CROSSING FATALITY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21018, 6 May 1930, Page 10

CROSSING FATALITY.

DISREGARD OF SIGNALS. CORONER’S SEVERE STRICTURES. (Special to Daily Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 5. Before giving his verdict in the inquiry into the death of Arthur William Bright, the crossing keeper who was killed at Waltham road on April 11, the coroner (Mr E. D. Mosley) severely criticised motor cyclists and others who do not heed the warning signals at railway crossings, adding that “the Railways Department also takes risks.” The coroner held that an unknown piotor cyclist, who disregarded the keeper’s signals, and caused him to run out on to the line, was in some way responsible for Bright’s death. “ Once more the evidence reveals that the greatest care should be taken by all the public when crossing railway lines,” said Mr Mosley. “It seems to me from the evidence that this man might be alive had the motor cyclist about whom evidence has been given promptly obeyed the keeper’s warning. It seems a great pity that a few irresponsible people should cause a great deal of this trouble, for I am satisfied that the great majority of people who‘drive motor vehicles, either on business or for pleasure, promptly .obey the signals. It is a good job for them, and for the general body of the railway people, that they do.. There are a few unfortunately who are only too ready To disregard the signals. They seem to Hiinir that to be checked is an infringement of a' liberty which they ought to have in a city like this. They think ‘ he’s just an old fogey trying to make* us do something we can well disregard.’ In nin< cases out of ten they get away with it. In the tenth case there is trouble, as there is here. I am happy to say that from my experience only a few drivers act in this unpardonable manner. This man would probably have been alive to-day had his signal been obeyed.” When questioning the ’driver of the train, Andrew Ternent, whether the public took risks and whether two keepers were required at the crossing, Mr W. S. E. Moyle, who represented the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, said he asked tie question because the keepers complained that motor cyclists would take risks, probably forgetting that trains travelled three times as fast as themselves. The general public would stop and take notice, but there were always “ these wretched people,” “ You can’t put brains into heads where there are none,” commented the coroner. “ Some people will take terrible risks, and I know that they will habitually disregard precautions. The Railways Department also takes' risks..” Both the witness Ternent and a crossing keeper, Eli Dewe, spoke of the -risks taken by the public,. and said that it would be an advantage to have two keepers at the Waltham road crossing, at any rate in busy times.