WHEN LIFE IS NOT EASY

Chronicle (Levin), 2 July 1947, Page 4

WHEN LIFE IS NOT EASY

A-.A. PATROL'S EXFEKlENCES IN FLOOij The life oi an Automobiie Association patrolman is a noioriouslj hard one durihg emerg'encies such as floods. Commentin'g today oh his experiences during the weekend, the ldcal jiatrol officer, Mr. R. Keenan, said that the worst. period had beeh dn Sunday, when he had had to make six trips before breakfast. After a hard day he had been required to make anothei round at 10.30 p.m., the trips ranging from Ohau to Himatangi. Besides the routine work ; of erecting . signs and arranging deviations, hiany calls were mad'e on his. servicds by' individual motorists, varying from requests for headlig-ht bulbs, pulling cdrs out of ditches ahd flooded areas, and assistihg ih mechanical repairs. Tlie most-common troublfc was through water getting in the ignition.

That Mr. Keenan's car was no. altogether immuhe from troubk was proved when he accidently rar. over a piece of wddd and broke th-, front spring. A member kindly loaned him a car, however. Some motorists ihought that tht only way to negotiate flood water was to rush at it, and hope for the best. It was difficult to convince them how incorrect this was. A number of motorists were found to be unappreciative of services rendered them. One woman driver of a small car was given a tow through flood waters by a passing truCk driver. She was requested to keep straight behind the ;ruck, which held to the middle oi the road. However,- her curiosity got the best of her and she startec to "weave" her car to see ahead, with the result that she stalled the vehicle in over two feet of water. Her only remark- was a very indignant one: "I told you I couldn't get through this water with my car." At Paremata another truck driver volunteered assistance and was instrumental in pulling som' twelve cars out of difficulty, receiviUg only a curt "thank you" fron. two, and a series of complaihu that number plates and bumpere had been slightly bent during th oiDeratidns, with no suggestion oi compensation for petrol from any He eventually gave up the job in disgust. "The A.A. does not discriminatebetwee'n ' members and other motorists in an emergency," stated Mr. Keenan. "It is always willing to help and in return appreciates advice from the public anc' motorists gdnerally of any fresh 'casualties' to the road. Its mottc is 'keep the road clear,' and that i'_. short is its primary objective."