FAST, IRRESPONSIBLE DRIVING

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 33, 9 February 1938, Page 10

FAST, IRRESPONSIBLE DRIVING

(To the Editor.) Sir,—This evening while I was crossing Lambton Quay from Panama Street to Kelburn tram, a taxi-car flew passed me at the rate of 30 miles per hour. A tram-car was about to stop for passengers at the T. and G. Building, the taxi driver to beat the stopping of tram-car, blew the horn of his car forcing back intending passengers. One elderly lady receded back three feet while the taxi drew to the right four feet to avoid lady and passed close on tramcar. But, my thoughts went immediately to the white-lined, passenger protection crossing Kelburn tram entrance across the Quay to T. and G. Building. Had, in ordinary circumstances, a person through passing, for safety sake by the stopping tram-car, as I have so often done myself, attempted iii this instance would, without doubt been hit by the taxi. On reaching my home \n Kelburn, to re^d, I picked up "Parade," a new magazine of November, 1937 issue of "The British' Digest of <sood Reading" and in it, on page 19 is an article-^ "And Next, The Streamlined. Man"-^ by Professor A. M, Low, condensed from "Speed" London, The article commences wjth' the following two paragraphs;— •.'-.. ; v We have built motor-cars capable of sixty, seventy, or eighty miles an hour. ■'■. It is comparatively simple to build a road on which they can travel at this speed with safety, It is much more '~ difficult to change the: man. Speed has made a fundamental, difference to his circumstances and. environment, but the man remains very nearly the same.: -For furidamental changes to take place in body i many generations are required, and this, really explains why we have road, flying, and railway accidents. Now, Sir, it is to my mind the science of endeavouring and encouraging speed records jn motor and mo-tor-bike racing that driving cars is becoming such a menace to publicsafety and I feel sure that had a Magistrate, as a witness, seen what a taxiqar driver did in Lambton Quay tonight he would have • withdrawn his licence to drive for at least 12 months, and. given him his running shoes in finding a billet so that,; for a time the taxi-driver could reflect and realise he is macje of the same blood and bone as those pedestrians he wants to beat off the track. For those taxi-drivers in Wellington, with whom J deal in drives, I have the greatest ■ admiration for the courteous and-careful manner in which I have always been' driven, but for those who have little or no consideration for life and limb, for these road hogs I have no time.—l am, etc., : ; . G. W. WRIGHT. j . February 8. '