CYCLE MENACE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22139, 19 June 1935, Page 12

CYCLE MENACE

DANGEK ON HIGHWAYS BUS DRIVERS' TROUBLES " NERVE-WRACKING BUSINESS " THE NEED FOR WIDER ROADS "Scarcely a day passes without one or more of our drivers reporting nar-rowly-averted accidents as the direct result of the actions of foolhardy cyclists on the main highway between Otahuhu and Auckland," stated an official of a suburban bus passenger service yesterday. He said the company directorate and the 31 bus drivers operating the service were greatly concerned over the problem of road congestion, which was duo in largo measure to the increased number of cyclists on the roads.

"Each of our drivers covers an annual mileage of 30,000 miles between the city and the suburbs of Papatoetoe, Otahuhu, Panmure and Ellerslie, and is therefore in a position to speak with intimate knowledge of traffic conditions," continued the official. While drivers reported numerous instances of meeting cyclists without lights or rear reflectors, there were even more complaints in regard to cyclists riding more than two abreast, and of others holding on to the rear of the buses and being towed over the roads. The lastmentioned practice was frequently experienced by most drivers on the inclines in and around the city. Many instances were reported to have occurred at Anzac Avenue and along Khyber Pass. Special Headlights "The drivers' immunity from actual accidents when overtaking cycles without reflectors has resulted in some degree from the special focussing of the buses' headlights," continued the official. The powerful lights were trained to show the maximum beam of light on the left-hand side of the road. This had enabled the drivers to "pick up" objects in their path even when encountering the strong lights of oncoming vehicles. "But it is a nerve-wrack-ing business and all transport officials and drivers would welcome the introduction of some more efficient method of indicating the presence of cycles on the road after dark." Generally speaking, the most efficient of rear reflectors failed to meet the situation.

The view that no system of illuminating cycle traffic would eliminate the risk of accidents at night-time unless there was some scheme undertaken to widen the traffic roadway between Penrose and the northern boundary of Otahuhu was expressed by a local body roading authority. He said that local bodies and the Main Highways Hoard would be required to fa. r ;e that issue before another winter. "The proposal of the Mount Wellington Road Board to widen the shoulders of the Great South Road at Westfield is the only sensible course to obviate accidents and ensure greater road safety," he continued. Limitation oI Subsidy

In Otahuhu the concrete road was 24ft. wide from the northern boundary to the monument. The concrete strip between these points and Penrose and Papakura respectively was only 18ft. wide. "Take the size of the motor vehicles running over those 18ft. concrete roads. The regulations under the Motor Vehicles Act permit the construction of vehicles up to a maximum width of Sft. I understand most of the transport and. passenger vehicles operating to-day are built to within an inch of that maximum. Two such vehicles meeting will completely cover the concrete road," he continued. The Main Highways Board gave local bodies a £3 to £1 subsidy on maintenance of the bitumen shoulders of the concrete. But the subsidy was limited to the sealing of the shoulders for a distance of only 3ft. from the concrete edge on either side. The remainder of the roadsides was left for local bodies to maintain at their own expense. The result was that invariably the outer edge was rough scoria or loose metal. Even the sealed shoulders were not evenly surfaced and there was a break usually between the two roading materials. Cyclists were loth to leave the concrete, fearing a spill on the irregular surface. The authority cited the stretch of road between Westfield overhead bridge and Penrose as one requiring widening. "It would make an ideal unemployment relief job while providing for greater road safety for all traffic," he added.