This was published two years before the Ford Model T came out. At a time where Olds, Cadillac, and Buik each made between 1000 and 2000 cars a year.

Chicago had already introduced its city wide license plates, but had won the right to enforce the use of them in front of appellate court just the year prior. Ilinois as a whole only introduced them a year after this comic.

Even in 1909 the Plan of Chicago introduced bigger streets not for the benefit of the automobiles but for the horse drawn cargo carriages going to the railway stations that clogged downtown. They had to make adjustments later because so many Model T's were on the streets by then.

Back in 1906 the streets didn't belong to automobiles yet, streetcars were the thing everyone used all the time, and I don't think laws were specifying right of way yet

On the trams in Melbourne, the doors have little stop signs on them to remind cars that alighting passengers have right of way. It makes sense as the passengers don't have visibility of the cars, but the cars can see the tram stopping, and the doors opening.

Also, the tram can't wait for traffic to stop before letting passengers out, then continuing on its route. They have to keep schedule, else the whole network suffers.

We have couple tram stops like this. The cars are supposed to stop behind the tram. Guess how it ends up...

Streetcars in Toronto are like this too. Cars are required to stop when the streetcar doors open; the needs of one driver do not outweigh the needs of the many passengers getting on and off. That said, yes, you should look before you step down onto the street.

I think those street cars are open on both sides

Yeah i agree