RACE TRAFFIC

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9771, 31 July 1924, Page 7

RACE TRAFFIC

DISOBEDIENCE OF CONSTABLE’S SIGNALS.

HEAVIER. FINES PROMISED

llace days have many police traps for the unwary motorist. This was exemplified at the Police Court yesterday when Bert Deque.sue appeared voluntarily to answer a charge of failing to keep as near to the left side of the road as possible. The Senior-Sergeant stated that Constable McDonnell was on point duty at an intersection directing the traffic, which was proceeding in an orderly line. The defendant drove along and in attempting to get ahead of tlio others kept on tile wrong side of tlio road.

The Magistrate: Why didn't you observe the constable’s signals. Did you think he was there for amusement or were you racing like most of them. Defendant: I was keeping up with the rest of the traffic. Why did you move out of your place in the line? Fined £2 and costs. If the constable is not taken notice of I will have to increase the penalty,” was the Magistrate’s final shot. A charge of not stopping her car when signalled to do so by a constable on point duty was preferred against a young woman motorist named Annie McKenzie. Mr. D. Chrisp represented the defendant who pleaded not guilty. Constable McDonnell stated that while on point duty he signalled defendant to stop to give way to tlie race traffic coming down Gladstone road. He told her to stop and give her name and after the car crossed the road in front of the other traffic a young man came back and gave the information.

To Mr Clirisp: It was just growing dusk at the time. The car was not stopped when he gave the signal but crossed over the intersection. He did not think that the defendant could possibly mistake the signal. It was becoming a common offence to drive on and not observe the signals. For tho defence Mr Clirisp suomitted that the motorist had mistaken the constable’s signal, and and proceeded under the impression that he meant her to go on. The Magistrate: I wonder how often I have had that excuse in the last twelve months. Isn’t it a little wearworn.

Continuing, Mr Clirisp said that evidence would be given to show that the constable did not give the proper signal to stop. Annie McKenzie told tho Court that she slowed the car down on approaching l*he intersection, and thought the constable signalled her to proceed. When crossing the intersection tho police officer called out “Get to the other side as quickly as you can.” Ho then blew his whistle and she stopped immediately. To the Senior-Sergeant: The signal to stop given in other centres was entirely different from that given by this constable. Desmond Hennessey said that ho misunderstood the signal for that to go on as the constable was swinging his right hand across his body. The Magistrate said _ that there had been a number of these prosecutions, particularly on race and gala days. So far ho had been lenient and had accepted the excuses put forward. He was getting sick and tired of it now, however, and this would he the last occasion which he would inflict a moderate penalty, where he was satisfied, as ne was satisfied, this time, that the constable’s signals had been ignored. The defendant would bo fined £2 and costs.