"NOT DETECTIVES"

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 307, 22 August 1932, Page 3

"NOT DETECTIVES"

CATCHING MOTORISTS TRAFFIC INSPECTORS' DUTIES TO REGULATE HRAFFIC ONLY. CHRISTCHURCH MAN'S SUGGESTION The proposal hy a Christchurch motorist that traffic officers and police in plain clothes should be detailed to catcli motorists who hroke the bylaws habitually did not find much ; favour either wtih representatives of motoring organisations or wi+h the Chief City Traffic Inspector (Mr. H. Macintosh). Mr. Maeintosh said that the traffic inspectors were appointed to regulate and control traffic and to assist motorists wherever possible; they were not detectives. Mr. P. R. Harman, secretary to the South Island Motor Union, suggestsd that more attention could he paid to intersections, excessive speed at these being responsible for the majority of accidents. He suggested a special week periodically in which motorists could have mechanical defects -in their cars righted for a nominal sum. This applied particularly to brakes, lights, etc. "The man who has criticised the traffic inspectors is only stating his side of the case," said Mr. Macintosh. "Personally, I think the general standard of driving in Christchurch is quite good, and motorists generally do not break by-laws habitually, as claimed hy the man who has a long' experience in the control of traffic, Of course, there are people who d.o break the by-laws as a matter of habit, but these persons would do that whether traffic inspectors were in uniform or not. "I think that the standard of driving here is hetter than in other cities of the Dominion, and one reason for this is that the traffic staff has a better hold on things, and seems to be respected more by motorists than in other centres. Only a few people, comparatively, break the laws in any case, and our officers are out to regulate and control traffic and to assist the motorist where possible; they are not detectives. "There is one point to be considered also in respect of plain clothes. Under the Motor Vehicles Aet regulations every inspector on duty has to wear a distinctive uniform, badge or cap. "What sort of a man is this?" asked Mr. J. S. Hawkes, secretary to the Canterbury Automobile Association. He seems to like people going round the back streets and doing things behind other people's backs." Right to Wear Uniforms. He eontinued that it was quite ♦right for traffic inspectors to have to wear uniforms. There would always be by-law breakers, for that class of driver seemed temperamentally unfitted to do anything 'else. A more sensible thing to do would be for the chief traffic inspector to put men on intersections occasionally, to watch for excessive speed over intersections, failure to give way to th'a right, and cutting eorners .caused most accidents. There could be raids on people guilty of these offences. As for plain clothes men, the city could not stand up> to the exp'ense of maintaing an army of these officers. Mr. Hawkes considered that as a rule the Christchurch drivers were exceptionally good, though, of course, one always got the man who did not use his head. Any right-thinking man must study other users of the road and be reasonable in his driving. "The majority of accidents are caused hy speeding over intersections and failure to give way to the right," said Mr. Harman. "The main cause is coming up too fast and not having sufficient control of a car. In watching for offences of that kind, probably plain clothes officers would be helpfuL" ' * An American Scheme. "I think that there should be a more frequent inspection of brakes. In a number of cases where there have been accidents faulty brakes have been discovered to be the cause. I under stand that in the United States they have special weeks set apart when a man can have his car looked over for all mechanical defects at a nominal fee. A record of defects is kept, and marks are awarded to those who come through the inspections without a fault. However, it has heen found that very few cars pass the test "This special week is run in connection with one of the safety-first organisations, and some scheme similar might be adopted with advantage here. "One difficulty that there would be in using plain clothes men to catch by-law offenders would he the necessity for the officer to have a witness of what oceurred. This undoubtedly would be cxpensive, and the city would have to have a small army of inspectors." Mr. F.. W. Freeman, a past-presi-dent of the Canterbury Auomohile Association, was brief. "The Christchurch City Council," he said, "has an efficient body of inspectors, who can effectively control the misdeamours of motorists without having recourse to backdoor methods."