KEEP OFF THE ROAD

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 22, 26 January 1929, Page 18

KEEP OFF THE ROAD

TRAFFIC IN•-: ROME '

';. Not only ,in ; JR.ome.- but also ! in 1- the smaller cities of Italy the; traflic-prbbi lem is b^ing"::deal't with d'rasticallyi'-tes-pecially is: this."the...case 'Hn~..'Florence'^ the central andin'ost ■.'■'■Ci'o-wded streets are' also tlie harr:owest,VUn.ed iii groat part with old-, historic buildings which preclude all possibility of widening. Here pedestrians; are the chief offenders, and regulations- hayo just appared curbing'tiieirl liberty of action;

■'■ The Florentines (says the Florence correspondent' of •• :the '.'.'Daily Mail") are an independent -people who for centuries have walked where' they; like, preferably in.the middle, of; the road; now they have been warned that they must keep' ,to the -left,"..that, they must walk solely on tho pavement,' and even there they must not make "aggloniera tions,'' but must go about their .business quickly. Large notices with "Pedoni a Sinistra'' (Pedestrialjia -• Keep to the Left) in huge' letters -meet the; eye at prominent street' (S'ornei's, and these aids, to memory are strengthened by the/pres. ence of numerous "policemen," who shep herd pedestrians'in the way they should go, and have the-., right to-inflict finds at sight on the. disobedient.- 'Tire- new regulations- are not ~ popular, women finding .that the shops they want to look at are invariably oh; the side whofo th'oy. may not walk.' ■ '■ ■■ • ■

Florentine policemen are a fine body of men, mostly ex-soldiers. They look Very smart in their now uniforms with the city lily emblazoned in rod orinmcl on their caps and buckle-belts. They wear white gloves, and direct the; traffic with n, white' Wand; which', when it is raised, gives them the ;iir of leaders of an unruly "orchestra.