BETTER TRAFFIC CONTROL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22444, 13 June 1936, Page 17

BETTER TRAFFIC CONTROL

Sir, —One must admire Mr. Semple lor tho manner in which lie is tackling this great problem. The returns showing the number of people killed and | injured give much food for thought ! and should make every citizen feel it j their duty to help to arrest this ter- ! ribio state of affairs. The suggestion j in Tuesday's Herald re the education i of children in highway conduct is sound and should be given effect to, but the | hardest task that faces the Government is to deal effectively with the \ road hog. While I was recently escorting a blind man across the road we were almost involved in an accident through one of these parasites, who appeared to be more concerned with making the grade without " changing down " than the possible loss of life or limb That kind of individual should never be allowed to drive again, for a driver who would not consider the blind folk is absolutely beyond the pale. Another pest who should be severely dealt with is the driver who " steps on it " to get past a tram before it has actually come to a dead stop. We are all aware that passengers should not alight until the tram has stopped, but that does not exonerate the driver who exceeds tho speed limit to get past, rather than exercise reasonable care in case of a passenger leaving a tram before it has actually stopped. Control of traffic at some sections during peak hours needs to lie improved. Take, for instance, Symonds Street. Intending passengers standing on the footpath waiting for their respective trams have no chance whatever of crossing to the safety zone and are compelled to watch their trams go past, as they cannot get through an endless stream of motors. A traffic officer, stationed at the city end of the zone, holding lip the motor-cars, etc., now and again would be greatly appreciated by pedestrians. ' W.D.K.