Word of Advice to Pedestrians

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 161, 11 July 1939, Page 5

Word of Advice to Pedestrians

THE IMPORTANCE OF LIGHT-COLOURED CLOTHES

4 •’ Pedestrians who go abroad after darkness falls and make use of the roadway do not, as a general rule, realise the extreme danger which they run, nor the great advantage which. lightcoloured clothes may be in protecting them from traffic complications," says the latest road safety message of the Automobile Association (Manawatu). “Tests on highways after dark have shown that pedestrians are almost invisible to motorists upon unlighted roads, even with the headlights playing full on them, unless the foot travellers happen to be wearing light-coloured clothes. In one of a series of experiments conducted by lighting engineers a man in dark clothes stood about one hundred feet ahead of a car with headlights shining brightly. He could not bo seen from the car, and, in the ordinnry course of events, would not be seen by the driver and would bo hit unless the car came to a very sudden stop or the man himself got out of tho way in time. In light-coloured clothing, and holding a white handkerchief, a man stood at the same distance from the car and could be seen in plenty of time for the driver to avoid him. The highway was lighted for a third experiment, and In this, tho man again wore dark clothes but was plainly revealed in silhouette ogainst the glow from the street light. “It is because of the facility with w hieh a light-coloured object can be picked up in the headlights of motorvehicles that the Transport Department in its Road Code suggests that where pedestrians must use the roads to walk fllong they should walk on the rightl.ind side of such roads, facing onroning traffic. In this way, a person's face, hands and any light-coloured clothing round the neck will be clearly revealed in the light of the headlamps. By the same token, those cyclists who wear light-coloured overcoats or stock-, ings are using an added safeguard to the compulsory use of rear reflectors and white-painted mudguards. Those simple safeguards for pedestrians and cyclists are applicable throughout the year, but they are more necessary in the winter time because of the increased obstacles to the fullest visibility from the driving seat of a motor-car, such as rain on the windscreen and the reflecting qualities of the modern paved road with its play of lights and shadows. If pedestrians and cyclists give some serious thought to the problem of visibility which has to be met l*y the motorist, they will be making a valuable self-help effort towards greater safety on tho roads."