TRAFFIC CONTROL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20889, 2 December 1929, Page 11

TRAFFIC CONTROL.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE ROAD. NEED FOR MORE COURTESY. PRINCE OFi WALES'S APPEAL. (From Octr Own Correspondent.) LONDON,: October 18. A striking appeal to motorists to exercise more courtesy on tbe roads was made by the Prince of Wales at the Commercial Motor Users’ Association banquet at the Savoy Hotel this week. * “The problem of the roads is a very serious one,” he said, “and it may be a very much more serious one if all the commercial motor users and the private motor users do not get together and co-operate to prevent this becoming A very groat battle of the roads.” The Prince referred to his own experience as a motorist and an airman, and made his appeal, “ looking from my new ’vantage point.” “ One of the most important things commercial and private automobile users have in common,” said the Prince, “ is that we share the same roads. Let mo talk for one minute of,what I may call the psychology of the road. “That is a thing that we motorists must have studied at many limes. Take •the private motor user who is at times extremely inconsiderate. He never thinks of the unfortunate man who is driving a lorry, say, from Bristol or Birmingham, or very much further afield, and is arriving in London, and he is always inclined to put him over the rails.— (Laughter.) The next time that lorry driver meets a motor he tries to get a hit back and does not draw into the side of the road and get out of the way.” AN ACCIDENT STORY. The Prince then, told-a story of a friend of his who became involved in an accident. I “My friend had a very, had accident after a follow collided with him going at a very great 'speed. My friend was very badly injured, and the driver of tire other car was hurt even more. When he was in hospital the first thing that the other driver aaid when he Came to after two days was: ‘I hope I have not lost my nerve.’ My friend said: ‘lf I could only afford it I would give that fellow a horse and let him try his nerve in Leicestershire.’”—(Loud laughter.) Commercial users of motors, the Prince added, could impress on their employees to give room to these vehicles built for another purpose, and enable people to keep their appointments by not blocking the road. The Prince referred to a book which had been sent to him concerning trials for heavy motor vehicles held in Liverpool sn> 1898. “ Even in those early days,” he said, “ special attention was paid to noise, smell, visible vapour, and other nuisances when driving. Although some of us may wonder if there has been very much improvement in that direction, we have to admit arvery substantial advance in the average speed of commercial motor vehicles, whiMi wore then required to reach a speed of only six miles per hour in class one, and four miles per hour in class two.”—(Loud laughter.) NEW kOAD LEGISLATION. Mr Herbert Morrison, Minister of Transport, said that the Government had carefully considered the first report of the Royal Commission on Transport, which dealt with the control of traffic on roads, and would shortly have the second report dealing with the licensing and regulation of public service vehicles. It was impossible any longer to defend the present system of licensing, based as it was on Acts*which were passed long before motor vehicles were known. The urgency of traffic control and licensing was fully recognised by the Government, and would be dealt with at the earliest. practical moment.