Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-13
The Rule of the Road.
70 the Editor Of The Star:


Some time since you quoted an article
regarding the English road law Of keep
to the left, and that a law to the same
effect now exists in France, to which
was added the suggestion that similar
law should be adopted in this country
Such is the law, so far as Congress is
concerned, the provision being embodied
in the original national road act. as pre-
pared by Henry Clay, who used the Eng
lish law as a basis thereof, and / distinct
ly remember years ago, while making trips
over the road between the west and
Cumberland, Nd, in the old Good Intent
and National road stage coach lines see
ing the sign. Keep to the left as the law
directs" The last time 1 saw such
sign was in large letters over the
entrance to bridge, as the regular
troops were en- route to the Gettysburg
field. l drew the attention of young
officer in charge of the wagon train to
the sign. and as 1 rode off he sat on his
horse gazing at it, evidently much mysti-
fled by what he read.
1t is undoubtedly conceded that when
driving from seat on vehicle the driver
should sit on the right-hand side in
order to have free use of the whip, and
should pass to the left in order to have
ap unobstructed view to avoid collision
when passing another vehicle; hence
naturally arises the question, How did the
custom obtain of going to the right in direct
violation OF accepted opinions. the law
and signs as public notice? The facts
are that in the earlier days all freight
ing other than that by water was per-
formed by teams mostly in large Com
estoga wagons, drawn by several horses
the driver sitting on the near wheeler
the wagon, hence he passed to the right.
SO as to have an unobstructed view OF
the other wagon.
The national road in those earlier days
was a busy place, the two stage lines
running in violent opposition, in which
agents. drivers, stable boys and passen-
gers took a lively interest. At each relay
horses were standing ready for the
change, the driver, hurriedly secured into
his seat by broad belt buckled around
him under his arms, then given "a glass
of whisky, and started off with DASH
The most enthusiastic travellers having
scrambled to secure places in the mail
coaches, which were without seats, the
occupants made themselves as little un-
comfortable as possible seated upon the
tops of mail sacks. One of the strong
est recommendations a driver could pos
sess was the accomplishment if an op-
position coach was passing, to be able
to sheer his fore wheel in between the
fore and rear wheels of his adversary, so
that the hub of the hind wheel of the
adversary would ride over his fore wheel
hub, thus upSetting the other coach
The incidents and stories of the road
were many. Chief Justice Marshall was
fond of relating one of his own expert
ences. illustrating how the judgments
of ability are viewed from an individual
standpoint. He was EN- route in a chaise
as was the custom Of many, when the
shafts of his vehicle We're broken.
passing negro teamster politely came
to the judges relief. He cut a sapling
stripped a pawpaw bush of its bark.
using it to bind the sapling as a spIint
on the broken shaft The judge stood
by, expressing his admiration of the in
genuity and skill of the negro, who re-
piled. WELL massa, the Lord made some
people with brains and some without
But to return to our subject, 1 OBSERVE
some automobile manufacturers are adapt-
ing the machines to the present prac-
tice of keeping to the right by placing
the steering wheel on the left side.
J. NJ. LOCKE.