The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1935-12-26
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Why's and Wherefores Gathered
Along an English Highway.
IF ONE must have tire trout
l. BILE, a clogged carburetor or
sudden shortage of gas this
is the proper country in which
to face the triple jinks. Let it
not be understood that l am
recommending calamity in any
form whatever, but I will say that
here in England it has it's compen-
sations. For illustration present
two episodes bearing directly upon
my claims. The scene is a back
road bearing out Of Bournemouth.
"P-s-s-s-s--T," went a tire. My
partner tumbled out, made a hur-
ried examination of his tool chest,
opined that he was up a tree for
something that could certainly be
had at a farmhouse a mile back,
and would watch the car until he
foraged for the gadget. "Yep."
says I and off he goes. Presently
native appears and we have
speech. In the course Of Our con-
versation I ask how come that In
his country motor cars carrying the
Royal Automobile club and the Au-
tomobile association symbols re-
ceive a salute from the uniformed
force along the highways. There
upon he told Of:
The Signal That Was Not.
ut 'as to do with a bit Of law"
he said, "and nobody the worse for
wot 'appened. Coin back to the
beginnin', sir, must remind you
that speedin', so-called, was looked
upon with disfavor in England.
What with the number Of 'uman
bein's and the livestock at large
in the countryside 1t was made
misdemeanor punishable by fine
and Imprisonment, with both in ex-
IRENE cases, to drive gasoline We
hicles at a speed exceedin' thirty
miles the hour. More than that
meant difficulties for those In
volved. That would be about 1906
z, when the Johnnies and such
made merry to the astonishment OF
the population Of suburban Sec
lions. I suppose you know that
law is law in England, fact that
many young men perishin' for q
thrill learned from the magistrate
sittin' in judgment upon 'uman cat
apults hurlin' themselves into
space. Abaht that time the Royal
Automobile club came into bein'
and took up the matter Of regu-
latin the pastime. Along the prin-
cipal Highways they stationed scouts
to serve the members"
"Just how did they operator"
Rule Worked Both Ways.
"Mappin' routes, directin' travel
ers, keepin' r A G chauffeurs post
ed on where the police was likely
to be hoverin' around for speeders
and maxim themselves generally
useful when called upon to do so.
I'm now comm to the question Of
salutin', a regulation that was
worked both ways. Sometimes they
did and sometimes they didn't.
When r A G drivers came through
on roads patrolled by the regular
police they got the regulation sa-
lutte. If the road was clear and no
police ahead, they got no salute
which meant step aim it, until the
next r A G scout made the salute,
which meant slow dahn.' It was
mt long before the police discov-
cred what was goin' on, and claim
was laid that the r A G scouts was
interferin' with the English law
and impedin' Justice, in a way Of
speakin'. What they called test
case brought the matter before par
lament, and there was much to do
about it, with no lack of evidence
to prove that the scouts refrained
from salutin' when the way was
clear ahead. It looked bad for
somebody. But when the issue came
before judge, he decided that
man who had done nothing was
guilty Of nothing. Not in all of
England was to be found law
maxim it illegal for man to stand
still. The case against the r A G
was lost, which was right and prop
er. Since then speedin' has been
regulated and the salutin' is gen.
eral, as you see 1t today" .-1-
Another native explained why
drivers in England sit on the right
side of the car and occupy the left
side of the roadway: -.~ -- r.
"In early times, when the men of
Britain travelled on foot or horse
back, the weapon Of defense was
q blade ever ready to the right
hand. Wayfarers passing one an
other found it necessary, in view
of a possible engagement with lit"
tie or no preliminaries, to consider
the question Of preparedness. For
that reason alone it became the
custom to pass on the left, thus
enabling the right arm, which is
the sword arm, to come into close
and quick action in the event Of re-
u - an, nj.