A MOTOR COLLISION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20591, 14 December 1928, Page 12

A MOTOR COLLISION.

SIGNALS FOR TOWING CARS- . A MAGISTERIAL SUGGESTION. (Special to Uaju,? Tana.) INVERCARGILL, December-13. The result of a motor collision cans heal'd at the Police Court some time ago when Jabez Lyons and Charles (Francis Sycamore were charged- with dangerous driving, Lyons , being also charged with driving at a speed dangerous to the public, led to a suggested addition to the motor regulations by the magistrate (Mr G. Cruickshank) when .he gave his reserved decision this morning.: The case arose out of an accident on the Bluff road ou November 11, when a motor cyclist, meeting : a .. car driven By Lyons, passed it and then swerved-in towards the middle of the road and struck a car steered Sycamore which was being towed by the first car. The motor cyclist was thrown on to the car and severely injured, and as the result of investigations Lyons was with dangerous driving and with driving at. aspeed dangerous to the public, while Sycamore was charged with dangerous driving. ■ “ After a consideration of'all the .circumstances,” said Mr Cruickshank, “ I cannot say that the collision was anything more than a pure accident'’ Owing probably to both parties travelling too Last. I am satisfied that the cyclist did not know .that the : first -car -was towing another car; and so swung in off the edge of the road after passing the first one. - He would naturally do. this after passing any vehicle on an open road. He thus got entangled with the tow rope and the other car. Although a® I have said," the collision was an accident to which both contributed, I am of the .opinion that Lyons was driving too fast for towing on that" comparatively narrow ■ roadway. There is always, the danger in the case of a sudden stop or turn or the low rope breaking of the - towed car ■ doing something abnormal, and thus increasing the already numerous perils of the road; Lyons will be fined £3 for speeding. Sycamore will be acquitted.-” - -Proceeding, his Worship said: “The motor, regulations, should provide for the marking; of a!car which is towing another. The rifles for .shipsat" sea - provide - for towing signals. I think a car which is towing - another , should have, a small - red flag or some other distinguishing sign-at-tached; to the bonnet and have a triangle of lights at night.” ; * Mr .Eustace Bussell -said he was entirely in agreement with the suggestion that' a car should carry a signal to indicate.that it was towing another. The matter, ha understood, had been taken, up by tho Motor . Association, and it was to he hoped that some clause to provide for so necessary a measure in the interests .of safety would be added to the motor regulations. The majority of cars which did towing were garage cars, and it would not be a difficult matter to provide a suitable Signal. ; The magistrate commented on the necessity for the matter being taken up by the - Motor- Association, and added that many of the laws applying to ships at sea when towing other ships and in cases of collision were founded on principles which might well apply’ to vehicles on the road. . "

The charges of dangerous driving against Lyons and Sycamore were dismissed, while on the charge of driving at a speed dangerous to the public Lyofe was fined £l,. with 10s costs, and £2 2s 6d witnesses’ expenses.