ROAD WIDENING

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 82, 3 October 1929, Page 10

ROAD WIDENING

CORRESPONDENTS' VIEW'S

A\. S. Loekhoad, in a letter to the Editor, remarks that not sufficient stress has been laid upon a vital point in regard to Hutt road driving. Fast and slow moving trunk-; he maintains, should bo separated, ami tho lime-is coming when that will have to bo done, as it is done in other parts of the world. I say, 'Move with tlio times, correct ■this fault, and tho bad smash will bo a long time coming.'" He concludes: Thirty miles ,:m hour is a thing'of the past.on any decent motor road." It is exasperating (writes "Thin JMlge") to iincl yourself locked in a procession, perhaps for tho whole distance, because as a responsible man you refuse to lake the risk of "cutting in." We have heard quite a lot lately of the danger,of this cutting-in business, but the culprit gets away with it. The position is that the Sunday traffic; on this, Wellington's only way out, is now so dense that a continuous lino going in both directions is tho rule. I do not know what tho width of tho Hutt road is, but I do know that it is not safo to pass a car or trucl. when other cars are coming in tho opposite direction. No one wants to leayo the bitumen surface especially for' the solo purpose of accommodating "the hogj" as the faster traveller is invariably dubbed. Most ordinary drivers hang about half way between tho centre and the edge, and this does not leave room for an overtaking car to pass without risk. In the experience of forcing my car in between I have been struck froquently with the added danger of tho novice driver,.at times both on my left and right. You never know her or his movements, and the "keep to tho left" rule to her or him is only in respect of the centre. Thus we find that only the dare-devil will wedge this traffic apart. I have often done it, and confess being forced to say that I am bound to do it again and again— devil or no devil. I you doubt the popularity of this car-passing businijss you need only glance at the faces of the opposite drivers—yes, and passengers, too. Tho judgment is against you—always. Now, if this is correct, surely a case has been made out for either one of two things. First —keep behind and in lino, no matter what tho pace, which is excruciating and impracticable; and the other is to widen"our bitumen and be logical.. But when? Does not the picture of splintered glass at many places along the road tell its own story"? If I were not forced to keeping on the bitumen I would far sooner, on such a day, take to the macadam on either side, dust or no dust, and cut away from the madding procession. There are no horses now, so why not let us make this road like the Oalifornian approaches—a grand parade? It is not much less than that now, but'the parading is ham-strung because of the narrowness of the roadway.