CH. XXII THE RULE OF THE ROAD 493 



As there is no ' paradox' in the American rule, 

 no poet seems to have been inspired to embody it 

 in verse. 



While the rule of driving is perfectly understood 

 in England and adhered to, that of walking is barely 

 recognised, and the lack of a rule must have struck 

 all Americans when walking in London. In Liver- 

 pool and in London there have been somewhat 

 recently put on the lamp-posts, notices to pedes- 

 trians of 'Keep to the right,' a sufficient indication 

 that the public did not of their own motion suffi- 

 ciently observe such a rule. In American cities the 

 rule for pedestrians is usually observed with some 

 strictness. 



The rule in driving, of keeping to the right being 

 universal in the United States, it follows that a 

 vehicle when overtaken should be passed to the 

 left, a rule which should be always observed by 

 both parties ; that is to say, the vehicle which is 

 moving slowly, upon seeing that another wishes to 

 pass it, should incline to the right sufficiently to 

 give the passing one a fair share of the road. It is 

 ill-natured to neglect to give way for a person who 

 wishes to go on at a faster pace ; unfortunately it is 

 a not uncommon form of incivility. 



On the other hand, the vehicle, after it has 

 passed, should be driven on at the faster gait, 

 and should not on any account be pulled down 

 to the same pace as that of the overtaken one, 

 when immediately in front of it. If the driver is 



