A DANGEROUS SPOT

Evening Star, Issue 19197, 13 March 1926, Page 6

A DANGEROUS SPOT

CUMBERLAND-HIGH STREETS CORKER CORONER’S INQUIRY. Those proceedings must emphasise the dangerous nature of tiro locality, said the coroner (Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.), in referring to the corner of Cumberland street and Lower High street, in tho_ vicinity of which occurred tire accident which resulted in fatal injuries to John Emil Johnson, on whose body tire coroner this morning concluded the inquest. “ I would like to be certain that all bus drivers are extremely careful at this-spot. I have certainly seen evidence of careless driving by bus drivers, corporation and others—buses driven at excessive speed—and I have seen a driver attempting to drive with one hand while he was collecting fares with the other hand. I don't say that was a corporation bus.” Sergeant Dunlop represented the police, Mr A. C. Hanlon appeared fertile driver, Mr G. T. Baylee for the relatives, and Mr A. N. Haggitt for the City Corporation. THE DRIVER’S ACCOUNT. Andrew Carlile Park, the driver of the bus, which was en route from the Exhibition to the Exchange, said, he was travelling between ten and twelve miles an hour coming along High street over the intersection of High and Cumberland streets. Ho was perhaps doing a little more before coming to the intersection, but he slowed down before crossing. He first noticed the deceased when he was just over the intersection. Deceased was making straight across High street on his bicycle towards Todd’s garage, and was sft away from tho left front of the bus when witness first saw him. Deceased was riding with his head down, regardless of traffic either way. Witness was positive that a collision would take place. There was no time to put on tho brakes or blow tho horn. Ho swerved to the right, and deceased, who then seemed to hear the engine of the bus, swerved to tho left—towards the Queen’s Gardens. Deceased lost his balance and fell in to the bus. Witness was on the correct side of the street, and he may have been on the tram rails. Wheii he was on tho intersection two lorries came from the stand on the Queen’s Gardens on his left, and he slowed down to let them get ahead. Ho had been driving for six years in Dunedin. At a speed of ten miles an hour ho could pull up, from the time he applied the brakes, within about half a length of the bus—that was, about 10ft. At the time of the accident the streets wore wet; that was one of the reasons why he did not pull up. This was the first accident he had met with while driving. To the Coroner: Tho first lorry was in front of him, and ho was level with the rear of tho rear one. The rear one took a wide turn from Cumberland street, and witness veered out and then straightened up. To Mr Baylee: The cyclist must have come from behind the second lorry. Ho was keeping a good look-out. He had just relieved another driver prior to the accident. At Dowling street ho was going to stop to let off some passengers. He could not sav how many trips could he made within half an hour; it depended on how long it took to load up. Mr Baylee asked what effect it would have on a driver who made fewer trips in half an hour than another driver.

Tho Coroner said that was hardly a fair question to ask the witness. Park went on to say that warning had boon given to bus drivers respecting speeding; if a, driver were warned more than once it was a serious matter for him.

Mr Hanlon: You were asked about speeding. Do you say the corporation, instead of encouraging speeding, does its best to discourage it? Witness: Yes; wc are discouraged from speeding. Tho Coroner: It is to bo hoped the corporation does discourage speeding. A suggestion like that should not have been made unless there were grounds to support it.

IVIr Uaylee: I am only making it on what 1 have seen in the streets. The Coroner: Then put the blame on the corporation. Mr Hanlon (to witness) : You were going along High street, driving along at a moderate pace, with the bus full of people to be landed at Dowling street and Stuart’s Monument. Witness: Yes.

In reply to further questions, witness admitted that the two buses had the right to turn the corner from Cumberland street. Mr Hanlon: You can see now that those people had the right to go round the corner, and there was room for you all without your having to deviate from your course.

Witness: Yes. Witness added that there was room between the tram rails and the kerb for two vehicles. There was room for him to go on the outside of the rear lorry without his getting on the wrong side. He did the only thing possible to try to miss the man. Had lie put on the brake ho would have hit deceased with the front of his bus. THE CORONER’S FINDING.

The Coronor, in giving Ris decision, said that from the evidence _ there seemed no doubt that the cyclist intended to proceed north along past the Leviathan Hotel. A collision occurred between the cyclist and a corporation bus. The statements of the witnesses varied considerably as to the traffic that was about at tbo time. Points to bo considered _ were the volume of traffic in ib'i vicinity and tbo speed of the motor bus, and whether the motor bus driver was Responsible for tbo accident. His Worship went on to review i,ho evidence to show the variance .of the witnesses as to the traffic about. The two lorries mentioned by tbo driver had not been traced; it bad boon found impossible to find'them. People did not come forward willingly and give evidence. It was strange in regard _ to the discrepancy between the evidence of tbo two men standing in the bus and the driver’s. He must, however, accept the evidence of the driver that the two lorries were leaving and turning round tbo corner of the Queen s Gardens to proceed up High street. It seemed from the evidence that the cyclist must have come from the rear of one of the lorries ; Re could not see that ho could possibly have come from between them. The speed of the motor bus was given variously by different witnesses. One said fifteen to twenty miles per hour; another, eighteen to twenty; another, eighteen to" twenty; another, eight toten; and the driver, ton to twelve miles. One had to ho chary, however, in accepting evidence of speed alter an accident had occurred, because, necessarily so, witnesses were inclined to exaggerate. The driver said he was doing ten to twelve ‘ miles. From the evidence lie (the coroner) was unable to find that the bus was driven _ at an excessive speed, but it was possibly going slightly faster than tbo driver stated. He agreed with the driver wherpho said that, ‘seeing the cyclist only sft off his left front wheel, he could do nothing but swerve to the right to try to miss him. He had examined the bus, and the hole made by the handle-bars of the cycle, and had come to the conclusion there had been considerable impact. He could only find from the evidence that the bus driver swerved, and that it was the resulßof that that actually caused the collision. The verdict was: “That deceased died on February 22, in Dunedin Hospital, of heart failure, due to congestion of the lungs following shock and injuries received through being accidentally knocked down 011 February

His Worship then passed his remajts about tho dangerous nature of tha locality and the necessity of bus drivers bding extremely careful. On the evidence before him in the present case it seemed that the occurrence was a pure accident, though ho thought it was his duty to point out to the driver that when ho saw the lorries come from the corner of the Queen’s Gardens he should have slowed down under the speed at which he said ho was travelling. No rider would be added.