RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30956, 12 January 1966, Page 22

RANDOM REMINDER

BUMPER-TO-BUMPER YEAR

With so many people on the roads at this time of the year, it seems necessary and desirable to offer a few suggestions which might help lighten the boredom of long trips with children in the car Yes, we are well aware that at least one of the oil companies has produced a game which requires the players to identify objects printed on a card, and that pastime has its points, although there can be disruptive argument in the back benches about who saw the white horse first, and so on. Something more exciting is needed, and it can be organised without much trouble. There are a few simple rules of the game which must be observed, but even the average car driver has sufficient intelligence to master them readily. A basic ploy is available

whenever you are in a line of cars, minimum 10. Pull out suddenly from your own position, accelerate, and swing over again in front of the car which had been ahead. Five points are scored if the man behind has to apply his brakes, 10 for every two cars in a telescopic collision at the rear, if any. This simple exercise may be repeated as frequently as desired. Such opportunities are not always available, and it may be necessary simply to stop anyone overtaking, by making full use of the width of the road. Two points for every mile of possession retained. Many laughs can be obtained by using right-hand blinkers and actually turning left, or vice versa. One point for every tooting horn behind you. Failure to give way to the right always causes

amusement, and two points are scored for every successful transgression. With luck, the offended party will be a puce retired colonel, or some such colourful character. Night driving offers possibiliies. One point for every oncoming driver who flicks up his lights to warn you yours are not dipped. The closing of so many railways branch lines has spoiled the fun a bit, but a lot can be done with builtup area speed limits and stop signs. A point for every undiscovered breach. That includes use of pedestrian crossings. It’s much more fun to watch pedestrians scatter than almost anything else. The idea is to aim at a minimum of 10 points for every hour on the road. Remember, road deaths in New Zealand last year numbered little more than 500. That was simply not good enough.