New-York tribune., 1913-05-18
LONDON TRAFFIC A PERIL
Proves Especially Dangerous to
Visiting Americans.
A PREMIUM ON HOMICIDE
Penalty Rarely Inflicted on
Drivers Who Kill Pedestrians
Fewer Horses.
tBy Gable to The Tribune. ]

by tADe 10 Inc lflDune.
London, May 1.-THE yearly in
crease in the number of pedestrians
killed by motor vehicles in the London
streets has brought the traffic problem
to an acute stage. And it is a problem
that at this time, when the eastward
rush of travel is beginning, should be
Of special interest to Americans. Last
year three Americans were killed by
motor vehicles in Cockspur street
within a stones throw Of the Nelson
Monument in Trafalgar Square, and
every year several Americans are killed
by motor vehicles in the London
streets.
In nearly every case in which a
pedestrian is killed in London the cor
oner's jury brings in verdict Of acci-
dental death. 1t is very rarely that
even the slightest penalty is inflicted
on the drivers. There have been two
especially aggravated examples Of the
treatment of drivers recently. In one
case, Morehouse. the aviator. while ex-
! ceeding the speed limit, killed carter.
7 Morehouse was fined S100l In the
other case the driver OF a motor omni-
bus ran into a traffic policeman and
killed him. The coroners Jury brought
In a verdict Of accidental death
London's "RuIe Of tho Road
When a premium is put on man.
slaughter in this way II is hardly 10 bs
expected that the pedestrians life will
be safe in the streets. But the greatest
danger for Americans lies in their
liability 10 become bewildered by the
rule of the road in England, keep to
the left" All the Americans who were
killed in London streets last year be-
came bewildered in the midst Of
crowded traffic, and instinctively fol-
lowed the keep to the right" rule.
which obtains in every civilized coun-
try except England
The worst of it is that the keep 70
the left" rule applies only to yehlcular
traffic. on the sidewalks the rule is
the universal keep 10 the right
I
change their rule, but whenever the
proposition is broached the papers
are flooded with statements that
France and Germany and all Conti-
mental countries are bout to adopt the
English rule. And SO long as keep to
the left remains the English rule
London streets will be extremely dam
gerous for foreigners.
The Horse Almost Extinct.
An idea of the danger from the con-
gestion Of motor traffic in London
streets can be gained from the teSti-
mon Of Sir John II. 4. Macdonald be-
fore the committee Of the London
County Council inquiring into the traf-
fc conditions in London. Sir john
who is seventy-five years old. has beeh
for many years keenly interested in
motor problems. He said that five
years ago there were 10000 horses in
London, while a return last year
showed that there were then only So
900 in the city. Recently Sir John
tOuUltu tic lAulilhti VI NNAttNAN'
ing a line at the top OF the Haymarket
between 7:3O and $50 p. m. The fig
ures were 2.2S2 vehicles, Of which only
81 were horse drawn.
Mr.. Kellaway. the chairman OF the
committee. remarked that the number
OF people killed annually In the Lon
don streets had multiplied FIVE since
1904 Sir John said that he believed
large proportion OF accidents was due
10 the way in which people crossed the
street. He had seen old gentlemen
walking across Piccadilly reading
newspapers People did not realize
that the sensible way TO cross street
was to 60 diagonally against the traf'
fc on both sides and wait for any
vehicle to pass.