"TOO FAST."

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 309, 31 December 1931, Page 8

"TOO FAST."

AUCKLAND. MOTORISTS.

SMITH'S OPINION.

DANGER AT INTERSECTIONS,

"Although I have not seen any fast or furious driving.in Auckland; lam convinced ;that motoristts drive far too fast across intersections in the city and suburbs/ , said. Mr. N orman ("Wizard") Smith, who hopes to exceed 300 miles an hour on the Ninety-Mile Beach. •

"Frequently I have seen cars travel over crossings at the same speed that they have going previously. They do not slow down. That is a dangerous practice. The only safe way to cross an intersection is to slow down," said Mr, Smith in an interview. "I don't think I have seen any drivers doing more than 40 miles an hour in the suburbs,-but the trouble is they maintain that pace over the intersections. It would be.much safer for them to travel &\, say, 50 miles an hour between the erdssings ,and slow down to a reasonable speed as they approach them. Mind you, I'm not advocating speed on city streets." .

The . general standard' of driving throughout; Auckland was very good, said Mr. Smith, who drove to Rotorua last week. There had been a big improvement in the conduct of service car. drivers since he was last in New Zealand. It was only a few years ago that service car drivers would not hesitate to force a private car off the road, but now they were courteous.

"Although I was a stranger on tHe road to Rotorua, I did not have the slightest trouble in finding my way," remarked Mr. Smith. "The roads are so well sign-posted that I did not have to stop once. The signposting of the Auckland ..province is splendid, compared with other parts of the world, and the Auckland' Automobile Association deserves a great deal of credit."

"When Mr. Norman Smith is drivrng "a car along city streets, he is probably the most careful driver in Auckland to-day. He never travels at more than 30 miles an hour, makes a .point of slowing down at every;intersection andalways blows his homV-. Through. Queen Street he almost'crawls along.'- "You can't be- too «areful, M -Tie says,: • ■■- ; ■