The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-11-25
Keep to the Right.

AS.oonS SoiAS aoouG III puDIIc places
should remember to "keep to the
right" This is almost everywhere the
rule, especially for persons riding OF
driving. In England. it is said, drivers
pass each other on the lett. They pre-
fer this because it enables each one to
see how near his wheels are going to
the other carriage. But throughout this
country the custom and law for vehicles
are, to drive on the right side. When
one is driving along country road,
with no carriage approaching in front,
he can choose the best part of the road:
but as soon as another comes to meet
him he ought to drive well over on the
II sslt-hand side. If the other vehicle
loes the same the two will pass in safe
ty. Yet one cannot always trust that
the other will do this. Suppose it is a
flock of sheep or drove eff COWS which
one meets, or house which people are
hauling along the road by means of
oxen, as is sometimes done in this coun-
try. Such things cannot be expected
to keep to the right. Whoever meets
them must do the best he can to avoid
accident. He must not drive to the
right, obstinately, but must use common
sense. For drove of animals a good
way is to stop ones wagon entirely and
let them go past in their own way.
Sometimes one meets an ignorant or
rude person who will not turn out to
his right. 1t is not the law that one
may drive into his carriage and break
it, and say, GO drove to the right and
he ought to have done So" One must
drive as wisely as he can to avoid doino
mischief. But if a person driving care
fully runs against another. who did not
keep to the right, all the blame will be
On the other driver, and he will have to
pay damages. Therefore it is particu.
larry important to keep well to the right
when turning sharp corners.
For foot passengers ON sidewalks the
rule is not so positive. In many country
places the sidewalks are not very dis
tinct, or it is considered good manners
to allow a lady or old person to walk bv
the wall. In all large towns, where
there are established sidewalks, the best
rule is to walk on the right-hand side.
A boy who crowds along on the left
hand side of the walk shows that he does
not understand the custom, and seldom
gets along as fast.
In cities foot passengers should keep
on the sidewalk except when they cross
the street at a crossing; they have no
business to be on the street between
crossings, and if they 90 there it is
at their own risk. Horses and car
riages have no right to intrude on the
sidewalk. A boy in Troy was walking
along the sidewalk near livery stable
when a horse came walking out of the
stable with NO one to lead him. His
owner, inside, had allowed him to come
out alone. believing he would 60 straight
20 the drinking trough. Instead, he
'trayed along the sidewalk. He was a
horse which had a bad habit of kicking.
md coming near where the boy was.
ne kicked him, though the boy did
nothing to provoke it. The boy was so
BADLY hurt that lawsuit was brought.
md the court said that the owner of the |
lorse must pay damages; his horse had |
10 business to be upon the sidewalk. |
Any one who lets an ugly horse go loose |
lpon the sidewalk must paw for the |
mischief it does to persons who do not |
nolest it. 1t is no answer to saw that |
he owner supposed the horse was
ralned not to go upon the Walk |
larger, IN the Christian Union.