SOME RISKS!

NZ Truth, Issue 1108, 24 February 1927, Page 17

SOME RISKS!

' Pedestrians and Jay Walking Driving a car about the city divulges a remarkable degree of carelessness on the .part of the average street-walker. ,• . ' A WELL-KNOWN member of the *^ judiciary, when he first became an owner-driver, stated that it was surprising to see the number of people who wandered aimlessly across the city streets, looking neither to left nor right, apparently engrossed m thought; Now that sounds humorous, doesn't it?, Fancy .walking t along the crowded streets of a busy city like Wellington so pre-occupied mentally as to be oblivious to the immediate surroundings; yet it is experienced by Wellington, motorists every day m the week, and if perchance one should be "knocked" a crowd quickly gathers and regards the car-driver somewhat m the light of a criminal. During the recent showery weather an incident that was witnessed clearly illustrates the stupidity of some pedestrians. In this case the person was proceeding along the footpath, and suddenly darted out across the street to "hop on" a- passing tram — running right m front of a motor-car, the driver of which fortunately was master of the urgent call for action;. •■•.-•- By applying the brakes instantly the car's forward progress was sufficiently checked as«-to . miss the careless pedestrian, • who jumped on to the movinplram and escaped injury by inches— much to the' ap.parent amusement of those on thyp tram arid' other walkers who saw the close shave. . a _, What there was to laugh at oyer this near-accident is not clear, as m avoiding this man the sudden application of the braking system caused the car to skid on the rain -soaked 'road, and come into violent contact with a verandah post, necessitating repairs that proved decidedly costly.