SADDLE HILL ON RACE DAYS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19407, 17 February 1925, Page 2

SADDLE HILL ON RACE DAYS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir —While much has boon done in Dunedin to control motor traffic and minimise the risk of serious accidents, much remains to be done on the country toads, particularly at Saddle Hill. The great majority of motorists have due regard for the rule of the road and the sanctity of human life, but there are some “speed maniacs” who have regard for nothing but their own personal gratification. On Saturday, about 5.30 p.m., a Ford car was coming slowly down Saddle Hill. The cur contained the driver, two ladies, and three children. A stream of motors from the races was going up the hill sometimes two abreast. Just at the bend above the water trough one “speed fiend” came charging up on his wrong side, evidently with the desire to bo first in the procession. To avoid a head-on collision the Ford had to take to the ditch, where it was pulled up lyimr on its side with the petrol running out of the tank. A radius rod was bent and the front spring smashed, but, fortunately, no serious damage was done. It requires only a little thought to see what would have happened if the collision had taken place when so many curs were coming up the hill. The particular fiend in this case must have had a stripe of yellow in his comppsition, for ho diH not wait to see if anyone were killed or not. His job, of course, was to get out of the light as quickly as possible. When the driver was going for assistance he had to take tn the ditch on the side of the road to avoid being run over. Two motorists out of the whole procession stopped to proffer assistance. The rest tore past with an occasional “Are you all right''’’ but without waiting to hear the answer. One wag yelled, “What did you go in there for?” Now, Sir, I suggest that on race days a couple of plain-clothes men should bo stationed on that hill, especially during tlio hour between 5 and 6 p.m. lam sure that any person who' has witnessed what takes place on Saddle Hill after the races will agree with mo. If this letter happens to meet the eye of the “gentleman” to whom I have alluded I hope that ho will mend his ways and remember that other people have (ho right to live, and a right to the road as well as himself.—l am, etc., Louis Delap.