DANGEROUS ROADS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7830, 24 June 1909, Page 4

DANGEROUS ROADS.

To the Editor. Sir, —I wish to draw the attention of the authorities and the general public to the blameworthy way of many persons who ride bicycles after sundown without proper lights to the machines, thus subjecting themselves to serious risks from collisions; but, most important, others are more frequently victims of this careless, if not reckless, riding without lights. The danger is more pronounced when benighted riders are travelling over narrow roads. As a case m point: One of the chief thoroughfares m Hampstead, to wit, Wellington street, extends from the East Belt of the town district westward to the East Belt of the borough m its junction with Havelock street. This street continues m an uninterrupted line to the borough West Belt. These streets pass through the respective centres of 'both districts and this fact makes Wellington street one of the main, if not the chief, arterial thoroughfares m Hampstead, and establishes its importance to both the town and suburb. Notwithstanding this fact, Wellington street, from its junction with the borough, is only about half-a-chain wide; namely, to the town district East Belt—a distance of about twenty chains therefrom. Much traffic passes along Wellington street to and from the borough, both night and day, and after sundown it ;is not safe passing along, especially I from bicycles without lights. Coming from the-Post Office the other evening, after crossing the East Belt, I narrowly escaped being run into by a rider without lights. Sometimes the riders themselves suffer, but more frequently it is others,, and the rider goes on hoping the darkness will conceal his or her identity- RESIDENT.