The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-01-26
The Rule of the Road.

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establishment in the civilization line
| 1t was to be expected that we should
set up some conventional rules and
regulations in minor matters, as well
as IN those of more importance, which
would require modification or entire
change in after-days. There are
some such which, in due course, have
been modified or dropped. Others are
as difficult to change, however great
the need, as it would be to - recon
slider" universal suffrage, drive latent
" Know W-nOthingismn out of the ma
tive American heart, or make the
18th of March a national holiday.
One Of the ought-to-be-change
regulations is our existing rule OF the
road" keep to the right"-which
became law, by usage, at least, il
not by formal enactment, at time
when the most prevalent modes OF
Vehlcular conveyance were very diff
ferent from those now in vogue in all
well-settled portions Of the country.
Why is it, +" asked friend, recent
ly, that the left-hand animal of q
pair in harness is called the near or
nigh and the other the off horse, OK.
or mule? L have asked the ques-
ton of many, but can get no salts
factory answer. There must be a
reason for it. One horseman said
that it was because they went
to that horse first to unharness
him ."
The root of the proper answer to
my friends query lies simply ana
solely in the matter of the free use of
the right hand, and we may legtti-
matcly trace back the questions dis
cuSsed in my recent paDer on
" HOrsemanship'- of the near
and off horse-and that of which arm
to offer lady in walking with her.
to the elementary one of, Why as the
right hand the handiest? Is it so
from instinct or education? for, anti
deXters and sOuth-paW s." or left
handed persons, are rare exceptions
to the rule.
Our laws of the road-turn to the
right-was fixed in the early days.
when oX-caTts or heavy wagons were
the vehicles only or mostly in use
and the driver or teamster walked
beside his cattle on the left, or
mounted the left-hand horse or mule.
The left side was so chosen, or in
stinctiYely taken, in order to have the
right hand in the best position for
the free use of gad, whip, or rein. in
guiding the team.
In the case of the ox-driver, too.
the free and familiar use of the hand
on the OK next to him, aided in pro-
ducing such a real or fancied superb
Ority in the comparative docilitv and
intelligence of that animal as to give
rise to a netaphOTical expression still
in vogue, in rural districts, by which
we describe an old-tempered or ill
trained fellow as - a kind Off.Ox any
how"
Being then on the left of his cattle,
the one next to the walking teamster
was naturally called the near or qai0h.
and the other the off, or farthermOst
one and these terms were readily
adopted by the mounted teamster or
postillion, from whom they passed to
the driver, or Teinsman. In the
mouth of the latter, however, they
lose their aptness, and become mere
ly arbitrary designations, inasmuch
as, in reference to the reinsman's
seat, the near-hOrse" is a little the
farthest off
Being on the left, the walking or
nI1anted teamsteT, by keeping to
the right" could best see that his
vehicle passed meeting-one with
out collision, and could 'sheer Off"
to a proper distance. Hence comes
our rule of the road, and it has re-
mained unchanged, although (except
in limited sections and sparsely-set-
tied districts) the teamster, walking
or mounted, has long since given
way to the reinsman.
The latter, Notwithstanding the OBJ
legation to turn to the right, takes his
seat on the right of his vehicle. Why?
That he may have free use Of his
PHI grh n, =, l..
with no such impediment as there
would be if he sat on the left with
any ono beside him. But, seated on
the right, ne is farthest removed from
the side that is exposed to contact in
[ )assing others, and is less liable to
+ Judge say in narrow roads where he
! nlU@t pass close, or in a fast-driving
crowd OF the proper distance to sheer
| of, while, if he sat above his left
/ wheel, he could pass within a fingers
/ breadth in safety.
! If however, he sits on the left. and
still turns to the right, while he gains
/ one point, he loses another; for his
/ right arm has not free swing. But,
| seat him on the right, and let him
turn to the left, and he has all the
! points required.
Herein lies the need for a change
/
! this need is not a faDcied one, is evi-
denced by a silent protest against the
| present rule, which is now frequently
| to he seen in our streets and in our
! promenade drives-in this shape. In
| drying with a lady, it may be no.
! ticed that many gentleman now take
! the seat on her left despite its awk-
/ wardness for using the whip, and the
! exposure to a possible blow from
/ the elbow in some sudden emergency.
! Now, this position is not taken
| from q mere whim of fashion by its
originator, although it may have i'm
/ itatOrs who know not its wherefore.
| It is an acknowledgment of the need
on crowded drives, in our confined
streets, and amongst fast drivers, OF
| being placed where one can best see
to pass others safely-and thus is &
demand for a change in our rule.
The same general principles-prO-
| lection from contact in passing, and
the free use of the right hand-may
and should be applet to the side,
walk as well as to the ride or drive
| We should turn TO the left there, and
a gentleman should, as a rule-excep-
tiOns Xcepted-always take a lady
on his left arm (gallantry says, mex
to his heart in walking. He woulC
then have his right free for service
and his person would be interposeC
between her and jOstling thrOng
This, of course, implies a dropping
of the nOnsensicaI fashin of changing
the lady from one arm 10 the otheI
every time the pair take the othei
side of the street, and with as mucI
formality as if they were " going
about on their tack" - AppIetonI
Journal.
Our Foreign Population.
Mr.. De Bow, after great labor, fxe
the mum her Of foraicrr or and tn ai