“SHOOTING” LEVEL CROSSINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1929, Page 8

“SHOOTING” LEVEL CROSSINGS

PROPAGAN'wa i' I LAI. Canadian authorities, states the •‘Haiiway Gazette,” have embarked on a great campaign to impress on motorists the danger of “shooting” levei crossings. JL is pointed out that accidents to motor-cars at level crossings in .1927 numbered 256 w.tli ' a death roll ol 75. A point is made that one of the . most irequ.nt causes of railway disasters in Canada, is the practice ol thoughtless motorists of Imi-ing the engineer,” a •■game” which consists in “trying” to beat an oncom.ng express to a level crossing. To induce motorists to give up turn dangerous practice” the railway company, in c.(-operation with the Ontario Government and a moving picture'service, has produced a film in which the ‘game’ is shown in a.l its thrilling detail. To shoot the film one movie operator was stationed on the cowcatcher of a fast express, another at the level Crossing and a third in a motor-car, the driver of frhicli played the part of the careless motorist. The odds against the motorist wore brought out by sub-titles such as ‘ .1 his train weighs 1500 tons; your car probably a ton. What chance have you?” “The train travels at 88 loot a second. Why try to heat it?”