PILLION RIDING

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1927, Page 8

PILLION RIDING

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—-I wish' to voice some of the sentiments of motor-cyclists owning solo mounts. May their voices be legion. WS are all very interested in the recent pass- - I,ngf °f I M^ ItW & the L.ower Eutt Council forbidding pillion riding in the Lower Hutt Borough. The passing of such a bylaw is a very severe blow to us as a t* y\*f "cc acces-s to the arterial road to the Wairarapa is denied us if carrvimr a passenger. Walks under such Snf senders. We nOt *****»***■ thTpS J^twH appe? r '- howwer, that the powwf,f ? i ac*. lI? conce4, since if the Hutt feeler—and it ia nothing lesa-dil not ra.se a protest from the motV-cTeKsts Wellington proposes, amidst a blissful stillness, to proceed in like manner m<J pass a.very unfair bylaw. Thatch a au W^T 8 Pr? P? red we *»™ "ft authority of a statement made by the solicitor appearing for the CHy Cmmrfl

One is inclined to wonder whethpr fh a advocates or the abolition ofpflUon rid* not safe on two wheels, though they must have read occasionally'of pafs^geTs'having the* necks dislocated while supposedly busef Tdn yewV a-f. ei7 in ™tor P-?ars or motor-car passengers who have Why not go back to the Stone Abb' |r, and walk? It does seem a lot safe' cycles, they eeem to get home all right. ell'« pJllli? ridm S is Bot more dangerous than, other legitimate modea conveyance why do our-city father* want to tramp _along the tracks made by miagmded reformers in other cities?-!

FAERPLAY.

.3rd February.

(To the Editor.)

-Sir,—From inquiries made at the Citv> 1 traffic Office, IWn that th£ Sp W< ttntn nds f°llo^ in S in the path of. the Hutt Borough Council by passinc a bylaw prohibiting pillion' riding on motor* cycles m. the Wellington district, as it is considered a dangerous practice. Now w «» aYe een a, nJ?tor-cyclist for the past five years, and I «an Bay from exP nence that pillion riding is not half Z> dangerous as the city authorities seem to think.- Have any of the City Councillors any experience in pillion riding? If they had they -would realise that a motorcycle is just as easy to control' -with a person on the pillion seat as without, and when a motor-cyclist is unlucky enough to have a crash ov a collision, it does not necessarily.-mean that the accident wag seat 6 a- person bein S oa the pillion

A traffic inspector, when asked the Pf? f,» r th l3 proposed bylaw, stated that in the case of an accident both lives are endangered. This may be so, but when a cycle and side-car comes to grief are not two persons endangered? When an over-loaded motor-car, bus, or tramWhy not prohibit passenger vehicles from, travelling faster than a walking pace and insist that a man walk in f tSJt with a red flag? It would be interesting to WnV 8"1*8 ShoWins a com Pa"son between the percentage of accidents to" pillion riders,, motor and side-car outfit*; and owner-driven motor-cars. This would tell the story. If pillion, riding is so dangerous, why has it been allowed £ the past, and why is. it still allowed in. other towns? If tljis bylaw is brought into force, it will mean that hundreds of m™Tt1 Ci I"™? 1* who «wnof afford V S«? i" !1 ho de Pn>-ed of the pleasure of s friend s company on the cycle, again proving the time-worn phrase, the law favours the rich.—l am, etc.,

DISGUSTED.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—lt is with regret that I learn that an attempt is Jjeing made to' prohibit pillion riding. No doubt this is the wSh ot .persons who do not have to rely on the trusty motor-cycle for their own ana their friends'^outings. It i B easy, for them to < sit back in their cars and condemn fljhat looks to them a-.dangerous practice. These ekme people cannot prove that pill hon riding is any' more dangerous t&m riding alone. Think of the hundreds of people who purchase motor-cycles simply because they can get out into the great outdoors with their wife, sister, or "best Pt' urn com Pani°n on-pillion seat i. have just read a copy of a leading English paper, which advises that when an unsuccessful attempt was made to'stop pit of V i?r? '"Enefciid a Prominent official of the Ministry of Transport stated: "If pillion-riding is stopped there will'be a great public outcry as it will-be contended that it is class legislation. Pillion riding is the only method by which large number! of people can get out to the'eountry. Although pillion riding looked .dangerous it was necessary oniy to go on the roads'at weekends to see how extraordinarily popular it was " He believes that the number ot accidents from pillion riding is not sufficient to outweigh the public benefit; but he^ suggested that carrying more than one pillion rider-.might be made illegal. He safety of brothers, wives, sisters, and moTo^cTe rfd"^ l£ft * ** *?"* <* 6 T ell alone-Hlo not' spoil th<j healthy pleasure.of hundreds ofWellw ton citizens.—l am, etc

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