Why?

We did look both ways, but could see no likely hazards either side of this track through a little wood.

But it is generally good advice I suppose. Certainly we needed to look in all directions at the dance last night, to avoid collisions with stone pillars and a large wooden pulpit sitting firmly on the floor.  Not to mention the other dancers. We survived, and we had fun.

Driving home down the A7 today we were looking in both directions for a sight of the Flying Scotsman which was travelling on the new Borders railway line.  We didn't see it, though we saw the crowd around it at the terminus.  No chance of finding a parking space, and anyway, the point is to see it majestically steaming through the hills.