COURTESY OF THE ROAD.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 21 August 1926, Page 15

COURTESY OF THE ROAD.

SPEECH BY HOME; SECRETARY. A “sporting chance” for pedestrians was pleaded for by the Home Secretary.~Sir Wiihani Joynson-llicks, recently, when inaugurating a motordriving and technical instruction scheme instituted in London. Each week, it is stated, no fewer than 2000 new cars find their way on to the London streets, and with this constant

addition to motoring traffic it- is held that the preliminary training of all motor drivers, not only in the technical control of their cars, but in all that pertains to etiquette on the road and the observance of the police regulations, lias become imperative. This school is applicable to the purchasers of one make of cars, and Mr. Gordon Stewart, who presided, urged that it should be copied by all other manufacturers.

Sir William Joynson-Hicks said that lie warmly commended -a scheme which was designed to instruct motorists before they were let loose on humanity. (Laughter.) Sometimes lie trembled to think what the condition of London would he in a year or two’s time, when more thousands of new cars came on to the streets and were all rushing hither and thither. About a year ago he made a. speech dealing with the widening of the roads, and although he got into trouble about he lie was quite unrepentant, and he- was certain that it would come to pass. It was ridiculous to suggest that in the middle of the 20th century we would get our traffic along the roads which were suited to conditions of a century ago. It was essential, Sir William continued, that the motoring community should do all they could to avoid harm and damage to the pedestrian, who had an equal right to the roads and the pavements. The number of accidents was undoubtedly increasing. In twelve months the fatal accidents in respect of buses had increased from '450 to 522. with respect to tramcars from 113 to 12-1. and in respect of commercial and private motor vehicles from 2560 to 2879. ( The non-fatal accidents had increased from 94,000 to 111,000. These were serious figures. After all, they had no more right to kill a pedestrian than a cow or any other animal that had wandered on to the roadway.

Speaking as a motorist, the -speaker, said, he had always been most anxious that they should not have the - general public against them, and these figures made one wonder whether the people who drove cars were as- well; trained, not necessarily technically only, but in the courtesies of the road, as they ought to be; (Hear, hear.) He personally wanted to see a large increase i n the number of motor vehicles in England. He wanted to see motoring as popular as it was in America. He had always been a supporter of high wages, if these were coupled with a. high output-. (Hear, hear.) If this could be realised it would enable the workman to own his small car, and to get a new and wonderful interest in life by- getting out of the manufacturing towns during the week-end with his family, and enjoying the fresh air and a change of scenery. If. however, Sir William said, this was to take place, some scheme of instruction was imperative. He was responsible officially for what were euphoniusly known as “police traps.” (Laughter.) Nobody liked them when they were going at- 20 miles an hour in the open country, but when one heard, as he’ had heard only 48 houys previously, of a friend of his who boasted that on one of the roads in the metropolitan district lie had driven a car at 78 miles an hour, and even then had been passed by another car coming up from behind —(laughter) — one could only say that it was a kind of thing of which the police had to take notice. All the motoring institutions, the Minister added, were against the road hog. but he did exist, and one of the first impressions they should make on the minds of the new motorists was that of the courtesy of the road —the equal right of the pedestrian to the roads of the country. (Cheers.)