Mr. T. C. Webster, barrister, of Auckland, who has just returned from a trip abroad. "Not only are roads made capable of carrying an extraordinary amount of traffic, but a high degree of safety is maintained. In addition to the wellknown New Zealand regulations of stopping before a stationary tram and way to crosswise traffic approaching from one side, the United States have developed a system of boulevards, the users of which have right of way over traffic entering from either side. This is ensured by making all traffic entering a boulevard come to a dead stop before proceeding to cross, or turn into, a boulevard. A sign is exhibited either at the side of the cross road or on a rubber block 4in high by iin thick, fastened edgewise to the pavement in the middle of the cross road, with the word 'stop' thereon." It was the usual practice to make all the main thoroughfares through a city boulevards, Mr. Webster said. These roads were thus enabled to carry a much greater volume of traffic than would be possible otherwise, owing to the increased pace at which traffic could move without the slightest risk of accident. Great control of traffic was effected by the plentiful use of automatic control lights, which were found at every intersection of two boulevards and at every cross road where traffic was heavy, or likely to be moving fast. Every important city intersection was controlled automatically, and on many cross road junctions, well out in the country, on the main highway, the control lights must be obeyed. In the larger cities pedestrians were compelled by law to move with the traffic signals at the crowded junctions. Traffic police were always present where traffic was dense to supplement the automatic signals, .

■)— ii ■■ u i u — r — ammo WQ«»mww«WMi The universal rule of the road in the whole of the American Continent and generally on the Continent of Europe, was "keep to the right," as against the English rule "keep to the left." "Perhaps the rest of the world is wrong and England is right," said Mr. Webster, "but it is certain in every other type of moving traffic, such as aeroplanes in flight and vessels at sea, the international rule of *keep to the right' prevails. Perhaps the time has now come when Britain, in the interests of world standardisation and its automobile export trade, should adopt the 'keep to the right' rule for road traffic."