DANGEROUS PRACTICE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3562, 13 November 1926, Page 4

DANGEROUS PRACTICE.

DIMMING MOTOR HEADLIGHTS. Auckland, November 11. The system of dimming headlights when approaching another vehicle travelling in the opposite direction, which prevails at present, was condemned l>v Air C. R. OrrWalker, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court during the hearing of a charge of dangerous driving brought a•gainst Frederick John Lee, who pleaded not guilt}’. A youth named Mark Muse said that about 7.30 p.m. on September 18 he was walking along the Great North Rd when he was struck by the car and knocked down. He^sustained injuries, and was attended to by a doctor. Witness was walking with one foot on the footpaths and the other on the concrete road, owing to the muddy state of the footpath. Constable Nicol saw defendant after the accident. Lee denied that lie had knocked anyone down while travelling along the Great North Road, adding that he surely would have know’ll had ho collided with anyone. * 'Counsel for the defence said that Muse should have kept to the footpath. It seemed to counsel that when defendant dimmed his headlights as he w’as approaching another car he had shut out any view of a person on the roadside. If a motorist did not dim his lights when approaching another car, he was liable to receive a “blast” from the driver of the approaching vehicle, yet if he dimmed his lights he ran the risk of running over anyone who might be on the road. Mr Orr-Walker: It would lie better I think to receive a “blast.” I am satisfied that defendant’s ear struck the youth, but I think that, the question of dimming lights should be settled. It is a dangerous practice and it.is quite impossible for a motorist Who. dims his lights to see anyone in front of him. It is time that the dimming of lights should be stopped, if not by law, then by practice. I am not prepared to hold that defendant was driving in a dangerous manner. The case will be dismissed.