RULE OF ROAD

Hokitika Guardian, 18 November 1931, Page 4

RULE OF ROAD

FIRE BRIfcADtS’ PREFERENCE. HINDRANCE CAUSED BY TRAFFIC The sound of the fire alarm, be it in village, town or city, is invariab y the signal for the curious, to whom a fire has an almost ungovernable ifttraction, to hie themselves out on to the road to ascertain the locality of the outbreak, and then hv whatever available to hurry to the scene. Within an incredibly short space of time the streets are thronged with motor cars, motor cycles, and bicycles, as well as streams of pedestrians. All manner of risks are taken by the vehicular traffic. Warnings at corn f ers are disregarded, intersections are not met with decreased velocity, and warnings to unseen traffic are unheeded.

But what of duty to the public? The Fire Brigade turn out with its customary celerity, but in many oases is hindered in its rush to the scene of conflagration by the unthinking public, by motorists and publio 'who do not stop to consider the possibility of loss of life and probable loss of property .Each minute is precious and it behoves the Brigade to reach the scene ih the least possible time. With this object in view the public should give every /possible assistance in giving the Brigade a. clear road. # At the'sound of the fire alarm, traffic is required by law to draw into the side of the road and stop, leaving a clear thoroughfare. Some difficulty with the public traffic was exrericnced by the Hokitika Fire Brigade on Monday evening, when it was summoned, hut, luckily the outbreak was only of a minor nature. In fact, the Brigade was questioned by one man as to its right to the road. Next to the King’s mail preference "must be given to Fire Brigades, and infringements of this regulation are offences in the eyes of the law.