SAFETY ON THE ROAD No. VII.

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 286, 30 August 1935, Page 20

SAFETY ON THE ROAD No. VII.

Motor-Vehicle Drivers and Their Ways

Motoring safety, shorn of what might be termed the major essentials, mostly mechanical, is dependent in the main on a series of tremendous trifles. While there are far too many drivers who are blatantly discourteous, there are far many more who act thoughtlessly toward each other; those who commit follies which are apt to place themselves and others in danger. ■ Compared with other centres the traffic inspectors of Wellington are markedly tolerant toward the motorist, and it is open to grave question whether or not the civic authorities will have to apply some pressure in certain directions to clean up a few outstanding abuses of ’privilege at present enjoyed by drivers generally. Of course, motorists as a class will have to he disciplined because of the actions of a few, but that hardship will have to be borne if the cause of safety is to be served. And none can deny that that is more important than the convenience of motorists.

Before any start is made on the private motorist, serious attention ought to be given to the many commercial vehicle drivers who act as if they have some pre-emptive right to the roadway, a right based, no doubt, on the possession of the bigger and heavier vehicle.

Perhaps 90 per cent, of the trucks, particularly, and to a lesser extent the vans, are equipped with rearview mirrors that are useless when the vehicles are fully laden. The loadable surface of far too many trucks extends in width beyond the rear-view mirror, and a very large number of such mirrors tire not at right angles to the vehicle. The regulations are perfectly clear on the subject, yet nothing is done to enforce them. Scores of offenders may be counted in an hour in Wellington, on any day of the week. These drivers barge in and out of traffic and out of right-of-ways. Horns are not sounded in far too many instances; the first signal that passing traffic has is when • the radiator or rear of a truck barges' out into the roadway. The commercial vehicle drivers are being allowed to get away with this form of traffic -tyranny. They pre worth the earnest attention of the .Civic traffic department.

Private motorists in Wellington art abusing the privilege of double-bank’

ing to such an extent that it is becoming a danger. Cars are left doublebanked for long periods of time to the total disregard of cars parked alongside the kerbiug.

People halt their cars to doublebank without giving any hand signal to following traffic. Frankly, doublebanking should not be permitted. If it is necessary, then the whole traffic system is in need of overhaul.

Scores of motorists are not aware that they are prohibited from parking cars within 14 feet of an intersection. The distance should be at least 20 feet. Hand-signalling is a neglected or unknown art among motorists. To escape trouble one must be a thought reader,

There is nothing clever iu sitting behind the wheel honking at the driver ahead who is held up by a line of traffic. That is a common thing iu Wellington. Another trifle is the habit which motorists have in driving from the kerbing and entering the traffic stream without warning either by horn or hand of intention.

Then drivers fail to realise that they are breaking the offside rule in making a left-hand turn into the traffic line before there is room for them to proceed. It simply means forcing traffic out into the middle of the road where it has.no right to be under normal circumstances.

It is discourteous find dangerous to follow a car and keep the headlights full on shining into the rearview mirror of the car in front. In a well-lighted street full headlights are not necessary, and running in such circumstances on the parking lights is allowed by law. And many drivers do not seem to know much about the parking rime limits.

Emerging from a vehicle on the traffic side is another fault. Wide doors are flung open in the path of passing traffic. In other centres bylaws prohibit this dangerous practice. There would lie no need for many by-laws if more motorists applied some commonsense to the use of their vehicles and the city thoroughfares, more the streets would be safer.