DANGEROUS DRIVING

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12252, 25 September 1925, Page 3

DANGEROUS DRIVING

AN UNUSUAL CASE REFUSAL TO DIM LIGHTS. (By Telegraph.—Special to “Times.”) AUCKLAND, September 24. “I do not doubt this case is an echo of the controversy in which one man «ays vehicles’ lights should be dimmed and another holds the opposite view, said Mr E. C. Cutten, S.M., in the Police Court during the hearing of a case m which Thomas F. Young, busdriver (Mr Sexton), was charged with dangerous driving. .Mr G. R. Hogan, chief traffic inspector, prosecuted. Howard Deall said he was driving a motor-car along St. Heliers Bay road on a recent evening, when he noticed the defendant’s ’bus approaching him on the opposite side of the road. Rain had been falling. The defendant commenced to switch his lights off and on, apparently as a signal to witness to dim his own. As the elevation of his lights was in accordance with the City Council regulations, witness did. not consider this necessary. In addition, the road was treacherous at this point, with a ditch on witness’s side of it. He pulled up at the edge of the roadway next to the ditch, but defendant crossed over and came to a standstill about six inches from his radiator.

“He got out of his ’bus, and told me if I did. not dim mv lights he would drive over me,” said witness. “I refused, so he took my number, hacked away, and drove off.” Corroborative evidence was given by two passengers who were in the car. Mr Sexton said the defence was that the lights on DealPs car were so strong that Young could not see where he was going, and steered across the road, almost colliding with the other vehicle. The night was wet, and the bitumen surface of the road extremelv shiny. Mr Cutten: I do not think that would have any bearing on the matter at all. It is the direct glare from a lamn that causes trouble, not reflected light. Mr Sexton : Although the mam beam may be in accordance with the regulations. it really depends ,on how it is deflected. Many cars do not merely concentrate their lights in front of them, but cause considerable light to be spread in all directions. Mr Cutten: Would it not overcome the difficulty if the dimmers on motorcars had more power, so that the driver could see by them? Mr Hogan: The bv-law in Auckland is similar to that in New South Wales, where the authorities insist upon the lights being focussed in the manner provided for here. Under this rule there is no need to dim the main beam when it falls 3ft 6in above tlie ground at a point 25 yards in front of the car. The defendant, in his evidence, denied that he had threatened (to drive over the motor-car. He said he was blinded by its lights. “I am afraid that story is not acceptable,” said Mr Cutten. “The controversy was no doubt caused by the defendant taking the law into his, own hands and trying to make the other man dim his lights. This sort of thing cannot he permitted, and must he put down firmly. I want' to emphasise the necessity for anyone who has strong views on this question to get them enforced hv constitutional methods and not by trying to force people to dim their lights because thev have a hij: ’bus. The defendant will be fined £o, with costs. I am sorry to have to impose such a heavy fine, but it is absolutely essential in order to make myself clear.” Mr Sexton : Tt conies to a very substantial amount with the. costs.. After consideration, the magistrate educed the fine to £3. and ordered Young to pay £2 6s costs.