BLACKOUT DRIVING

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24133, 27 November 1941, Page 8

BLACKOUT DRIVING

E.P.S. IMMOBILISED WELLINGTON CONDITIONS (0.C.) WELLINGTON", Wsdnesday Because of the obvious inadequacy of the degree of driving lights allowed during blackout periods, so inadequate as to make it impossible for the E.P.S. services to operate, the central committee of the Wellington E.P.S. has set up a sub-committee to discuss improvement of lighting for necessary traffic and to make representations to the Dominion Lighting Controller. Mr. E. A. Batt, chairman of the Automobile Association said the tests ' made on the night of the blackout showed that driving with parking lights obscured with double thicknesses of newspaper was "absolutely impossible." The case of the street lights that would not go out, because of mechanical mischance at the central control, supported that assertion. It ■was necessary to- send out manual operators to switch the circuits separately. They could not drive with papered parking lights, and when they switched on one headlight they were stopped, and stopped again, by wardens, with the result that to save one 36-watt headlight four circuits of 100watt street lights continued to burn long after the sirens had gone. The case of the acting-chief warden, who had to see Wellington under blackout conditions, gave more support. As he could not drive with papered parklights, a fire engine was turned out to do the city, because fire engines are permitted driving lights. But, strictly speaking, the acting-chief Warden, and the fire engine driver and everyone concerned, broke the-regulations, for fire engines have to move with papered parklights also, except when on the way to a fire.