RECKLESS MOTORISTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1943, 29 December 1913, Page 4

RECKLESS MOTORISTS.

. The unregulated s'tato of traffic, particularly motor traffic, 1 in the streets of-Wellington,, demands the attention both of the municipal and police authorities, for there is u divided responsibility in the matter. About a year ago the City Council concluded an agreement, ■ with the Government under which the duties of regulating traffic and enforcing tile rule, of the rond were to be performed by the polioc.' ' Constables have since been "stationed at a few of the principal- street intersections and they ■ may-occasionally.: bo seen ordering a straying vehicle/liack trt -to proper line,of .route, bnt .it.'can. not fe.nously lx; writended'ilbaf.' there .is ajjjf.reai .rcgulatiori*b£4traffio;iiu.

Wellington.*? On the fares vehicles freijitontly ■ travel for considerable distances' 'on ■ the', wrong side of the'road and a -much more dangerous irregularity, is ■the practice followed by many , motorists-of dashing, rather than ■ travelling, through the City' streets at a speed that is out of ftH reason! The worst offenders in this respect are motorcyclists and drivers of small handy motor-cars, of the runabout- variety. Big motor-ears arc for the most part carefully handled and restricted to 'a'-voasonable speed in passing through : thc,City, and the same is true of the motor-wagons and lorries which aro to- : soine': extont .replacing horse-trac-tion,-Jjut'the sraal! motor, and more especiallythe motor-cyclo, is very .often driven with, a-recklessness that constitutes a standing menace to, life and limb, and it is a tribute to. the alertness and self-possession,.:of f the average - pedestrian' that ""accidents have so far been few in - number.Measures should be taken.to enforce a reasonable speed-limit. Many motor-cyclists appear to take delight in sprinting through busy streets mid rounding corners with' a reckless swoop. In performances of this kind they exhibit wonderful control over their machines, but it is certainly not right that they should be allowed to practise trick-riding to the inconvenience and risk of traffic generally. At present the by-law prescribing a reasonable rate of speed is being to a great ejetent ignored so far fts thesi small, but high-pow-ered, vehicles are concerned, and there is every possible reason for enforcing it to the letter. If a few policemen were detailed for the work they could soon bring a list of offenders. to book and the imposition of substantial penalties would at least tend t-o minimise the menace to the public safety and convenience- that now exists. ■ If the present state of license in'the matter of reckless spec-d is allowed to continue .unchecked some of our principal streets will soon, at given times of the day. become impassable to any pedestrian who is not a trained athlete. The pursuit, of offenders against' the speed regulations should be extended, however, to the streets leading to Newtown and other outlying portions of the City, for heedless motorists and motor-cyclists not infrequently convert these thoroughfares for tho time being into racing tracks. ■ ■