MOTORDOM

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 189, 7 May 1937, Page 15

MOTORDOM

by

Chassis

COMMONSENSE AND ROAD RIGHTS

Relationship of Pedestrian To Motorist

The recent prosecnt’on of a pedestrian in Auckland for taping to obey a traffic inspector’s s’gnn'is may he accepted as a forerunner of official action against those pedestrians who still bel’eve that because a i>er cn is on foot lie ha« seme pre-emptive rights over velrcu’ar traffic in any circumstances into which h’s road-using care’essne-s might lead him. There is an awakening due to irh people, and also to those motorists who imagine that they can bluster their way anywhere.

The new regulations just gazetted give certain rights to pedestrians and motorists, and those rights must he interpreted against a background of common sense. For instance, pedestrians on the prescribed officially’-designed crossing-places will have the right-of-way, but they will not deserve it if they dawdle, or show luck of consideration to vehicular traffic. And when pedestrians attempt to cross streets away from the official crossing-places they will be expected to yield the right-of-way to vehicles, but that does not bestow on motorists any sort of permission to take risks when approaching those pedestrians. The enforcement of the regulations relating to pedestrians and motorists will take time to become fully effective. It will mean a process of education, as it must not be forgotten that there are very many old people, and very many young ones, to whom the import of'safety propaganda and regulations Is not deeply understood. Abstraction. preoccupation, retarded locomotion, nervousness, or an Infirmity of sight or hear'ng are still included among the peculiarities or frailties of human beings. .

moving machines. It doesn’t matter what the law is on the rights of pedestrians or motorists, there is no justification for any motorist injuring any one; there is no excuse for injuring anyone if less horn, less speed, more brakes, less blustering and more care and consideration would have avoided such injury. Greater tolerance is expected, and must be shown, between pedestrian and motorist. On th 6 one hand, the pedestrian must know the regulations governing him; he must abide by them: he must have an appreciation of the silence and extreme mobility of the vehicular traffic on the roads to-day; he must learn to act with decision, and not take risks.

The motorist, also, must have the fullest appreciation of the significance of horse-power, feet, seconds, breaking efficiency, the vulnerability of people who walk, and the far-reaching consecpiences that may follow any act of risk-taking.

It is the duty of pedestrians and motorists to know their so-called right, but to forget them entirely if the application of commonsense means safety. It is time the Wellington City Council made a start with setting down the properly-designed crossings. At present there is a concentration on stickers for warrants of fitness which is only one aspect of the safetj’ business.

We may be in charge of the perfect-ly-running engine and everything that goes with it. but we must not forget that there is no perfect human, and if there is he Is no match for our fast-