The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1909-08-18
The COURTESY OF THE ROAD
1k lax al Ae Ulwritiea Law # Highway
Amenities

IL Law ri lie Ulvriitea Law # Highway
Amenities
Wallaces' Farmer: just as in the
case Of the bicycle the coming of the
automobile into general use will in
volve some new adjustments and un-
derstancings among country road
users, which it will take some time to
effect. The accepted rules of the road
are made up Of custom and courtesy,
% we'll as Law. For example, it is
always customary for light rig to
give a heavily loaded vehicle the
whole of the best or beaten track
but this is not the law. and the driver
OF . sulky could compel the man with
! big load Of grain or tile to give him
his full half Of the road, if he were
mean enough to insist upon it. On
the general subject of road laws and
rules, Wallaces' Farmer has the fol-
lowing sensible article:
ssThe Iowa law provides that when
persons on horseback or with vehicles
meet each other on the public road.
each shall give one-half Of the same.
turning to the right, and the failure
% 10 this shall make the delinquent
liable for all damages resulting there
from, together with q fine not exc eed-
ing FIVE dollsrs, this fine to be de
voted to the repair Of the roads in the
district where the violation occurred.
But no prosecution shall be instituted
except on the complaint Of the per-
son wronged.
The law does not lay down any rule
when persons are travelling in the
same direction on the public highway.
In the case of one who il driving
fast moving vehicle overtaking one
who is driving slow moving vehicle.
the one coming up behind has of course
the same rights to the highway as the
other and has perfect right to drive
around him. When this is not poss-
ible because Of the character of the
grade. the person desiring to pass
should request Of the one in front that
he tlra out sufici n ly to permit him
to pass. The law does not require the
one in front to do this. but if he re-
fuses to do it. and the one behind
suffers any damage because of this re-
fusal. he will havea claim on the
party in front for the amount Of
damage suffered. on the theory that
one has no right to use the highway
In such q manner as to interfere with
its legitimate use by others. II the
circumstances are such that the per-
son in front can not turn out safely,
as, for example. if the grade is too
steep or If he is hauling load which
might be upset by turning out. the
one behind who is delayed and suffers
damages because of the delay wou Id
not be able to collect.
Conditions constantly arise which
cannot 5SSSsss' BY the law and
tie very 81 Ire Of things the gene
fal use Of the highway must be gov
erned by the common sense and cour-
tesy Of the travelling public. When
the driver Of an automobile overtakes
the driver of a team, the latter is
not compelled by law to turn out
either altogether or in part and give
the driver Of an automobile an oppor-
tunity to pass by; but unless there is
some good reason why the driver of
the slow moving vehicle should not
permit the one behind to pass common
courtesy demands that he turn out
sufficiently to allow the automobile, or
the buggy. as the case may be to pass.
There is no benefit to him in causing
Inconvenience to another.