NOISY MOTOR-CYCLISTS

Taranaki Daily News, 8 December 1927, Page 11

NOISY MOTOR-CYCLISTS

OFFENDERS HEAVILY FINED PENALTY TO INCREASE IN FUTURE BATCH OF TRAFFIC PROSECUTIONS. Fines of £4 each and costs were imposed on two noisy motor cyclists by Mr. R. W. Tate, S.M., yesterday. “The fines will rise for this sort of thing,” he said. “If they will not cure themselves I shall have to cure them by imposing fines sufficient to stop the nuisance” Expert evidence had been given in the court before that it was possible to attach an effective muffler to any machine, he added, and repeated warn ings had been issued. Inspector Blyde said the borough authorities were receiving complaints from every quarter of -the town. It seemed that a fine of 40s and costs was not sufficient as a deterrent and he had been instructed to ask for heavier penalties. James B. Street was charged with riding a motor-cycle in Hine Street on November 24 without having an affective muffler attached and without num-ber-plates. He pleaded guilty. Inspector Blyde explained that when he stopped Street the exhaust was escaping straight from the engine without passing through the muffler. “What have you got to say for yourself!” asked the magistrate. Street said he did have a silencer, made by himself, but one of the plates was missing. In addition, he had his foot over it. The bicycle was not making a noise at the time, and the inspector had not stopped him for this, but for having no number-plates. The inspector: I heard him coming when he was. some distance down the street. Street was a member of the Motor Cycle Club, which was trying to stop this sort of thing, and he was a motor mechanic.

The magistrate: If you are a motor mechanic you should know quite well how to ride a bicycle without making a noise.

Street was fined £4 and 10s costs on the charge, of not having an efficient muffler, and was convicted and ordered to pay costs 10s for having no numberplates. Bernard Fitzroy Allen admitted making an extraordinary noise on a motorcycle on September 23, and riding in Devon Street, between Liardet and Queen Streets, at a speed greater than 12 miles an hour. He was fined £4 and 12s costs on th© first charge, and convicted and ordered to pay costs 12s on the other. He admitted the evidence of Constablq Mills that he was travelling at 25 miles an hour, and was alternately speeding up and slowing down. He did not see much traffic about. The magistrate: I have warned these people again and again. RODE .WITHOUT LICENSE. John Richard Jenkins was fined £3 and costs 10s for riding a motor-cycle without having a license. He pleaded guilty, but Mr. Tate pointed out that tlie penalty had been increased considerably because Jenkins had not told the inspector the truth. Inspector Blyde said when he stopped Jenkins in Devon Street West he produced a license endorsed “J. B. Jenkins.” He said it was his. The inspector saw, however, that it had first been issued three years ago, and had been renewed. Jenkins was now only 16 years old, and it would have been illegal for him to hold a license three years ago. The inspector told Jenkins that it was his father’s license, Jenkins senior had previously told his son that he must take out a license. ■When asked by, the magistrate what he had to say, Jenkins said the cycle, was not his. He had merely gone for a ride on it. He worked in a garage. Mr. Tate: That makes it worse. Y'ou should know about these things. “It is quite cheerful when a man pleads guilty, explains the situation and saves the time of the court,” said Mr. Tate when fining Allen Charles Woodham 10s and 13s costs for not having efficient brakes on his motor van, and dismissing a charge of negligent driving. Sergeant Martin explained that Woodham and a “cigar-shaped speedster” had collided at the corner of Morley and Powderham Streets.

Counsel said Woodham was recognised as a careful driver, and this was his first appearance for such an offence. The hand-brake was not working properly and the foot-brake wanted relining. He had not informed Iris employer in order to save him the expense in the meantime. Th© van had recently been under repair.

Mr. Tate asked Sergeant Martin if he would withdraw the negligent driving charge, but the sergeant said he could not do that. Th© magistrate then said, in view of the circumstances, he would convict only on the by-law breach.

A fine of 10s, with 10s costs, was imposed on Henry Charles Burbridge for obstructing traffic on the footpath in Egmont Street. Inspector Blyde said that on November 17 Burbridge left a motor bus drawn up on th© corner of Ariki Street. One end was right across the footpath. Not only was it in the way of pedestrians, but it was a danger to motor traffic.

Mary Gilhooly was fined 20s and 12s costs for driving a ear on the wrong side of Devon Street.

For cutting the corner of Currie and Devon Streets, Nelli© Mabie Street was fined 20s and costs 12s.