SPEED FIENDS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 76, 30 March 1926, Page 7

SPEED FIENDS

SHOCKS FOR MOTORISTS

(From Our Own Correspondei t.)

SYDNEY, 25th March.

The public have been reading with Bruch zest the stories in tho Press of the raids, not without their thrills and touch of drama, which are being made nightly by the Flying Safety Squad, and of the effective way in which the police, in a silent but very fast touring car, known as "the Blue Bird," are popping up in all sorts of unexpected places and taming the road hogs whose reckless driving has made them a menuse, not only to the public, but to other motorists. The flying squad, it is safe to prophesy, presages the end of the "motocrat" in Sydney. These nightly raids by the Blue Bird —the car is painted blue, hence its name —are providing all the thrill of the hunt, all the zest of the "kill" at the end of the chase. Motorists, motor-cyclists, and even those on push bicycles are all coming within the police net —some for "crawling along," and having the time •f their lives at about 50 miles an hour; some for running without tail lights; and others for countless other breaches of the Traffic Act. The motor hogs have been under the impression that the roads were made only for them, and that the rules of the road were framed for a joke. They have been under the impression that the hands that rock their cars at break-neck speed rule the community; that they have only to blow their horn for everything to scatter. The Blue Bird, however, has given them a rude awakening. It is a nightly hidden terror,. lurking at any corner, and only waiting to tear madly after some offender. Amusing stories are told of the raids. In one of the nightly cruises, and after a 200 yards chase, one of two cars being pursued was headed into the footpath. The driver knew what was coming to him: "What was I doing?!' he asked tho police eagerly. "Fifty," said the sergeant, "Fifty, are you sure!" exclaimed the driver. The sergeant was quite positive about it. "Well," said the motorist, "be a sport, sergeant, I'll take my punishment, but come down and tell them that at the club. They think this ear can't do 20." The sergeant said he would not go to the club, but he would explain the car's capacity for speed at the Police Court.