FURIOUS DRIVING AND THE RULE OF THE ROAD.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 82, 7 April 1894, Page 4

FURIOUS DRIVING AND THE RULE OF THE ROAD.

TO THE EPITOK. Sir — I would like to mako a few remarks rospeoting the above. I believe everyone is aware that there is a by-law regarding penalties to bo imposed on persons driving at a great rate of speed on the publio highway ; more especially when the driver of tUe vohioles is taming corners. This fact, however, seeniß to be almost totally disregarded by many drivers of various conveyance?. As a bicyclist of some little experience, I beg to call the attention of the authorities to the reckless and very often stupid driving and riding indulged in by some persons. Thero is not a day goes by without I encounter several suoh Btupid drivers as I ever had tho misfortune to come ucross. When riding a machine I make it a uniform praotioe to alow up when meeting a vehicle in a narrow street, and always to turn off to my right aide of the road. One can hardly credit that there should be so very many drivers who apparently do not regard, even if they know, the rule of the road. I have met vehionliata who persistently ignore this rule, and even when shouted at to go over to their right side mike no effort to alter their course. From this cause I have seen numerous instances where a bioyolist has had to shoot off at almost right angles to the approaching horse and vehicle to escape being run down. When remonstrated with, as often as not you*are told to "Go to somewhere," and thereby occasionally sharp words are exchanged. Many aooidents ocour by the above. Surely there can be no possibility of any driver not understanding such a simple thing as the rule of the road ? Again, how often have I and many other oyoliata, and also pedestrians, had to turn aside for very life by the sudden appearance of a -vehicle furiously driven round a corner P Is it any wonder the papers ohroniole so many accidents— sometimes very serious ones — whioh are caused solely from this dangerous and reprehensible praotioe P As in tho oabo of the ignorance of the rale of the road, I have seen some very narrow escapes from perhaps death through rapid driving around [corners. As an instance, only lost night tvs I was walking up a publio road just out of town, a carriage dashed round a sharp comer, and a bioyolist who was coming slowly from the opposite direction, had a narrow escape from being run into, and perhaps killed. As it was be, with great presence of mind, turned sharp off into the bank, being thrown from his maohine in doing so, and just grazing the wheel of the carriage. The oconpanta, I observed, ncvor evou so muoh as looked round to Bee if any accident bad. ooourred. It is true oyclisto pay no tax for the questionable privilege of riding on the Wellington roads, but that is, I take it, no reason why they ■bonld not have some littlo consideration ahown them. I trust you will pardon mo if I have taken up too muoh spaoe by this letter, but the gravity of the subject must be my exouse. Thanking you, and hoping that all furious and ignorant drivers will take heed of the above, I am, Ao., Harrt Y. Edmonds.