Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1937. TRAFFIC CONTROL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 38, 24 November 1937, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1937. TRAFFIC CONTROL.

With the approach of an extra busy period of the year the necessity for stricter enforcement of the traffic regulations in the Borough should engage the attention of the authorities. That necessity exists in regard to motor, cyclist and pedestrian traffic alike. For some time the frequency of breaches of the Jaw has been the subject of complaints but so far from improvement the position is gradually becoming worse. The majority of those using the roads strictly comply with the demands of Jaw, courtesy and commonsense, but the failure of the remainder to pay like attention not only causes considerable inconvenience to their fellows, but also is a potential source of danger to life and limb There is no to detail all the offences that are a daily ocurrence. They are apparent to all. But -there are one or two aspects that deserve particular stress. We have' long been familiar with the cyclist who prefers the asphalted footway to the roadway, but in some localities there has appeared a new menace to children emerging from gateways —riders in pairs. This leads to the consideration that children themselves often are a source of danger to themselves and to others. Some instruction on the principles of safety first is given in the schools but with the growing use of bicycles by even little ones there is need for further direction in these matters. Fault in cycling is, however, by no means confined to those of tender years, as can be readily seen, particularly at lunch hour and five o’clock. Pedestrians also stand in need of instruction and discipline. The way in which, on the two recognised busy days, especially, all the rules of traffic are violated is astounding. Conditions such as obtain on the footpath in East Street on Tuesday and Friday afternoons and on Friday evenings would not be tolerated in any other town of similar size and importance. The safety of users of the roadways and the convenience of users of the footways demand that radical change be made. Some of the regulations may be irksome to those who regard their own pleasure as the sole consideration, but in fairness to the general body of the community strict enforcement of them is the bounden - duty of those entrusted with the responsibility of civic control.