SECOND EDITION MOTORISTS’ DILEMMA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17045, 2 September 1929, Page 8

SECOND EDITION MOTORISTS’ DILEMMA

ONE HEADLAMP BURNING BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND— Motorists who, while driving along the roiul, discover that only one of their headlamps is burning, find themselves between the devil and the deep sea, was the opinion'expressed by a driver who appeared before Mr. P. 11. Harper, S.M., in the Police Court this morning and who voiced a protest against the manner in which the regulations governing lights on motor vehicles w*re being enforced in Gisborne. The defendant was Robert Ulick Burke, a solicitor, who admitted having driven his car in Childers road on Friday evening with only the right-hand headlamp burning. The defendant remarked that he was not in the habit of driving with only one light, and admitted that, the by-law was a necessary one, hut ho thought the uncompromising manner in which it was being administered was rather hard on motorists. He was on his way into town with his ftunily when he discovered that one lamp was out, and on investigating the matter, discovered that the Wft-nana lamp had fused. There were only two things he could do ; either go on to town to have it repaired, or leave the car on the side of the road with the remaining lamp burning; and in continuing on to town he met an enterprising constablo who took his name and address.

“Every motorist knows that his lights aro liable to fuse,” continued Mr Burke, “and it is difficult to know what to do. If lie leaves his car at the side of the road with the other lamp burning he may run his battery down, and stand a chance of being charged with leaving his car with only one lamp; and if he goes on to the nearest garage to get it fixed he rody meet a policeman who will lay an information against him. In the old, days the police were not so particular, and gave a motorist a chance to get the lamp fixed, but now they run him in without the slightest hesitation. I told the constable who stopped me that T was on my wav to have tho lamp adjusted; hut ho said .‘Oh ho, we can’t take excuses of that kind.” NO WISH TO DRIVE, WITHOUT LIGHTS. “Ninety-nine motorists out of 100 have no wish to drive without lights,” continued Mr Burke, “but what aro they to do when they haven’t the means with them to fix the damage? 1 say that there should be sotao discrimination, and that if the excuse is a reasonable one, the motorist should not he brought before the court. I submit that it is scandalously unjust that I should be brought before the court. The uncomproniising manner in which the by-law is being administered is very unjust in a case like this where the position is unavoidable. It is a thing that may happen to anyone, and it happened to me only a short time ago.” Senior-Sergeant Wade: Mr Burke has been charged with bnly one offence, although apparently he admits two. Without doubt this is one of the most, dangerous of offences of driving without lights, for a person meeting the offender has no wav of ktlowing which light is burning. The police are taking a kindly interest in motorists, and the constable who stopped Mr Burke may have saved him from a serious accident whereby lie might have gone to the hospital or the grave. We don’t say tie did it wilfully, but lie should have noticed that the lamp was not burning before he left home. Mr. Burke : Tt was.

The senior-sergeant remarked that il the fuse were ’blown out all the lights would have gone out. The majority of motorists carried spare fuses and bulbs. Mr Burke: It requires an expert to take the front off my headlamps to replace the bulb. I cannot do it. “I sympathise with your remarks Air. Burke,” said the magistrate. “It is .a thing that might happen to any of us at any time. Alost of us are not mechanics,' and the drily thing to do is lo leave the car on the side of the road with the remaihing lamp burning, or take the risk and go on to the garage. In my opinion driving with one light is more dangerous than with no lights at all-” ' .. Mr Burke: With al duo deference 1 submit not. “Well, that is my opinion,” said the magistrate. “T sympathise with yon in your unfortunate position of being caught by—-ail enterprising constable. Soil will be fined 10s.” “I do not think the police are in any way officious,” remarked the senior-ser-geant.. “It is our duty to carry out the by-laws for tho sake of Burke just as much as for anyone else.” Mr Burke: I do not' say they are officious. I said “enterprising” in a jocular milliner. .