BLONDES TO BLAME!

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 96, 24 April 1928, Page 19

BLONDES TO BLAME!

JOY RIDING HABIT.

Blondes are to blame. Gentlemen prefer them, and, apparently, prefer to take them for motor rides.

When the gentlemen have no cars of their own, they borrow the nearest and Cnpid gets weary wings keeping pace. That, at least, is the conclusion reached by the police of California (U.S.A.), who estimate that 80 per cent of cars stolen are borrowed by young men in love who wanted to give their lady friends the best impressions. During the year ended June 30, 26,244 ears were stolen, yet all but 5 per cent were recovered, mostly only a few miles away from the places their owners left them.

Many showed evidences of reckless driving, for flaming youth burns up the tyres.

When passing tracks or commercial vehicles one should watch out to see if children are catching rides on such vehicles. It often happens that they are either catching a ride or else in the act of getting on or off. In any event, they may decide to do almost anything without warning. There are many other matters which must receive attention by way of improving traffic conditions. A uniform system of traffic laws is doubtless one of the most important. The motorist who obeys the traffic laws in one state may find himself five minutes later in another state being arrested for a serious offence. The widening of streets wherever possible is, of course, a taken for granted matter, and one which is being given considerable attention. Removing all bottle necks in all traffic arteries is a matter of common sense that officials can well do something about. The removal of shrubbery and hedges which tend to obscure a crossing is another common sense matter which is | often treated with indifference.

Grade Crossing Peril. Abolition of railroad grade crossings wherever possible is another suggestion. Millions of dollars have been appropriated for this purpose in New York State, and it is only a matter of time when these death traps will be entirely eliminated. A drastic enforcement of traffic laws is advocated by many as the only way to cut down the number of reckless drivers. If there could be uniformity in the enforcement of traffic rules and if the enforcement could be uniformly consistent with the severity of the offence a tremendous advancement would be made toward safety in automobile operation. Prohibit the parking of automobiles within fifty feet of street intersections is another suggestion of merit. (This is already done in Auckland.) Establish playgrounds for children, so that they will not have to use the streets for recreational purposes. Safeguarding crossings and establishing safety zones are other measures which are becoming commonplace. Having express routes around towns and villages is being used to relive congestion. Through routes well marked through cities, avoiding heavy traffic for the benfit of touring motorists not desirous of stopping, is fine for the motorist even if it doesn't seem so good for the business interests of local merchants. The removal of all billboards or roadside signs where they obstruct in any way tJie view of the motorists should be 'aken for granted. It has been suggested that wood block paving materials are dangerous for automobiles in wet weather. Also that the streets should be sanded in wet weather to prevent skidding. Also that streets should be better lighted and especially overhead at street intersections. One side traffic signals are recommended as opposed to street centre installation of such signals. The assistance of newspapers in helping to create a desire for safety is another modern factor. A continual survey of traffic conditions is probably essential and the aid Of all merchants who are operating fleets of commercial cars is especially to be desired. These are a few matters which should be given consideration by all motorists in a common effort to reduce accidents and the traffic tangle which are becoming a disagreeable feature of autompbiling.

on the road, and instanced his own experience on the Eimutaka section, where he was crowded into the watertable by a descending car, despite the well-established rule that cars on the upgrade are accorded a clear ruxf Other incidents in which drivers had shown a lack of courtesy wera discussed, and the southerner remarked that there was a lamentable lack of knowledge on the part of many travellers of what was due to other users of the highways. "There is one road on which one finds the greatest courtesy, though, and that is the Gisborne-Napier route," he added. "There the courtesies of tfo road arp fulfilled most strictly, in the main, and the service men in particular are scrupulously careful and good-natured. Not only do they handle their cars with consummate care, but they make every allowance for lack of experience on the part of private drivers, and I have never known them to pass another car in trouble without offering assistance."