CYCLIST INJURED BY CAR

Taranaki Daily News, 20 October 1927, Page 7

CYCLIST INJURED BY CAR

LADY DRIVER APPEARS IN COURT. Charges- of negligent and dangerous driving arising out of an accident on The night, of August 29, wlton a' car struck a cyclist in Devon Street near the Henui bridge, were preferred against the driver of the ear, a young woman named Nancy Skelton, of Smart ‘Ready at the Police Court in New Plymouth yesterday. Mr. R. W. Tate, S.M,, was on the bench. After hearing the evidence of the prosecution and of the defence, he adjourned the eases sine die.

The night in question was very stormy and there was a strong east wind blowing. The ear and the cycle were both travelling towards (Fit-zroy from New Plymouth. As a result of his injuries, the cyclist was in hospital for a considerable period suffering from extensive head injuries and an injured backbone. Richard Clifton Rieksrd, a train conductor, said he, was riding a bicycle towards Fitzroy shortly after 9.30, lieturned into Devon Street from Watson .Street near where he was struck, but the last he -remembered was that he was on the seaward side of the tramline. He had no recollection of seeing the headlights of the ear.

Cross-examined by' defending counsel, he admitted having: expressed the opinion that young women should fiot.be allowed io drive ears.-

.Sergeant Martin: I agree with him

Coiiiisc-1.: But fortunately you are not a magistrate, sergeant. ; Witness did not remember that the rain was falling heavily, and that there was a strong head wind. He recollected turning .into Devon Street from Watson Street, and making a curve on bis correct side. He did not know how far along Devon .Street -lie cycled, but he knew he was on the left-hand side. He could not have been going very fast after flowing down. Constable Hadler, who was standing, under the verandah on the town side of Watson Street, noticed the brilliant lights of an approaching ear. He said that this ear crossed the intersection without slackening its speed, which, the constable estimated was between 35 and 40 miles per hour as it passed him. Me went towards voices which sounded alarmed, and was met by young ladies who asked him where they* could ring a doctor.

The constable found the injured man propped up against a hedge. The bicycle, badly broken, was in the water channel. Visibility, he considered, was very bad. He could find no marks on the tar or on the ear.

Cross-examined by counsel. ih& constable stated that the car with the bright lights was the only car which passed at the time. John Thomas Ray Bell, a resident of New Plymouth, who' Wils'with Constable Hadler', on • the'- night 'of the accident, gave evidence on similar lines. His attention was attracted by the bright headlights of a ear which he judged was travelling at 25 to 30 miles per hour. After the ear passed .he took no netiee of it, ami did not.'know whether it slowed down at the intersection.

Arthur Clarke, a tram motorman, said that between Liardet and Eliot Streets a blue car driven by a lady passed his tram. At that time he. was travelling about 18 miles per hour and estimated her speed at 35 miles per hour. When he got to the scene of tho accident he saw a bicycle on the road, four or five feet from the tramline with its light still burning. No car had passed after tile one before Eliot Street.

Counsel, in opening the defence, quoted a similar ease in which the judge had said it was no proof of negligence that a motorist with good lights on a dark night rail down a cyclist with a rear red reflector and holding a torch in his hand. The defendant stated that as the night w.as'dirk and stormy .she was travelling slowly. She was alone in the front seat, driving, and had two passengers in the bai-k seat. At Watson Street she slowed up because she thought she saw someone waiting for the tram. The car had been going so slowly then that Hutchinson, ono of her passengers, thought defendant had stopped to let him down. She realised that wliat she saw’ was a shadow and went on. She let the weight of the car carry it down the slope and gradually swerved more into the centre of Hie road to cross the- Henui bridge. Suddenly she saw two coat-tails flapping in front of her. These-belonged to a man riding a bicycle, but she was unable to avoid a collision. The lefthand front part of her car struck the man, who was on flic south side of the tram-line. She denied speeding.

Jack Mounsey Hutchinson, a law clerk, who was in the back of the- car, gave corcobor a t i vg evid e 11 ce. Reginald Day, chief borough inspector, gave evidence as to the very bad visibility. He considered it would be very difficult to see-.a cyclist even if he had a rear red refi.eetor. Fred Percival Grundy, a motor engineer, stated that shortly after the accident the shell of the radiator of Miss Skelton’s ear was slightly bent. The .damage did not indicate -that , there had been any speeding. He considered that the damage would have been greater if. a Innnan body had been struck by a 'car moving at 30 aiileis per hour.