TRAFFIC CONTROL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 19 December 1936, Page 4

TRAFFIC CONTROL

SUCCESSFUL RADIO EXPERIMENT

Although it definitely suggested various aspects of manoeuvring sheep, the. city traffic department’s experiment with loud speakers in controlling pedestrians and motorists at the Ferry Building crossing in Quay street in Auckland during the 5 p.m. rush proved remarkably successful (says the “New Zealand Herald”). The public, or most of it, obeyed the various instructions with alacrity. . With pedestrians, it was literally a case of telling them when and where they “got off.” In the cabin of a ra-: dio" van sat a traffic inspector, micro-! phone in hand, closely, watching the; crossing. Taking his lead from a coK league on point duty he issued an al-; mo3t constant relay of directions foil about half an hour,’telling people when they could leave the footpath and, a little more emphatically, when they could not, where they might walk and where they might not stand. For good measure, he occasionally bestowed upon his listeners some choico fragment of traffic lore. “Pedestrians, keep back on the kerb, please,” followed after an interval by “Now you may cross,” was the theme of the inspector’s broadcast, given pianissimo or crescendo, according to the noise of motor vehicles, the size of the crowd, and the disinclination of one or two wanderers to recognise any traffic at all. “Walk briskly, please,” was an oft-repeated request for those who dawdled, and “Keep between the white lines,” admonished those who, trespassed beyond the clearly marked, straight, but far from narrow footway. Surprise, tinged with bewilderment, covered the faces of many who heard the loudspeaker as they prepared to make their accustomed dash between racing lorries and motor cars for the Ferry Building, a dash that has become almost safe to those of long practice, but which the traffic department believes is unnecessary, and which it is determined to stop. It was soon realised where the unusual orders were coming from, and the great proportion elected to obey rather than invite the embarrassing attention of the official. For his remarks were not always couched in general terms.

“Will the gentleman with the pipe in his mouth please cross over quickly,” was a remark that speeded up the gentleman in an amazing manner. “Will the lady in the fur coat please keep