PARKED CARS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21323, 16 November 1934, Page 18

PARKED CARS

RISKS IN MOVING OFF/ ADVICE TO DRIVERS "If many motorists are careless toward other traffic in the manner in which they fling wide open the doors on the traffic side of the road and thus endanger and inconvenience cyclists, just as many motorists exhibit a curious lack of consideration for motor drivers in the way they emerge from parking places," says the latest safetyfirst message of the Canterbury Automobile Association. Some drivers rejoin the traffic stream from a parking place by a kind creeping process, and others are unwise enough to move smartly, and without any warning, out into the path of travelling vehicles, the drivers of which are caused to halt suddenly and trouble following drivers, or, alternately, swerve out into the line of traffic going in the opposite direction.

Motorists in charge of cars moving away from a parking place should not place .other drivers in a position of such danger. In the first place, motorists should so place their cars that they allow plenty of room for emergence later into-the traffic stream. That is the initial fault, as many drivers closely confined, have their attention occupied trying to avoid bumping the car in front, or scraping a wing or a bumper, and do not give thought to traffic moving past. Motorists have quite enough to do in safe driving in watching the road ahead without being confronted suddenly by the wheel and wing of a car being driven out from a parking space. Unless the roadway behind is quite clear of following traffic no attempt should be made to leave the parking space, and when emergence is about to be made it should be accompanied by the sounding of the horn and the giving of an easily seen arm signal. Misunderstandings between the drivers of travelling cars and those of parked cars are quite common, and no small amount of irritation is caused. Motorists are not thought readers, though some drivers give them credit for that faculty by failing to exercise small courtesies. Disillusionment comes with a. collision and- .danger to other road users.