NO MONOPOLY OF ROADS

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 102, 2 May 1931, Page 12

NO MONOPOLY OF ROADS

MOTORISTS NOT NEGLIGENT. COMMENT BY CHIEF JUSTICE. REASONABLE CARE EXPECTED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) NELSON, Friday. In the course of his remarks concerning motorists in general during his sum-ming-up in a claim for damages in the Supreme Court to-day, the Chief Juslace, Sir Michael Myers, said it did not, follow that if a man drove a motor car ie was a man of wealth. The ownership of a motor car nowadays was not an indication, of the wealth of the owner. No ibody of motorists, later remarked his Honor, had a monopoly of the road. "Thank Heaven they have not," he , added. "I do not suppose motorists as a whole are negligent. They are not," remarked his Honor. "The majority I have seen are not negligent, but not ail are as careful as they shoilld be. Every motorist must drive with reasonable care and have due regard to the safety of the public. "Similarly pedestrians must, bs careful. A pedestrian must not go and throw himself under a motor car, as it were, and then turn round and say to the driver, 'I am going to hold you liable for damages because you have injured me.' The answer to the pedestrian is, 'You did not take ordinary care and you are the author of your own injury.'" ■■ ; _