A writer on automobilism and roads cannot leave the latter subject without a reference to some of the obstructions and inconveniences to which the automobilist has to submit. If the automobilist proved himself a "road obstruction" like any of the following he would soon be banished and the industry would suffer.
A correspondent in the Auto, the chief Parisian daily devoted to automobilism, gave the following list of obstructions encountered in a journey of a thousand kilometres:
- Drivers having left their horses entirely unattended - 75
- Drivers who would not make way to allow one to pass - 86
- Drivers asleep - 8
- Drivers not holding the reins - 12
- Drivers in carriages, or carts, without lights at night - 81
- Drivers stopping their horses in the middle of the road or at dangerous turnings - 2
- Drivers allowing their horses to descend hills unattended while they walked behind - 18
- Dogs throwing themselves in front of one - 35
- Flocks of sheep met without guardians near by - 8
- Cattle straying unattended - 10
- Geese, hens and children in the middle of the road - 30
- Drivers having left their horses entirely unattended - 75
- Drivers who would not make way to allow one to pass - 86
- Drivers asleep - 8
- Drivers not holding the reins - 12
- Drivers in carriages, or carts, without lights at night - 81
- Drivers stopping their horses in the middle of the road or at dangerous turnings - 2
- Drivers allowing their horses to descend hills unattended while they walked behind - 18
- Dogs throwing themselves in front of one - 35
- Flocks of sheep met without guardians near by - 8
- Cattle straying unattended - 10
- Geese, hens and children in the middle of the road - 30
Instead of seven sins, any of which might be deadly, there are eleven. Legislation must sooner or later protect the automobilist better than it does to-day.
Chapter IV
Hotels & Things
In all the literature of travel, that which is devoted to hotels has been conspicuously neglected. Certainly a most interesting work could be compiled.