Feb

7

“… because of its novelty.”

Filed Under Americanos, San Francisco 

100 years ago in the San Francisco Chronicle: road rage on the streets of San Francisco. Be sure to read it all the way until the end – I’m not sure if the writer was being sarcastic or serious.

Nov. 21, 1911: Yesterday’s accident at the intersection of Van Ness and Golden Gate avenues, in which a boy was knocked down, calls attention to the need of stricter regulation of automobile traffic. Yesterday the boy was probably at fault, as is usually the case whenever a bicyclist is concerned because of their propensity to wobble all over the street. But there is entirely too much speeding and other disregard of the rules of the road. That part of Van Ness is a regular speeding ground. And when cars whiz around at 40 miles per hour it is time for all citizens to look to their lives before they step off the sidewalk. As for horse-drawn traffic, there are a number of ordinances regulating them. But wagons wander all over the street taking their own sweet time, and on Market Street it is a common sight to see a big wagon, its frame covered with advertisements, being walked down the street close to the car tracks, blocking traffic except for such cars and buggies as have the temerity to dash around. In one European capital, an experiment was tried of marking the asphalt-um with white lines, within which vehicles should be kept. At intersections, a curved arrow marks the sweep of the turn. It is an excellent plan although, of course, it will never be adopted because of its novelty.

Comments

One Response to ““… because of its novelty.””

  1. Claus on February 9th, 2012 4:56

    Reminds a bit of
    “We wanted the best, but it turned out as always”

Leave a Reply