SLACKNESS ON THE ROADS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 109, 4 November 1935, Page 8

SLACKNESS ON THE ROADS

Impartial observers will, we think, agree that there is a good deal of truth in the criticism directed against the driving methods of motorists in New Zealand by Mr. Leslie C. Kjiox, of Christchurch, who has recently returned to that city after several years in Toronto. "On my return to New Zealand," said Mr. Knox, "I was struck by the slackness of drivers and pedestrians alike. ... I do not think that half the present holders of drivers' licences in New Zealand would pass the test in Ontario." And then he went on to describe his impressions in driving from Auckland to Palmerston North. I was very aiuch impressed by the number of drivers who flew round corners on the wrong side of the road, by those who shot across the main roads from small side roads without even a pause to see if the road was clear, and by the number who crawled along the crown of the road at 20 miles an hour and would not move to let others pass. I was also impressed by the pedestrians who walked along the roads with their backs to the traffic going their way and by the school children running all over the roads and not heeding the horns of approaching cars. Mr. Knox also criticised the control of traffic in Christchurch and the efficiency of brakes and made unfavourable comparisons with the way traffic was managed in Canada, especially in regard to the rule that traffic on main highways and main streets had the right of way over traffic entering from side streets, which are marked with a "Stop" sign. It will not do for the authorities — in Wellington, at any rate—to ignore this criticism. There is ample evidence of excessive speeding in the city—the Chief Traffic Inspector has issued several warnings about it and it is a frequent topic of newspaper correspondence. The off-side rule is also as much honoured in the breach as in the observance, in which respect Wellington seems to be worse than other cities, as, for example, Auckland, where it is common custom to abide by it. Motorists may complain about the carelessness of pedestrians, but the case for the defence was well put by a correspondent, "Peace and Safety," in "The Post" on Saturday in the words: Pedestrians are expected to usa crossings indicated by white lines at certain places. Since motorists do not reduce speed at such crossings and pedestrians have to dodge traffic in the usual way, what, I ask, is the advantage of those white lines? There is no question that motorists might very well show much greater consideration for other road users, vehicular and pedestrian. The alternative, as Mr. Batt told the Automobile Association last week, is more stringent regulation, which might be, as he said, "drastic and irksome." One of the first tasks of the proposed National Safety First Council should be to impress on all road users the necessity for obeying the commonsense rules of the road.