THE FRONT SEAT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 53, 4 March 1926, Page 11

THE FRONT SEAT.

DEBARRED OX MOTOR BUSES

Many bus travellers have been in the habit of making a rush for the seat adjoining that of the driver, it seemingly being considered by them that a ride right in front "puts it all over" a back seat. But a by-law of the City Council lays it down that no passenger shall sit within three feet of the gears, and bus drivers who have permitted occupancy of the seats beside them have been warned that to do so in future will mean prosecution. The drivers are now refusing to allow anyone to use this seat, and in one case, it was noticed this morning, a couple of boards, running fore and aft, prevented its being availed of. However, as the buses are apparently allowed to, and actually do, carry as many passengers as can be crowded on to them, including platform passengers, and even step passengers, the gears are very often encroached on. and as to whether there is more danger in a sitting than a standing passenger is open to question.

Drivers of suburban buses have been complaining that the rule regarding the front seat is not applied to touring char-a-bancs—"Bin then." they say, "the char-a-bancs are not in competition with the trams."' When this allegation was hrought under the notice of Mr. George Hogan, the chief traffic inspector, to-day, he gave it an emphatic denial, stating that the rule applied to all motor passenger vehicle?. "We would want 40 men on the lookout to see that the by-law is observed." said Mr. Hogan, "and doubtless the regulation is often liroken. But you can be assured that if the offenders are detected, the}" will be prosecuted. Some of these drivers will not take notice of anything less than a prosecution. Then they have something to remember."