MOTORDOM

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 105, 27 January 1939, Page 13

MOTORDOM

by

Chassis

DRIVERS WHO STEAL TRAFFIC

POSITIONS

Those Who Break The Line Of Traffic

And Cause Danger

Rreakine the line in a procession of cars is not unknown among ft is a fault which gives rise to unnecessary danger and motorists. It s Motorists who travelled in the procession of cars .r l E, n " , £,d , :S which told them not to break the hue and to ,!£‘ v S "here ‘traffic is worthy of application at all times on street or ln to huay conditions cause a procession.

It has been noted recently that where cars are being driven in a line at quite a reasonable speed, as . distinct from dawdling, some drivers show a marked impatience judging by their inclination to leave the line of cars and endeavour to get ahead. These manoeuvres are not justified because of the reasonable pace of traffic, because of the proximity of each vehicle to the other, and because of the risk caused in meeting oncoming traffic travelling at a speed difficult to estimate within a margin of safety.

Wise, safe drivers usually leave a fair amount of room between their vehicles and those ahead, and it is unfair of other drivers to leave the line of cars and sneak into the pur-posely-left gaps. Quite often this action in driving ahead into a gap means no greater advantage to the gap-taker than that he is one car ahead in position, an advantage of negligible value and one gained at possible risk.

When a line of cars is travelling, at a reasonable pace it is safe to provide a gap which will enable a halt in half the distance of clear road ahead. The thoughtless gap-taker therefore reduces the safe stopping margin. Motorists who break .the line with no other advantage but to be a little further along are of the type who start racing and jockeying for position.; It is no hardship on drivers to expect them to show patience by maintaining their position, and thus setting an example to others.

At holiday times particularly, and on late Sunday afternoons one is apt

to find oneself in a procession of vehicles. There is a call for the exercise of manners, restraint, and forbearance. Don’t be what is known as a thruster, the driver who thrusts bls way into traffic gaps by taking unnecessary risks. Motorists of the accident-free type are content with a speed which is reasonable in the circumstances. How often on comparatively narrow highways such as those leading north from Wellington do we find cars maintaining a steady 40 miles an hour or even more being overtaken and passed by vehicles which get ahead for a half a mile or so and then drop back to a much lower rate of travel?

How often on narrow, winding roads do motorists using a safe speed in the circumstances find themselves closely trailed by drivers fidgeting for the opportunity to take a risk and get past? When one finds this type of driver on one's tail it is a wise plan to choose the proper place for slackening speed, and giving the come-past signal. The overtaker is, better ahead than behind, as it may happen that as he lacks patience he may also lack judgment, and by overtaking at, the wrojtg place, put the overtaken driver in a position of danger.

If more of these line-breakers and overtakers at the wrong time gave warning of their intention it would be appreciated, but actually the thruster works on a plan of sneak driving. In other words he likes to steal positions in traffic by a show of smart acceleration.