NOISELESS DRIVING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 168, 3 June 1940, Page 5

NOISELESS DRIVING

REGULATIONS GOVERNING tFSE OF HORN ■■(Contributed by the Government Trans port Depart) nen t) The announcement of the forthcoming introduction of a new regulation restricting the use of motor horns has created widespread interest among both motorists and pedestrians. Some persons consider it to be a valuable contribution to he cause of safety, some welcome t chiefly as promising relief from listurbing noise, and a few regard t critically as removing one of heir chief safeguards against accilents. Tlie proposed new measure states hat, except in cases of emergency, lorns must not be sounded in builtip areas between the hours of 11 D.m. and 7 a.m. An emergency fs lefined as a Situation in which another road user, by committing an jfTence against the trafFic regula:ions, has brought about the risk )f accident. Warning Pedestrians Although it is at intersections that the gravest and most frequent nisuse of horns occurs, they are ilso often improperly employed jlsewliere. Tooting at Offending pedestrians is probably the Worst }f these abuses. Of course in the event of an jmergency arising involving risk of 2olli«ion the horn should be used to Wfirn t.he pedestrians of their laiiger; To place too much reliince on the horn as a warning device is, however, always foolish. The new regulation makes no stipulation regarding the vise of the 10m on the open road. It is the jolicy of the Department, however, :o "discourage the excessive and; unlecessary use of the horn at all :imes. Overtaking.

One occasion on which horns should be sounded on the open road is when a driver is about to overtake another vehicle. The other driver may be unaware of the approaching vehicle and, unless warned by the horn, may swing out unexpectedly into the path of the oncoming car. At night time it is a helpful practice to give ain additional warning by dipping the lights for an instant before passing. In the United States this is an established sign for indicating intention to overtake. It should not, of course be done if there are other vehicles approaching from the opposite direction. The sounding of the horn before overtaking should not be indulged in during the daytime in built-up areas and during the hours from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. is to be strictly forbidden. Owing to the density of traffic sueli « practice would be more likely to be confusing than helpful. Drivers in such localities should be sufficiently alert and be driving in such a manner and at such a speed as to make it unnecessary for them to be warned before being overtaken. Similar regulations to the one proposed for New Zealand are in force in Great Britain and Tasmania. If the new measure is carried out willingly by all motorists the cause of road safety should be considerably benefited. -