“POSTCARD REMEDY”

Taranaki Daily News, 2 May 1935, Page 7

“POSTCARD REMEDY”

COMPLAINTS BY MAIL MORAL EFFECT INCALCULABLE. DETERRENT TO BAD MOTORING. AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION PLAN. The lack of courtesy and the demeanour of some motorists were the subjects of condemnation by members of the Automobile Association (Taranaki) last night. The matter arose out of a letter from Mr. C. C. Reade, Te Kuiti, who urged the association to adopt the suggestion made to the British Ministry of Transport that any motorist noticing a flagrant piece of bad driving should be encouraged to draw the offending motorist’s'attention to his offence. The meeting supported the “post-card remedy” and instructed the executive to consider the matter and place the facts before other associations. “One has only to recall that practically every issue of the daily newspapers recently has recorded some fresh accident or fatality on the roads to realise that the time has arrived when every possible effort should be made and every likely avenue explored to reduce the dangers of the roads,” wrote Mr. Reade. He urged that it was necessary for an influential body such as the Automobile Association to consider the suggestion submitted to the British Minister of Transport. The proposition was ingenious and should be pursued by the association.

Mr. Reade forwarded a copy of the suggestion, which was as follows: “The scheme would operate by taking the other man’s car number and sending a postcard (unstamped) to the registration district indicated by the number. The registration authority would forward the postcard to the motorist complained about, .provided it carried the name and address of the sender. The postcards could be of stereotyped form, simply giving the date, time and place where the instance of bad driving occurred.

“PIERCING TOUGHEST HIDE.” "The moral effect of such a scheme would be incalculable. Your risky and inconsiderate driver would get postcards every morning from people all over the country. The toughest hide of the most self-satisfied motorist would eventually be pierced by different opinions coming from different individuals, resident anywhere from Penzance to Aberdeen. The motorist who thinks he is never wrong would have a tremendous shock—but in less than a month motor accidents would be reduced by half. “All. coercive restrictions and safeguards hitherto imposed on motorists are regarded by each individual motorist as being for ‘the Other man.’ The postcard remedy would bring home to each individual motorist every day what other motorists think about him.”

He was struck by the lack of courtesy and wrongful acts which were prevalent on the road, said Mr. C. E. Monaghan. Passing a vehicle on the wrong side, passing a vehicle at a time which was-not suitable and failure to pull off the road to allow another vehicle to pass were some of the wrongful acts noticed. Failure to pull off the road was very prevalent in Taranaki,, where the narrow roads probably-had an effect. In some instances it was necessary for a following motorist to run off the road to pass a vehicle. Such a practice was unpleasant and always a source of .danger. These offences were too prevalent. Mr. Bamsey maintained motorists should slow up to let another driver pass.

The time was opportune for drivers to exercise more reasonable care, said Mr. Monaghan. Glare was making its presence felt and cars with one light only were far too numerous. The chairman, Mr. W. T. Guild, urged that the matter should be placed before other associations.