Limited Number of Direction Signs Needed W HILST fully appreciating the
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original and, possibly, present need for the absence of signposts and other guides to drivers, which formerly aided them to find their whereabouts, the principle has, in our view, been carried too far, and it is high time that the restriction was made less severe.
On the railways it was quickly found that the total removal of all indications as to the names of stations caused almost insuperable difficulties, but no consideration in this respect has been given to road users.
Practically all drivers who are not acquainted with particular parts of the country in which they may be forced to travel must carry maps, and although those giving the details on a small scale are permissible, they might well constitute a greater danger than a limited number of direction indicators.
There are many points throughout the country where drivers are very apt to go astray—only in the sense of locality, we hasten to add—and we suggest that at these points easily removable signs could be installed. There would, in our opinion, be no great difficulty in instructing the Civil Defence Authorities or the Home Guard to remove or hide them in the case of a real threat of danger or an actual invasion, whilst their use would undoubtedly be indicated by a considerable saving of time and, possibly, of fuel. Such signs could well be of the reflecting type, mounted very low, so as to come within the range of the masked head lamps.
We know that various pleas in this connection have been put forward previously, but, so far, nothing has been done to ameliorate the position, the excuse always being given that the authorities responsible for the Defence Regulations would not consider any modification of the restriction. Drivers are, consequently, placed in an extremely difficult situation, particularly as so much transport is being carried out by night, when local inhabitants are mostly tucked away in bed, whilst even if there be a few people available from whom to make inquiries they are not always overanxious to help, being sometimes suspicious—and, perhaps, rightly so.
Drivers on regular routes are, naturally, not so greatly affected, but there are many others who may, at different times, have to enter strange territory, and who are then inclined to express their views very forcibly as to• the doubtful need of this wholesale precaution in respect of signs on at least the main routes.