TRAFFIC BLOCK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 236, 5 October 1936, Page 3

TRAFFIC BLOCK.

CYCLE ROAD RACE FINISH. * * GREAT SOUTH KOAD DANGER. The great interest which was taken in the finish of the 100-mile cycle road race on Saturday last on the Great South Boad at Papakura was responsible for one of the greatest traffic jams seen on the highway in this locality. Nearly a thousand people gathered and the parking of buses and motor cycles along the sides of the road made it very difficult for the traffic to be handled. The traffic on the South Road is always heavy and on a fine Saturday afternoon it is at its heaviest. Road cycle races in previous years have finished in Prince Park, Papakura, but on Monday last the promoters of the race applied to the Papakura Town Board for permission to finish the race on the Great South Koad instead of the park. After some opposition permission was granted subject to the consent of the Main Highways Board's officials. The trouble on Saturday was accentuated as each rider in the race came up to the finishing line, for the crowd converged to the centre of the road. The officials did their best to control the traffic, but it got bevond them and the danger increased as tlie south-bound cars tried to "feel" their way through the block. Literally, the cars had to push the pedestrians out of the way, and the tact and common sense of the drivers saved anyone from being seriously hurt. A well-known traffic officer expressed the opinion that road racing on the Groat South highway was bordering on the dangerous at any time.