MOTOR TRAFFIC

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 254, 15 July 1918, Page 7

MOTOR TRAFFIC

and the; hutt road by-law

SPEED LIMIT OF 25 MILES AN HOUR

Tlio new. Unit Road by-law, duly approved by (lie City Council at lust Thursday's meeting, is one that every motorist' cyclist, and every driver or rider of any kind using tlio rond should immediately jimlce themselves acquainted with if they wish to iivoid trouble. For example, the law prohibits any motorear proceeding at a pace exceeding 25 miles an hour, whereas tlio average speed of the ears using the j'oad, week in and out, would probably be well over that mark, whilst the ill) to 35 miles, an hour puce between Kaiwarra and Pdtone is quite .common. The new by-law, now in force, is not to-be a dead loiter, and motorists may find themselves up against the measured mile just where they least expect. If is the intention of the Hutt Road Board to preserve the. highway for tlio convenience and safely of the public, not as a speedway .for motor-cars and bicycles. Tlio by-laws applying to motor-cars and wagons are as follow.—

"No person shall cause or. permit a motor-car to be used on the road,.or shall drive or have charge of a motorear when so used unless the conditions hereinafter set forth shall be satisfied, namely:

(a) The motor-car shall hare two independent brakes in good working order, and of such efficiency that the application of either lo such motor-car shall cause two of its wheels on the same axle to bo so held that the. wheels shall 1m effectually' prevented from revolving or shall have the same effect in slopjSng the motor-car as if such wheels wcro so held.

(b) The motor-ear shall be so constructed as to admit of its being at all times under such control as not lo cause undue interference with passenger or oilier traffic on the road.

(c) Tho motor-car, and all fittings thereof, shall bo in such a condition as not (o cause, or to be likely to cause, danger to any person on the motor-car or on tho road.

(d) There shall be in charge of a motorear when used.on the road a person competent, to control and direct its use and movement..

''Every person driving or in charge of a motor-car when used on the road shall comply with tho regulations hereinafter set forth, namely:— (a) He shall not "drive the motor-cn? at any speed greater.than is reasonable, having regard to the traffic on the road, or so as to endanger the life or limb of any person or lo the common danger of passengers.

(b) Ho shall not causo a. motor-ear to travel backwards for a' greater distance or time than may bo requisite for the purposes of safety.

(c) He shall properly and skilfully manage the motor-car and.shall not quit it without having taken duo precautions against its being Ma tied in his absence.

(d) Ho shall, during the period between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise carry attached, to the motor-car two lamps so constructed and-placed as to exhibit bright white, lights in tho direction in which the motor-car is proceeding, or heading, such lighU being sufficiently clear and strong to afford adequate means of signalling tho.approach or position of tho motor-car. The lamps shall be placed on each sido of the motor car in such a position as to bo free from all obstruction to tho light. (o) Ho shall carry attached to the mo-tor-car a bell or other instrument capable of giving audible and sufficient warning of the approach or position of the -motor-car and shall, whenever necessary, by sounding such bell or other instrument, give such warning as aforc•said.

(f) He shall on-the request of any officer of'police or police constable, on such ollicer or constable putting up his hand ns a signal for that purpose,-cause tho motor-car to stop and remain stationary asjongns may l|e reasonably necessary. "(1) No person shall drive'any motorcar or ride any motor-cycle on the road at a greater speed than tweuly-five miles an hour. (2) No person shall' drive any motor-car or ride anv motor-cycle between the points on the road indicated by sign boards near Kaiwarrn railway stat on,•■war Ngahaurnnga railway station, and near Korokoro Stream crossing at a greater speed than 12 miles an hour. "Motor wagons and motor delivery vans shall not exceed the speeds suecified hereunder according to their weigh t-carrving capacity:—Motor delivery vans of carrying capacity not exceeding ].'. tons, 20 miles per hour; motor delivery vans oi carrying capacity exceeding lj' tons but not 2 tons, 15 ■ miles per hour; niotoi wagons of currying capacity exceeding 2 tons but not 3 tons, 12 miles per hour; motor wagons .of carrying capacity exceeding 3 tons, but not 5 tons. 10 'miles per hour.

"(1) No motor.wagon' shall exceed 7 feet 0 inches, iii width between tliu extreme projectile points .and no delivery van shall exceed li feet in width between the extreme projecting points. "(2) No trai.ler shall weigh more than one ton unloaded "or more than live tons loaded.

. 'Every .motor wagon and everv trailer and every; delivery van shall bo constructed with springs on each axle. "(a) All tho wheels of every motor wagon shall be smooth in the tyres and tho width of tho tyros shall be' such as to give under the worst or any conditions of loading no greater weight than six hundred-weight per inch of width of tho tyre, and the minimum 'width of tho lyre of any wheel shall., be six inches. Tho diameter of fho driving wheels shall bo not less than throe feet, and of the other wheels shall- be not less than two foot six inches.

"(b) AIL the wheels of every delivery van shall be smooth in the tyres and tho width of the tyres shall iu* no case be less than 3 inches. ■••

"(c) Every motor wagon and every delivery van shall. have four wheels'and four only,'and shall he capable of. turning in a small space, and shall be easily manoeuvred.

"(d) If tho vehicle is propelled -by steam raised from solid fuel, coke may be used. The funnel must be fitted with an efficient spark-arrester and a bonnet must be fitted capable of being'closed tightly over it. The ashpit and firing door must bo fitted so as to be smoke-tight and. spark-tight when closed, and the exhaust steam must be capable of being diverted from the blast into the water tank.

(.'('') Every motor wagon and every delivery van shall be so constructed that tho driver I hereof shall have in front"and on each sido of the vehicle an uniuterrupled view of the traffic on the rond.

'"(f) No motor wagon shall carry i. load of mure than ft tons, nor shall the weight of such vehicle and its load exceed 3!tons on any pair'of wheels. "(g) No delivery van shall carry a load of more than 2 tons.

"The wheels of every trailer shall have smooth tyres, and the width of I hit lyres shall be such as to give under the worst or any conditions of loading no greater weight than six hundredweight per inch uf widtli of lyre, and the minimum width of trailer wheels shall be four inches.

"No trailers, wagons, or tenders shall be attached to or drawn by any motor wagon unless by permission in writing under (he hand'of Ihe engineer, and no trailers shall bo attached to a delivery van.

"Every niolor wagon or delivery van as aforesaid shall have painted on both sides thereof in plain and legible letters of not less than three inches in-length and proportionate in breadth in some conspicuous part on each side the full name and address of the owner, and also in plain and legible figures of not jess than three inches iu length and proportionate in breadth the number of tho license under which it is licensed, and in addition tho words 'Licensed inolor wagon' or 'Delivery van' as tho case may be, and also Ihe name of the local authority licensing such van painted underneath such number iu letters of not less than three inches iu length and-propor-tionate in breadth. All such letters and figures shall bo of such a colour as In be clearly distinguishable, from Hie colour of .'the ground whereon such lelfers or figures are painted or marked. "Both the. driver and the licensee of any motor wagon or delivery van ohall bn doomed guilty of an ou"enco , against this by-law, in case of any breach of any provision of this part of tho by-laff, and

they may be proceeded against separately for any such offence. (• - "Every person in .charge of a motor wagon or uelivory van on the wad shall exhibit the lieonsft therefor, on request, to the clerk or to the engineer, or.to any inspector or ollicer of the council or to any police officer or constable." Tho push cyclist, is also legislated for under the by-law. Riders of cycles are to Keep to the right sulu of the road, have a bell, and light, facilities. Tlio speed by-law is as follows :— ■'No person shall race on any bicycle on tho road, and no person shall rule or propel any bicycle on the road al a greater speed tnan thoi rale of 15 milts an liour, provided that speed snail bo limited to eight miles an Hour on turn, ing any corner, or'-passing any dossing or intersection of the road, and every person riding a bicycle shall leave a reasonable portion of the road lor any vehicle or animal passing hint.''