Road Problems
Information
1934: The Peterborough Citizen of this date shows us that some things don't change. It reports that the first day of 'summer time' brought out hundreds of cars. All the approaches to the city were uncommonly crowded with traffic entering and leaving. At the same time there seemed to be more pedestrians than ever and the need for wider footpaths along certain highways was never more emphasised than at Norman Cross where, with only sufficient room for two lanes of vehicles, large parties were encountered strolling abreast in the cool of the evening. Their motoring contributor states that during the weekend he encountered fewer instances of 'road-hoggishness' and a greater tendency to carefulness, but the 'echelon driver' - 'he who follows a stream of traffic with his off-side wheels well over the crown of the road so that he can see down the line is - alas - still with us'. Having been eased of the necessity of learning to drive skilfully by the introduction of synchromesh gears and the like, he was equally unimpressed with the removal of the responsibility for good judgement with the double white lines laid down for overtaking.
Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.