Traffic stop

“ Even if traffic light signals authorize him to do so, a driver shall not enter an intersection if the density of traffic is such that he will probably be obliged to stop on the intersection, thereby obstructing or preventing the passage of cross traffic. ”

“ Alternate one-way working past an obstruction should be controlled by traffic signals where traffic is dense or at extended obstructions; by manually operated Stop and Go signs where traffic is not dense and obstructions are small and of short duration; and, where the above means are not justified, by signs indicating the direction in which traffic has priority. ”

“ All traffic should be required to halt before crossing the main highway at grade, but in no case will the simple posting of stop signs on crossing or entering roads be sufficient. The design of the intersection should additionally provide all physical safeguards, such as definite traffic channels and refuge islands, decelerating and accelerating space, etc., as may be necessary to afford a maximum of safety for both of the intersecting traffic streams and a maximum of facility for the traffic on the interregional highway. ”

“ Road-users shall promptly obey all instructions given by authorized officials directing traffic.
3.
It is recommended:
that domestic legislation should provide that directions given by authorized officials directing traffic shall include the following:
(a)
Arm raised upright; this gesture shall mean “attention, stop” for all road-users except drivers who are no longer able to stop with sufficient safety; further, if made at an intersection, this gesture shall not require drivers already on the intersection to stop ”

“ Trucks, delivery wagons, ice-wagons, etc., frequently stop back of the line of parked automobiles in the street restricting the way and causing all passing vehicles to go over to the wrong side of the street thus congesting traffic and furnishing a source of danger. ”

“ If vehicular traffic is not regulated at that crossing by traffic light signals or by an authorized official, drivers shall approach the crossing only at a speed low enough not to endanger pedestrians using, or about to use, it; if necessary, they shall stop to allow such pedestrians to cross. ”

“ In town, if one keeps in the ordinary line of traffic, and proceeds at the same pace as the other vehicles, the result should be perfect safety, for one can always stop as quickly as the ordinary 'bus in London, even under the worst conditions. ”

“ A with-flow bus lane should be brought up to the Stop line at a traffic signal only if a reduction in capacity of the junction is acceptable, if safe provision can be made for any left-turning traffic and if right-turning traffic can be accommodated in such a way that it does not restrict flow in the ahead lanes. ”

“ On rural sections of the system there are 132 stop signs requiring the halting of vehicles moving on the interstate highway. Besides these, on rural sections, there are 394 traffic lights of the stop-and-go variety and 302 cautionary flashing beacons. These stop signs and signals on rural sections of the system are encountered mainly in the more populous areas and in the vicinity of cities. Most of the 31,831 rural miles of the system is entirely free of such traffic control. ”

“ The big percent is one way traffic. To get a block or so away from where you are you execute some geometric figures they didn't have in the books when I took geometry.
This day we had an accident. Driving in the downtown congestion a car from the lane to our right pulled into us, tearing off the right hind fender of our almost brand new convertible. Traffic stopped momentarily only. You would think the two owners were exchanging pleasantries. They gathered up the pieces and pulled out what was left of the fender to keep the tires from scraping, and away we went. ”

“ Where a motor vehicle carries an indivisable oversize or overload cargo, to the detriment of traffic safety, it shall be driven at a time, along the route and at the speed designated by the traffic control department of the public security organ and hung with conspicuous signs. ”

“ And with all the finesse of their work the traffic moves like molasses. Long double and triple files of touring cars and limousines, the combined cost of which would render statistics such as would gladden the heart of a Sunday editor, make their way up and down the great street tediously. If a man is in a hurry he has no business even to essay the Avenue. And occasionally the whole tangle is double-tangled. The shriek of a fire-engine up a side street or the clang of an ambulance demanding a clear right-of-way makes the traffic question no easier. ”

“ Such space shall also be sufficient to permit vehicles turning left from the interregional highway to halt if necessary at the center of the intersection before completing the turning maneuver and to permit through traffic to pass such halted vehicles in safety. ”

“ Bingaman, supra, the evidence in the present case shows that coupled cars, under control of a single driver, subject the highways to increased wear and tear because of their tendency to skid and sway on curves and in passing other traffic, and that the length of the caravans and the inefficiency and irresponsibility of the drivers, casually employed, increase traffic congestion and the inconveniences and hazards of automobile traffic. These circumstances have caused the state to make increased provision for the policing of the traffic. ”

“ In this country where the road pattern is so complicated, we think it would assist travellers in finding their way between important towns if a system of Primary routes other than motorways was established, the roads in which would be clearly distinguished by having directional signs of a particular colour. Moreover, we foresee that this distinction might eventually enable a code of improved driver conduct, aimed at improving traffic flow and safety, to be applied generally to these Primary routes. ”

“ We believe that an effective step which could be taken to reduce these casualties would be to ensure that at the great majority of junctions, and certainly at those junctions where serious danger exists, the minor road is distinguished from the major so that drivers on the minor road are given a clear indication that they should give way to major road traffic. ”

“ This conveys the message 'priority to be given to vehicles coming from the opposite direction'. At the other end of the single lane section, the informatory sign at figure 132 should invariably be used (see paragraph 198) .
(c) Waiting restriction and limited parking signs (Regs. 316 to 324) 83. With the rising volume of road traffic it becomes increasingly necessary to combat urban congestion, and also to prevent stopping on fast through routes in rural areas, by placing legal prohibitions or restrictions upon the occupation of streets and roads by standing vehicles. ”

“ Where separation of grades at highway intersections is not feasible, and at all points where vehicles may be expected to cross, enter, or leave the interregional highway, the design shall be such as to insure a high degree of safety in crossing, entering or leaving it, without installation of traffic control signals, which shall in no case be employed. ”

“ In our view a great deal more could be done by the use of carriageway markings to increase safety at junctions not controlled by traffic signals or police and to remove doubt from the minds of drivers and consequently to make such junctions safer. ”

“ There is ample support for a legislative determination that the peculiar character of this traffic involves a special type of use of the highways, with enhanced wear and tear on the roads and augmented hazards to other traffic, which imposes on the state a heavier financial burden for highway maintenance and policing than do other types of motor car traffic. ”

“ We have recommended at paragraph 101 that at ordinary junctions along the motorway no sign is necessary to give warning of traffic from the entry slip road merging with the main motorway traffic. Where two motorways converge, however, each of them consisting of multi-lane carriageways, the problem is obviously more serious, and we consider that appropriate warning should be given. ”

“ In establishing one-way streets attempts are usually made to avoid left-hand turns whenever possible. The figures on pp. 424 and 426 show sketch plans for rotary service. When there are street-car tracks or other local obstructions slight changes may have to be made. Note only two full passing places for vehicles, A, and as only a part of the traffic will want to cross congestion and danger are largely eliminated. There may be one, two, or more lines of traffic at B; depending on the width of the street. ”

“ Where one-way systems have been introduced signal-heads facing the direction in which traffic no longer flows should be retained and their lenses masked to show only a cross so that pedestrians are warned before traffic starts to move again. ”

“ A special problem arises here since traffic will arrive at the terminal junction (usually in the form of a roundabout) without leaving the main carriageway of the motorway. It is therefore imperative that adequate warning should be given so that drivers, though still on the motorway, will reduce speed to the greater extent which is necessary to enable them to negotiate the junction in safety. ”

“ If further, we consider the case of the smallest urban communities—the highway or ribbon towns that at intervals stretch out along main highways and vary from a block or two to several blocks in width—the bypassing of such places is not only helpful to the preponderant through traffic, but is usually necessary for the avoidance of congestion and serious accidents and the protection of life on the main street of the little community. ”

“ When there is no traffic officer, motorists should remember to give pedestrians time to cross, and pedestrians should hurry a little so as not to delay motor traffic.
Jay Walking. —Another source of danger which can not be too strongly condemned is the practice of “jay walking.” The driver of a car along a crowded thoroughfare is never sure but what some person will pop out from behind a parked vehicle and start across the street directly ahead of his machine. By the ordinances of most cities parking is prohibited near the ends of blocks and the proper walking spaces. ”

“ If a vehicle is illegally parked, creating a hazard or otherwise impeding the
movement of traffic, the traffic police officer has the authority to tow such
vehicle at the expense of the vehicle’s owner. ”

“ Every driver, pedestrian or other road user shall conduct himself in such a way as not to endanger or obstruct traffic; he shall avoid all behaviour that might cause damage to persons, or public or private property.
Article 8
1. Every vehicle or combination of vehicles proceeding as a unit shall have a driver.
2. Draught, pack or saddle animals shall have a driver, and cattle shall be accompanied, except in special areas which shall be marked at the points of entry.
3. Convoys of vehicles and animals shall have the number of drivers prescribed by domestic regulations. ”

“ There are many other forms of careless or reckless driving that might be mentioned, such as, driving too close in heavy traffic, cutting in on traffic—“stealing the road,” turning in the middle of a city block, attempting to turn in too small a space, failure to go slowly near a school house or children’s play ground, failure to be on the lookout for playing children elsewhere, failure to try to anticipate what the other fellow is going to do.
The Car. —The car itself may be the cause of accidents. ”

“ Where there is no one to guide him, it becomes quite difficult to avoid collisions, especially in congested thoroughfares, for truth to tell, there appears to be an absolute lack of road courtesy on the part of most automobile drivers. When more than one man is assigned to a vehicle, the helper should take the position on the ground where he has an unobstructed view of traffic and pedestrians approaching from all directions. ”

“ There can be no justification for such a complete surrender of our road-beds to corporations and contractors. Undoubtedly the prosecution of necessary and useful improvements requires an occasional disturbance of some part of the pavements of our streets, and sometimes a partial interference with the movements of traffic. ”

“ Where traffic on the rural routes is heavy and, in the environs of cities, where it is desirable to discourage undue extension of road-bordering city growth, prohibition of access to the highway from abutting land, controlled access at specified points, and the closure or grade separation of all intersecting highways are essential. ”

“ Hence the motor car made good progress, nor was it until Fiftieth Street was reached that a [Pg 208] block of traffic caused them to halt. An automobile had collided with a delivery wagon, and a wordy contest was waging between the driver of the wagon, the chauffeur, one of the occupants of the automobile and a traffic-squad policeman.
"You don't know your business," a loud voice proclaimed, addressing the policeman. "If you did you wouldn't be sitting up there like a dummy already. ”

“ When one considers how difficult to control, particularly amid crowded traffic, a horse-drawn vehicle is, and how very easy it is to control an up-to-date automobile, one cannot but feel that a little more consideration should be shown the automobilist by those in authority.
The road obstructions, slow-going traffic which will not get out of one's way, carts left unattended and the like, make most of the real and fancied dangers which are laid to the door of the very mobile motor-car. ”