YOUR OLD TYRES

NZ Truth, Issue 1079, 29 July 1926, Page 16

YOUR OLD TYRES

Don't Give Them To Little "Johnny"

We were not a little surprised to find an item included m a school sports meeting, recently, called a "tyre race." .

NOT that we have any doubt of the popularity of such an event, but because we think it very, unwise o£ school authorities to encourage a game which is surely the most dangerous of all those which childx-en play in' the streets. "E.X.8." recently had a few words to say m this paper about, the danger which is. caused by youngster.s playing marbles and similar games m the public highway, but m these cases the trouble is visually confined to a. small area; nor- are the children liable to leave any obstruction m the roadway when they run back to the footpath. Some years ; ago, there was a cam - paign against hoops for children, on account; of this danger at that ■•tinny more especially from the cyclist!s point of view, and there can be no doubt that this had. its effect, for very few hoops are seen on the road to-day. The children, however,, have found a simple substitute m old tyres, but the old hoop, bad as it. • : was, is much to be preferred to the . tyre, which is top heavy to be kspt . i under proper control. 'Try bowling a tyre down a slope yourself, and you will soon find that if needs a good deal of strength to keep it under control. . <■ - .'.. . There are several dangerous features of this' tyre game. In the first place,

it brings children out m the roadway, which is m itself an undesirable thing. Then the attention of the child is directed to the controlling of the tyre, instead of watching the traffic. When a vehicle approaches the child attempts to, get the "toy" back to the footpath and so lingers longer than would otherwise be the case, m front of the oncoming car. In some cases, the tyre is left to its own 'devices and the approaching driver is left to dodge ' both the child and the tyre , and results may easily occur. ' Finally, when the tyre is finished with, we have frequently noticed that it is simply left m the roadway, forming an obstruction to. traffic and a real danger to pedestrians after dark. Far from encouraging this practice -by including, tyre races at school sports, therefore, we think 'that school should ■ -point out these dangers .to the j pupils, andi'do all iri'their power to ' prevent, the game from becoming :' popular with the youngsters. -. i Parents should also do their utmost I to prevent' their: children from exposing themselves to danger m this way, and motorists themselves should, certainly refuse to give their old tyres' to be used as playthings in -this way.