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A timeless message of road safety, straight from 1931.
Reading guide
This is a standalone facsimile volume, an exact reproduction of the first edition of The Highway Code.
The book presents the complete 1931 Highway Code, offering a fascinating snapshot of early motoring rules and social norms, from hand signals and horse-drawn vehicle guidance to the rudimentary pedestrian crossing advice, all underpinned by the enduring principle of safety and consideration for others.

Description

Travel back to the dawn of mass motoring with this meticulously reproduced facsimile of the very first edition of The Highway Code, published by the Ministry of Transport in 1931. As Great Britain's roads swelled from just 2.3 million vehicles to over 34 million today, the core advice to be careful and considerate remains startlingly unchanged. Yet within these pages lies a charmingly antiquated world: drivers are instructed to sound their horn when overtaking, mirrors are entirely absent, and a whole section is dedicated to hand signals - the primary communication method before indicators became standard. This historical document offers a unique window into the etiquette and challenges of 1930s road use, from motor cars to horse-drawn vehicles.

Celebrating the 80th anniversary of The Highway Code, this limited-time facsimile reveals a road culture both familiar and foreign. The guidance for pedestrians spans a mere paragraph compared to today's entire chapters, while a dedicated segment advises the driver of a horse-drawn vehicle to rotate their whip above their head to signal a turn. More than a nostalgic curiosity, this edition underscores the evolution of transportation law and social responsibility, reminding modern readers that the foundational principle of putting safety first transcends all technological change. An essential addition to any transport history library, it delights collectors, historians, and anyone who appreciates the quaint roots of the rules we follow today.

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