BAD JUDGMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 103, 4 May 1931, Page 10

BAD JUDGMENT

A CYCLIST'S ERROR

FATAL MOTOR SMASH

GREATER CARE NEEDED

A collision involving two motor-cycles and a "baby" car near Glenside on 22nd April, resulting in the death of one of the cyclists, Alexander Basil Claudo Davenport, and his pillion-rider, Albert Arthur Ilbskins, was the subject of an. inquiry at the Magistrate's Court today. The evidence showed that the car was proceeding towards Wellington on. its correct side of the road, and that a motor-cycle was approaching it, also on its correct side of the road. Tha deceased, Davenport, drove up from behind the niotor-eyelo with the intention of passing, but collided with tha oncoming car. It was not very apparent, said the Coroner (Mr. I. Salek, J.P.), that the speed of the motor-cycle was excessive, but it wasnot good judgment to pass another machine near a bend. "It seems to me," continued tho Coroner, "that greater, care should have been taken in passing. It impresses mo that a great number of accidents have occurred near Glenside, where tha surface is good, the road wide, and tho corners not sharp. They continue to go on, notwithstanding tho publicity that has been given to them, and the number of inquests. Greater care should be exercised- by -motorists in keeping a better look-out, and in not taking these risks." Walter Joseph Charlton, an employee of the Makara County Council, said, that at 4.45 p.m. on 22nd April, he was riding his motor-cycle along ' the main north road in the direction of Tawa Flat. When he was climbing a slight grade about one hundred yards on the south side of the Public Works office at Glenside, he saw a small car approaching him at a moderate speed, and on its correct side of the road.. Witness was also on his correct sideof the road, about two feet from the edge of the bitumen, and was travelling at twenty to twenty-five miles pet hour. . -

HEADED STRAIGHT POR CAR.

When he was abreast of the small car another motor-cycle, travelling in. the same direction as witness, swung round from the rear of his machine, and came, abreast of him. As the motorcycle came up the driver opened his.,throttle, and the machine canted over and headed straight for the near side of the oncoming car. A collision occurred, the driver of the'motor-cycle falling on top of his machine, and tho pillion-rider 'being thrown into the. gutter. The force of the impact caused the motor-car to swerve right across tho road. ■ ■ . ■ Cross-examined by Mr. W. P. Rollings, who appeared for the driver of, the motor-car, the witness said that in his opinion the cause of tho accident was that the driver, of the motorcycle accelerated, and swerved with' thfi object of passing the witness, and; cutting in in front of him. Ho missed by a few seconds, however, and collided with the car. A DESPERATE EFFORT. The driver of the car, Edward Windrum,' a railway employee, said that when he came to the slight be-nd on the road at Glenside ho saw two motorcycles coming towards him. They were abreast and ono was endeavouring to pass the other. One of the cyclists was on his correct side of tho road, but the other, who was endeavouring to pass,was on the wrong side. This cyclist; made a desperate effort to get on his correct side of tho road, but ho did not' slacken speed. The witness could not estimato the speed of either of tho motor-cycles, but it seemed to be excessive. Seeing that tho cyclist could not get on to his correct side of the road, the witness applied his'" brakes and brought tho car to a standstill. TERRIBLE INJURIES. Tho motor-cycle, which was still oit its wrong side, struck the witness's car inside tho right wheel, slewing it across the road until the radiator faced the bank. When witness got out of his car the rider of the motor-cycle was lying on. his motor-cycle apparently, dead, with terrible injuries to his head. The pillion rider hnd head injuries, and was attended to by a doctor. Dr. A. E. Marshall, a house surgeon at Wellington Hospital, said that Hoskins was admitted to his ward at 6 p.m. on 22nd April, and died a few mim utes after midnight. In witness's opiiw ion death was due to shock and severe lioneL injuries. The Coroner returned a formal finding that Davenport.was instantly killed, and that lloskins died as the result of injuries received in a collision! with a car'driven liy Edward Windrum. Mr. A. J. West-Walker appeared for; the relatives of tho deceased.