COLLISION CASE

Taranaki Daily News, 6 November 1934, Page 5

COLLISION CASE

CAR AND MOTOR-CYCLE INVOLVED BOTH PARTIES APPEAR IN COURT. A collision between a ■ car and ■ motorcycle at the intersection of - Devon and Eliot Streets, New Plymouth, on August 27 led to . the appearance at the New Plymouth Police Court yesterday- of Samuel Henry Titter, charged with failing to give way at an intersection ■ to a vehicle approaching on his right. After hearing the evidence Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., dismissed the charge, holding that although technically there, had been a breach of the regulations, each driver was entitled to assume that the other would be approaching the intersection at a reasonable speed. In a statement read by Constable S. King, Titter said he thought he had plenty of time to cross in front of the car, although he was only ti-ayelling slowly.

In answer to Mr. Bennett, Constable King said he considered Titter’s estimate of the car’s distance from the intersection when Titter reached it was far too low. It was far more than 20 yards. Major A. E. Conway, New Plymouth, who witnessed the collision, said his attention was attracted by tire speed the car was travelling. He estimated it at 3® miles per hour. The cyclist was in his view for about ten yards, but he would estimate the speed at between 15 and 20 miles an hour. After the collision the cyclist turned several somersaults, but got up and picked up his cycle. The car went on to the next intersection.. To Mr. Bennett, Conway said he considered that if the car had decreased its speed to a reasonable limit the cyclist could have got across. Arising out of the same collision Joseph Taylor, Eltham, was charged ..with driving across the intersection at. a speed greater than 15 miles per hour. He was fined £2 with costs 13s. The case was heard prior to that against Titter. Senior-Sergeant Turner said Taylor stated he had not seen the cycle until a moment before the collision. Eliot Street was the main road to South Taranaki, said Mr. A. A. Bennett, and the grade was a rising one. There was very little damage done, and had tlie motor-cycle swerved to the right instead of the left it would have been al 1 right