NOISY DRIVERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 90, 13 October 1938, Page 20

NOISY DRIVERS

USE OF CAR HORNS

PRACTICE,DEPRECATED

The opinion that many motorists in the city were far- too prone to. ."use '.the horns on their caris -and to? create unnecessary noise and confusion was expressed by Mr.' H. H. Sterling when speaking upon the annual report at the annual meeting of the Automobile Association, Wellington, last evening. Mr. Sterling referred to the habit of many motorists of using their car horns to signal people in the streets or to announce their arrival outside a house. Other motorists appeared to be under the impression that the blowing of their horns gave them some sort of a right of way. They had no right whatever to create the noise and disturbance they did. The nuisance was particularly noticeable in Featherston Street where* some motorists appeared to sound their horns at each intersection. When he had been abroadhe had made careful inquiries, and had found that in places where the use of the horn was restricted accidents diminished rather than, increased. It was easy to understand this because when , a motorist did not rely upon the use of his horn, he was more X careful about his driving. ■; '■ Another matter. which required attention was the tendency of many ■ motorists. to give inadequate signals or not to give; any. signals at all. These were aspects of the driving code upon which motorists should be better educated.

Mr. E. A. Batt, chairman of the executive committee of .the association, supporting Mr. Sterling's views, said that he had noticed, while in London, that the use of motor horns was very strictly controlled. In London a motorist could be prosecuted t for the unnecessary use of a horn. In Wellington, the noisiness of some motorists, particularly in Featherston Street, was most noticeable. ..':.

A voice: (Would you s&y that the taxi-drivers are the worst offenders?

Mr. Batt: No, 1 would not say that any one? class of motor user is any worse than another. I think the time has come when the traffic authorities should do spmethinig about it.. Mr. Batt added that he quite agreed with Mr. Sterling's remarks regarding the prevalance of improper and inadequate signals. These constituted a distinct danger to traffic.