Warning On Road Penalties Welcomed By A.A. Members

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30810, 23 July 1965, Page 12

Warning On Road Penalties Welcomed By A.A. Members

The recent intimation of greater penalties for motoring offences from the Minister of Transport (Mr McAlpine) appeared to find favour with members of the council of the Automobile Association (Canterbury) at their meeting last eve-‘ng. Mr E. R. Casbolt described the Minister’s statement about a sterner view of accidents, and stronger penalties, as “a step forward” in combating road fatalities: “I think the Minister is to be commended for that,” Mr Casbolt said. “The local magistrates are also toughening up,” said the president (Mr L. W. Broadhead). “Anybody who goes through a compulsorystop without stopping can expect stiffer penalties in future.” Magistrates had “the final say” on the imposition of penalties. suggested Mr C. H. Browne. Mr G. W. Bryant (West Coast member): The Minister can lay down a mandatory penalty. “Slow Driver Menace"

“The slow driver is becoming a worse menace every day,” said Mr Broadhead, during a discussion on crawler lanes on main highways. Was 'the A.A. (Canterbury) interjested in pressing for the I building of these in CanterI bury? asked a letter from an

Ashburton member. They, were widely in use in the North Island and in Southland. Crawler lanes had been discussed at the last meeting of the No. 13 District Roads Council, said Mr T. D. Craig. “They have undertaken to look into crawler lanes in the Hundalee hills. They can do this in short sections of hill country,” he said. On the long straight stretches of Canterbury roads, the difference in speed of vehicles hardly justified crawler lanes, Mr Craig said. Crawler lanes worked wonderfully on the main road between Tauranga and Hamilton, which was much travelled by big timber lorries, said the general manager, Mr E. S. Palliser. “They would never handle the traffic without them,” he said. ' The use of Automobile [Association windscreen transfers would be continued—but investigations would be made on the cost of selfadhesive type, it was decided. Canterbury might consider following Auckland's lead in ( ending the issue of wind- ; screen transfers—but many members undoubtedly derived a feeling of “belonging” in displaying the transfer, said Mr Palliser. according to a publicity committee report. i Two or three members of , the committee said that the I display of wa'rrant-of-fitness

.labels, licensing labels and suchlike tended to clutter a car’s windscreen and obstruct the driver’s view. Mr Palliser said that many members demanded service solely on the basis of the display of a windscreen sticker. This involved problems, as transfers were seldom removed when cars were sold. Mr C. H. Browne said that trouble with windscreen vision should not occur if care were taken in the placing of windscreen labels. Members liked to display A.A. windscreen transfers — and it was good propaganda for the association. Mr T. D. Craig agreed. Membership and Patrols Membership of the association is now 59.268, including 443 new members elected in the last month. This was a net increase of 3463 members since the beginning of the association’s financial year last August, said Mr Palliser. During June, patrols of the association travelled 17,818 miles, assisted 213 cars, shipped 29, erected 184 signs, and enrolled 54 new members. “It was a fairly full month with plenty of snow and ice on the roads.” said IMr T. W. Milliken, chairman of the roads and patrols committee. The technical service inspected 255 vehicles, assisted three cars, and enrolled 116 new members.