JUDGING SPEED

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 10, 12 January 1929, Page 25

JUDGING SPEED

WHAT EEALLY MATTERS

A Canadian Police Magistrate has ,boen commended for putting forward a suggestion to motorists which, if generally followed, should bring about a safer condition of affairs on the roads. The Magistrate" advises drivers to cease to think in. terms of miles and : hours, and to- think ,in terms .of feet arid seconds. Enlarging upon this, he continues: "If an object . suddenly j crosses .your path '50ft ahead from where you are sitting at the wheei, and j.and you are travelling at 30 miles an hour; you.have only one second,in which to act to avoid an accident, and half a second if the object is only 25ft away." A motor-car travelling 15 miles an hour is covering 22ft a second, at 20 miles an hour it is covering 29ft a second, at 25 miles 36ft, at 30 miles 44ft, at 35 miles 51ft, at'4o miles f)Bft,' at 45 miles 66ft'. What should therefore be constantly in the motorist's thoughts 'is; the time: limit; which his speed is setting for him should an emergency arise; >: . ■ ■■-■•■ ■ , . . There are, -of course, experienced drivers who will be able to say they have found all this out for themselves. On the other hand, there must be many who, have never given a thought to the number of feet they are travelling in a second, and what, therefore, is the fractional period of time they have in which to act in face of an emergency. : . A driver • whose perception; is thus trained in terms of feet and seconds is much more likely to have his car in constant control, and must be quicker, to; judge the speed and possible action of some more irresponsible driver. .In other ■-. words, as it has.been very aptly; put, it is not space and time behind, but space and time immediately ahead that he : may have tb ; reckon with. • 'r- Judgment in should; always be

concerned in anticipating the unexpected. Thinking in terms of feet and seconds should impress upon all drivers the need for concentration upon tho job in hand, for, particularly in these days of crowded roads, driving does really call for careful calculation all the time..