TRAFFIC SIGNS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22618, 5 January 1937, Page 14

TRAFFIC SIGNS

APPARENT CONFLICT OLD NOTICES DISPLAYED ASSOCIATION'S DIFFICULTIES Local body speed restriction signs are still displayed generally over the province in apparent conflict in many instances with the 30-miles-an-hour or 110-speed-restriction signs under the new transport regulations recently erected bv arrangement with the Government by the Automobile Association (Auckland*. On the Great South Road, for example, there is the anomaly that 011 one post containing a local body speed restriction sign, there is also the nospeed restriction sign under the regulations. The position has caused some confusion in the minds of many motorists, but the position is that the local body restrictions are wiped out by the regulations issued in December, and on areas indicated by the 30 miles sign motorists are entitled to drive at speeds up to 30 miles an hour that are consistent with safety to traffic. Question of Time It was explained by Mr. R. E. i Champtalotip, touring manager of the | association, that there had been little ; time for local bodies to remove the old ! signs and no doubt before long these 1 would all disappear. There had been a delay in the issue of the Gazette notice defining areas under the regulations because great difficulty had ; been experienced in collecting the necessary information relating to roads. Some local bodies had not replied to the Government's request for information, and another trouble was that the names of some roads had been changed or the local authorities themselves were sometimes not very clear regarding boundaries. Not until December 20 were the areas defined by Gazette notice, and the association was left with three days to erect 1000 signs before the holidays. It was a rush job, and it was often necessary as a temporary measure to use telegraph or other poles for the signs. Since then it had been found that many of the temporary positions were unsatisfactory, cither not being easily visible by day or difficult to pick up at night. A large number of signs near the city had, therefore, been transferred to posts provided by the association which contained silver reflecting rings. A marked improvement, especially at night, had been the result. '1 liese posts had been specially prepared and painted and experiments were being made with the angle of the reflectors from different positions so as to get the maximum of .efficiency and also so as to attract the attention of motorists who might fail to watch for the signs. Positions to be Reviewed During the early part of this year the position of every sign will be reviewed and experiments will be made by observation in daylight and dark before the position is finally determined. The association will also confer with local bodies before making representations to the Government to derestrict further portions of roads in rural districts where there is no danger from the population aspect from the 30 miles an hour maximum. Quite a number of the old 25 miles an hour restriction signs have already been removed by local bodies. * Reports from patrols produced by Mr. Champtalotip indicated that motorists generally had entered into the spirit of the regulations and are intent on scrupulously observing their obligations. "Everything points to the fart that the great majority of motorists are law-abiding and anxious to assist in the campaign for safety." observed Mr. Champtalotip. Many of the reports produced expressed the opinion that speeds were generally slower than last year and that road conduct in the main was good. A few motorists were inclined to cut corners or pass at bends. Experimental Notices The association just before the holidays placed a number of experimental signs on the Great South Road from Papakura to Auckland. Ihese were on a winding section of the road which always carried a heavy volume of traffic, said Mr. Champtalotip, and were at earefuliv-selected points to impress on motorists their obligations under the new regulations and they also were suggested by practices in the past that warranted action. In the past it was found that much slow-moving traffic kept out toward the centre line of the road and thus forced the faster-moving traffic to move out on the wrong side to pass. W hen this happened near a bend and traffic came from the opposite direction there had often been trouble. Signs had, therefore, been erected warning motorists not to overtake vehicles near bends and on the other side of the bends, where there were straight portions of road, slow-moving traffic was requested by notices to keep to the extreme left in order to permit faster traffic to overtake it.