PARKING-LIGHTS ONLY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20602, 1 November 1941, Page 4

PARKING-LIGHTS ONLY

ROADS ON OPEN SEA MOTOR RESTRICTIONS TAIL-LIGHTS ON CYCLES (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. On the recommendation of the chiefs of staff, the War Cabinet has decided to proclaim certain roads facing the open sea as “parking light areas.” It is announced to-day that these roads are situated on or near the waterfronts of Wanganui, Gisborne, Napier. Wellington, New Brighton, Oamaru. and Dunedin. On these roads all use of headlights or fog-lights is prohibited. The only illumination permitted is two parking-lights and a tail-light, none of >■ which are to exceed 7 watts in strength. Motor-vehicle speeds must not be in excess of 20 miles per hour. Bicycles must carry a tail-light as well as a headlamp. Stationary vehicles must show no lights whatever and must be parked off the bitumen to lessen the danger of collision. Where there is no bitumen the vehicles must be parked off the metal surface. Parking Restriction The Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, said that motorists would greatly assist the authorities and would protect themselves if they refrained, as far as possible, from parking in these areas. The Minister said that the Gazette which proclaimed that these new areas also proclaimed three new headlight restriction areas in' the counties of Waitemata and Manukau and the borough of Tauranga. In them the present headlight restriction will apply during the periods of total black-out in an emergency. Moving vehicles are to show only parkinglights and tail-lights, but these must be covered with two sheets oi untreated newsoaper or the equivalent, said Mr. Semple. Vehicles must not be parked on any 'part of a road surface.

“Persons cycling in parking-light areas will now be subject to greatlyincreased risks of accident,” continues Mr. Semple. ‘“Tail-lights will be compulsory in these areas. Cyclists must realise that with parking-lights only it will be exceedingly difficult for motorists to see them. Warning To Cyclists

"Apart from the legal necessity to carry tail-lights, cyclists who break the law and ride in parking-light areas with red reflectors only deserve what is coming to them. They may be even signing their own death warrants.”

The Minister said the pedestrians should remember the instructions, to wear something white or to carry a torch to walk on the footpath, and on open roads without footpaths to walk on the right-hand side facing oncoming traffic.”

Advice received yesterday by the resident A.A. patrol, Mr. G. V. Merton, was that a parking-light area at Gisborne had been declared as follows by the Commissioner of Transport:—Centennial Marine drive from Abattoir road to Salisbury road; and also Kaiti Beach road from the. freezing works’ main building to the end of the road near the borough boundary.