TALES THEY TELL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 27 March 1926, Page 16

TALES THEY TELL.

OBTAINING DRIVERS’ LICENSES. The testing officer of the Auckland City Council Traffic- Department has some transparent stories told to him by applicants for certificates to drive. Recently he conducted seven applicants in succession over the usual course, and only one satisfied the test. The six failures w’ere advised of their weaknesses and told to indulge in a little more practice. The incompetency of some applicants for liceuses is remarkable. Purchasers of new' cars will drive up to the Town Hall with a certificated companion and demand a test. Questioned as to their period of practice those who are conscious of incompetence at the wheel are usually evasive. There is no doubt, that some motorists hope to bluff through the test. They forget that the testing officer may deal with as many as 25 applicants in a day, and hear quite a dozen ingenious excuses. Queen Street is the bogey of the novice driver. Nearly half the aspirants for driving licenses preface their performance over the set course with a promise to the effect that: “If you give me a lioiie.se I will kclep out of Queen Street for a week or two. ’’ The suggestion has to be ignored. There is

another type of applicant who the car whenever he stalls the enginjK “The clutch, is too harsh,” or “She won’t go into neutral,” are excuses submitted by scores. A few days ago, an applicant with more confidence than experience was taken for a test. The traffic official soon became aware that the car was peiforming curiously. The driver con- Vv fiuentially explained that the car was in very indifferent order and needed a general overhaul. But the explanation lay in a different direction. The officer noticed that the novice was regulating his speed with the brake. Failing to appreciate the use of the throttle, the driver had set it to give a fair speed. When slow running was necessary he merely applied the brake without reducing the throttle setting. This rather violent method of holding the car in leash must have had damaging effect on the brake linings. The City Council traffic inspectors find that drivers who fail to pass the test sometimes go to the Mount Eden Borough Council and pass it with flying colours. Recently a motorist who was advised to have further practice drove out to Mount Eden. Within a few hours he appeared at the city traffic office again and triumphantly exhibited the certificate he had been issued. The comparative ease of the test conducted at Mount Eden has been referred to before. The fault does not lie in any leniency extended by The borough testing officer, but seems dljie to the exceedingly light traffic tions which prevail. Nervous drivers may accordingly acquit themselves creditably at Mount Eden. The objection •to this is, that such a driver may venture into city traffic too soon and meet conditions which will destroy his assurance. ’