PEDESTRIANS ON ROADS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20880, 23 May 1931, Page 12

PEDESTRIANS ON ROADS.

KEEPING TO THE RIGHT. MOTORISTS WANT COMPULSION. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON. Fridny. Difficulty in perceiving pedestrians at night owing to the bituminising of roads was one of the reasons advanced by Dr. Gibbs (Nelson) in moving at the Motorists' Conference that the Government bo asked for legislation making it compulsory for pedestrians to keep to the right when walking on roads where there are no footpaths. Mr. F. W. Johnston (Canterbury) thought the Government should be urged to make rural local bodies keep the footpaths in better repair. As the footpaths were now, women could, not push perambulators on them and took to the bitumen, where they were not only a danger to themselves, but. to everybody. Mr. A. Grayson (Auckland) thought the law should bo amended to prevent people from walking on the roads, except where there were no footpaths. Where there were no sidewalks pedestrians should be encouraged to keep to the right-hand side of the road. Some responsibility should be thrown on pedestrians to keep to the footpaths. The secretary, Mr. W. G. Walkley, said the motor unions had approached the commissioner of transport, Mr. J. S. Hunter, on the question of ripht-hand pedestrian road traflic, but bad only been promised "consideration." Mr. Hunter did not seem to be impressed with their arguments. Dr. Gibbs' motion was carried.