COMMONSENSE AT SCOTLAND YARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 239, 9 October 1928, Page 18

COMMONSENSE AT SCOTLAND YARD.

POLICE ATTITUDE TOWARD 1 TRIVIAL OFFENCES. MUTUAL CO-OPERATION ?" ADVOCATED. Police Court-prosecutions in which motorics aro concerned are to be reduced in number in the London area, says the "Autocar." For some time it has been felt by the authorities at Scotland Yard that it is unnecessary to exert the full force of the law when motor vehicle drivers-are guilty of what may be described as venial offences, and been that in a not inconsiderable number of cases the police have issued a warning and not a summons. The' policy having proved satisfactory, it/ has been decided to extend it considerably so far is the. metropolitan police area is concerned, and in the way Valuable,, time will be saved for motorists and officers, and also for the over-worked magistrates in the London Police Courts,-. These last-named will most certainly regard Scotland Yard's latest action with the warmest approval.

It should be emphasised. jthat the initial police procedure will be the same as before, and that it will not be within the province of the police constable to say whether a summons or a warning will be the outcome of an offence. This will be a matter for decision by an official at headquarters, where a very careful record will be kept of drivers' histories so far as they are known to the police. If the police authorities have decided, as is apparently the case, to enforce rather the spirit than the precise letterof Acts and Orders passed when auto*, mobilism was in its infancy, it is lip 1 to all car drivers to play the game aqa to do their best to help and not |o hinder police ofu«;er.s in the execution of their duty. If once a spirit of mutual co-operation is firmly established be-, tween motorists and the police, not only will a great deal of annoyance and waste' of time be saved, but police officers will have an opportunity of carrying out' more efficiently duties that are generallyadmitted to be of far //reater importance than those on which hitherto, owing to their rather childish campaign against motorists, they have been too frequently employed.

ANTI-DAZZLING HEADLIGHTS.

A DUNEDIN INVENTION.

Dunedin seems to be prolific in motor lighting improvements and inventions at the present timfe. A resident of Northeast Valley has invented an antidazzling device which he has patented in practically every country in the world. This patent is the result of ten years' labour, and like i£>st successful patents is simple in manipulation and effective in use. Even with the present regulations 'requiring headlights to be properly focussed, the dazzle problem has not been overcome, and any device which tends to correct this evil should be given all sunport'. The idea is to throw a good light on the lefft-hand side of the road, and to free the approaching car from, any blinding rays. This is accomplished thui: The headlights have cowls or shades and reflectors on the sides, which in the case of the right-hand lamp throw a 50 c.p. beam oil to the left side of the road, and the left lamp throws a lesser-powered light on the right side. When driving ordinarily, both.lights are used, but when trade is met the left-hand light is extinguished by means of a switch, and this leaves the left-hand, side of the road illuminated by the right-hand light, which is turned in slightly' for this purpose.

When te ted recently it was found to function perfectly. With both lights going, the road ahead was excellently lighted—in fact, better so than with the usual headlights. On the approach of traflßc the switch was turned, extinguish* ing the left-hand lamp and leaving the -powerful Hght-hand lamp to illuminate « Jr t * hand side of the road. Thii side SL'™* ~r oadf „w afl brilliantly illuminated Mr «nJi y ? ards > and on stopping the wd th«« f a l kin ? Bome distance ahead, waa ev^r^!l!, the c "' no dawling effect s®fenced, as the beam was below tiw P«te»*rwV.«yeß, so thai the/cw JTSIaSf lowered, orjotajed,^SaHaVtSS car, and when descending theotW into play and shows up the road.