The Dominion MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1926. THE PROBLEM OF THE MOTOR
Monday morning perhaps is the most appropriate occasion to discuss the question of motor traffic regulation. Tlie week-end' holiday invariably brings its round of motoring accidents, behind which’is also a long list of minor mishaps which never finds its way into print, to say nothing of the inevitable budget of stories of narrow escapes. Motor unions, motorists, and the public, each from their own angles, are constantly discussing the motor regulation, but nothing much ever seems to come of it. The necessity ior uniformity in our regulations is generally recognised, but it is extremely difficult to reach agreement on certain vital points. Recent disputation over the question of the dimming of headlights when approaching a car coming from the opposite direction at night affords an illustration of the manner in which an important question can be indefinitely discussed without any appearance of reaching finality. Last week, the South Island Motor Union considered a number of proposals brought forward by the Otago Union with a view to preventing road accidents. Though there was very little that could be regarded as new in the suggestions put forward there can be no doubt that had they the force of law and were strictly enforced they would have a quite material influence in minimising the risks of the road. The trouble is that we have no uniformity in the local by-laws governing traffic in different parts of the Dominion, and very few serious attempts are made to enforce such rules as are laid down. It is worthy of note that amongst the matters brought before the meeting of "the South Island Motor Union referred to was a strong protest from the Nelson Union against the delay of the Government in issuing the promised revision of the motor regulations. It is generally understood that the delay in this instance has been caused by differences of opinion as to a number of proposals in the draft regulations originally proposed by the State Department in charge of the matter. That such differences are inevitable should now be clearly apparent, and the Minister in charge should make it his business to see that further delay is avoided. Whatever his officers may propose is certain to meet with criticism from one quarter or another, but so long as the regulations are framed on reasonable, common-sense lines they should be heartily welcomed by the great body of motorists. Meantime reckless and ignorant drivers continue a menace to all. and the poorly-equipped car, with its inefficient brakes and handicapped driver, adds to the dangers of the road. A . really serious campaign, backed by substantial fines from the Magisterial Bench, would have a salutary effect in checking many of the presentday evils of our motor traffic; but it is not fair either to motorists or the general public that the regulations concerning motor traffic should be-allowed to continue in the unsatisfactory state into which they are universally admitted to have drifted.
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Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 61, 6 December 1926, Page 10
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500The Dominion MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1926. THE PROBLEM OF THE MOTOR Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 61, 6 December 1926, Page 10
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