TRAM MEN AND MOTOR CARS.

Evening Star, Issue 19409, 18 November 1926, Page 9

TRAM MEN AND MOTOR CARS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I crave space to reply to Mr W. Wright’s unfair criticism concerning tram men, as reported in a recent issue of the ‘Evening Star.’ < He mentions that “ the erroneous impression seems to exist with the public that when trams arc approaching towards town they invariably have the right of way over vehicles comi/ng from adjacent streets,” and that tram men seem to think they are lords of creation. It is quite evident that Mr Wright is not in the habit of riding in our city tramcars, but is the proud possessor of a motor car; otherwise ho would know how to address our worthy servants, as they carry their distinction on their tunics. Surely every man who drives a motor car in Dunedin must know how capable our motormcn are, and I might here state if they knew as little about their tramcars as most motor car drivers know about their respective cars and the rules of the load it would be a bad look-out for Mr Wright and the Otago Motor Club. Personally I have a motor car and a license to drive it, which took mo about five minutes to get; but our motomen are entirely different, so I am told. First of all a man enters the tramway service in the capacity of a conductor, where he remains for at least twelve months. Then, should the management.consider the man would make a good driver, he is'drafted out into a batch, and those men go into solid training for some twenty-eight days, consisting of four hours p#r day over and above their own shift of eight or more hours. Then comes the examinations, which number three. When they are through, should the man 'be fortunate enough to pass, the ticket to drive is posted to him from Wellington, which costs the then motorman far more than a mare ticket to drive a motor car. Most of • s leei proud of our tram men, both motormen and conductors, and if it was not for the former’s good training and quickness of_ thought there would be, far more accidents recorded t mn tnero arc, as I have noticed repeatedly mover cars, some of which carry the letters O.M.C. on the windscreen, overtake and cut in on the track of an approaching tramcar, knowing very well that the motorman on the tram has good brakes and knows how to use them.— I am, etc., A Mere Man. November IS. •