DANGEROUS DRIVING

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4953, 9 February 1937, Page 5

DANGEROUS DRIVING

ACCIDENT NEAR HANGATIKI. CONFLICTION OF EVIDENCE. An action arising from an accident on the Highway about six miles north of Te Kuiti on January 24 was heard in the Magistrates’ Court this morning when Charles Harger, farmer, of Aria, was charged with driving his car in a manner and at a speed that was dangerous to the public.' Mr. E. M. Mackersey appeared for the defendant and Sergeant Sparks prosecuted. Rodger H. Grace, of Te Awamutu, said he was proceeding at about 25 to 30 “miles an hour, when he saw a oar come round a right-hand Corner at high speed, in the centre of the road at least. Witness’s van was struck on the right-hand door and was ripped aong the side. To Mr. Mackersey he said tnat there was a large cant on the road towards the water table and loose metal on the road. , Mi*. Mackersey: And if you turned suddenly to the left and applied your brakes would not the back ot your car swing across the road? —i had released my brakes when I turned to the left. He said he noticed no marks on the metal of the road, though after the impact the back of his lorry went round in a semi-circle. William Griffen said just as he began to drive his car round a wide half-moon bend a grey three-seater car passed him. Immediately aftei there was a collision. A van was hit just behind the door and thrown in the air—he thought it was going to overturn. The grey car was travelling, he considered, at about 45 m.p.h. He -could not see the van prior to the collision because the car obscured it. To Mr. Mackersey be said he told the police he could not say which cai was on the wrong side. The collision was about the centre of the road, but on which side he could not say. When Mr. Mackersey said Harger would say he had passed five chains from the corner, Griffen said he must be mistaken. . Constable Donnelly said the point where Griffen said Harger bad passed him was only three chains from where the cars stood. The defendant said he was proceeding to Auckland, when he passed Sadlier, whom he had followed for two miles. About four or five chains in front of Sadlier was Griffen. The latter started to come across as he passed him, so he had to accelerate to get past. This was about four chains from the bend. After coming round the bend he saw Grace s van. The latter apparently applied his brakes and skidded across him—witness was then about 2ft. from the left hand of the road—his car was about sft. Gin. wide and the metal was 18ft. wide. Skidmarks on the road caused by the lorry he was definite fixed the impact as being on his side of the road. To Sergeant Sparks witness maintained that he had passed Griffen about 100 yards from the bend. Harger said he had been driving a car for about seven weeks at the time of the accident. J. Sadlier said he was travelling at 30 m.p.h. when Harger passed him. Harger passed Griffen just before the first bend of the road. After the collision Harger’s car was into the hank on the correct side, and the other vehicle across the road. The tracks were visible—apparently the van had come with its right wheels on the centre of the road, and the hack wheels had skidded round. He was certain Harger had passed Griffen on an open road. (Case proceeding.)