-20.THE DEVELOPMENT OF COACH TRAVEL Before asphalt, most roads were little more than dirt lanes, winding and narrow. As a coach swerved about, it would tip perilously, and passengers were obliged to throw their weight from one side to the other to help keep the coach on its wheels. When the vehicle became mired in mud, the passengers got out and pushed. Asphalt was built not from soil but from layers of stone topped with gravel. Steep grades were kept to a minimum and the road was ditched to drain off water. With the relative comfort and safety provided by the asphalt, the demand for carriages rose to unprecedented levels. In the United States, the Concord coach carried mail and passengers and became the favourite for fast travel on post roads. Unlike earlier coaches, it had a level roof on which luggage could be stored. Later came the Sociable, an improved coach with rear entrance, steps, handrail, and an unusual arrangement in which two rows of seats faced each other across an aisle.
It can be inferred from the passage that early transport by coach was ------ .
quicker than by other means, but also dirtier
unpleasant because the seats weren't wide
somewhat dangerous and not very comfortable
slow due to the huge amount of luggage of the passengers
unsafe because of the unexpected attacks from highway bandits
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