LIGHTING OF CARS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24890, 14 April 1942, Page 4

LIGHTING OF CARS

A CLARIFICATION SOUGHT POSITION IN EMERGENCY It was decided at the monthly meeting of the Executive Committee of the Automobile Association last night that a clarification of the position regarding the correct lighting of cars in the event of an emergency call upon their services should be sought through the South Island Motor Union.' Numerous inquiries, it was stated, had been made on the subject by car ownsrs following the emergency services rehearsal on Sunday. The president (Mr P. W. Breen) said that drivers had previously been advised that parking lights, covered with two sheets of newsprint, would be the onlv driving lights allowed on vehicles. The automobile associations had proved bv trial that driving with those lights would bs highly dangerous, not only to the car driver, but to all other traffic, especially on dark, foggy, or wee nights. This position had been brought to the notice of the Dominion Lighting Controller (Mr F. T. M. Kissel), who had advised the Automobile Association yesterday that fresh instructions had been issued. Uncovered Parking Lights

Mr Kissel had stated that all E.P.S. cars would be permitted to drive with uncovered parking lights of seven watts or less, the chairman continued, but the tail lights must be reduced so as not to exceed the candle-power of the driving lights. Only medical, army, and E.P.S. cars would be allowed on the streets in an emergency. Mr Breen said that the result of this decision would be that cars, would be able to be driven at a reasonable spesd. in comparative safety, though additional care would have to be exercised. Under the previous arrangements, numerous drivers might have had considerable difficulty in driving during a black-out. “ This new instruction was referred yesterday to the chief traffic inspector in Dunedin (Mr E. H. Barrett). Ha said that he had not been advised of the revision of the regulations affecting E.P.S. cars,” Mr Breen said. “Mr Barrett added that special individual exemptions would have to be granted to E.P.S. vehicles by the local E.P.S. authorities, who were controlled by the Director of National Service.” Mr Breen said that some uncertainty regarding the issue of the alteration to the regulations appeared to exist, and he moved—“ That the South Island Motor Union should be approached to seek a clarification of the position.” Mr Breen added that the matter would also be. brought to the notice of the controller of the Dunedin EmergencyPrecautions Services (Mr A. H. Allen) for the purpose of having the views of the Automobile Association sent forward to the Dominion Service Controller for consideration. The chairman’s motion was carried. No Speeding Permitted

Mr Breen pointed out to members that the speed restriction of 30 miles an hour in the city area would have to be observed when emergenev alerts were sounded. Some glaring cases of speeding had been observed during the rehearsal on Sunday, and the Traffic Department would take definite action in such cases.

CONFLICT OF REGULATIONS (P.A.) AUCKLAND. Apl. 13. A possible conflict between the emergency lighting regulations and the traffic regulations regarding parking lights on cars was commented on by the magistrate. Mr J. H. Luxford. in the Police Court to-day, when dealing with motorists charged with parking without proper lights. Asked what was going to happen in an emergency, the magistrate said that if motorists left the parking lights on a car there would be danger in the event of an air raid, and if they left them off they would be liable to prosecutions under the traffic regulations. Even if a parked car had parking lights only, a motorist taking proper cars should be able to see it. He convicted a motorist before the court and fined him is, without costs.

Later Mr Luxford referred to lights on cars at night, remarking that the black-out was being made farcical by them, especially on the sea front. This was the third time he had drawn attention to this, but apparently the authorities were satisfied.