“Fodder for Lawyers”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 293, 2 March 1928, Page 1

“Fodder for Lawyers”

Mixed Views on Traffic Laws

Comment on Revised Regulations

The new motor traffic regulations were gazetted in Wellington last evening, and the full details are not yet available in Auckland, but the summarised version has met with a far from complimentary reception. The motorist, who provides the necessity for regulations, sits back wearily, and admits that last-minute efforts, including a deputation from the Automobile Association to Wellington a week ago, had results that made the regulations better than they would otherwise have been. At the same time, headquarters of the organisation inclines to the opinion that those responsible for framing the regulations know far too little of the subject, and what they do know has been gained in the narrow streets of W ellington. Strangely the strongest exception is taken by those responsible for controlling the traffic. One of them stated that the new regulations, according to the version telegraphed, wilt make prosecutions harder to prove, and in fact merely provide “fodder for lawyers.” A new provision in the Gazette, according to The Sun's summary telegraphed from Wellington, is that inspectors will have to be holders of drivers’ licences. Nothing is said of policemen, who are continually prominent in motor cases. Dimming generally Is forbidden after June 1, in accordance with the agitation that has been made by the motor organisations for years, and provision is made for proper adjustment of lights. Spotlights are permitted with restrictions, and must not be used as driving lights. Lighting on public stands and in sufficiently lighted places may he dispensed with in accordance with the customs in Auckland for several years, but the anomaly is that lighting may be dispensed with on stands established by local authorities, where a notice indicates that lighting may be dispensed with, or in places adequately lighted. The question raised was “Why the necessity of the notices?” Moreover dimmed or side lights may be used in "well lighted streets,” but the judging of a well-lighted street will cause dispute. PILLION RIDING PERMITTED Pillion riding on motor-cycles will apparently be permitted, though it has been against the by-laws in Auckland up to the present. One rider on the pillion will be permitted, and if a cycle has a side-car one rider on the pillion and two in the car will be permitted. Pillion riders must ride astride. The use of unpleasant-sounding warning devices is prohibited. The clauses referring to towing have been redrafted. Driving backwards for a longer distance or time than is reasonable is prohibited. The regulations dealing with speed have been considerably amended. No person shall drive any motor-vehicle at such a speed that the vehicle cannot be brought to a standstill within half the length of clear road which is visible to the driver immediately in front of the vehicle. No set speed limit Is laid down, but the exceeding of the speeds given in the appended table means that the driver runs the risk of prosecution for dangerous driving, and the onus is on him to prove that the speed was not dangerous in the circumstances. NEW TABLE OF SPEEDS The new table of speeds is as follows: (a) _ Thirty-five miles an hour in any case In which a lower speed is not set out. (b) Twenty-five miles an hour at any place within the limits of any borough or town district where it is reasonable to suppose that the driver of the motorvehicle knew himself to be within the limits of a, borough or town district.

(c> Fifteen miles an hour (1) when passing between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. a school to which any erected

traffic sign relates; (2) when passing a hospital to which any erected traffic sign relates; (3) when approaching any intersection which is of such a nature that when the driver is 90ft away he has not a clear and uninterrupted view of such intersection and of the traffic upon every road leading thereto for a distance of 90ft beyond such intersection. (4) When passing any portion of a road undergoing alteration. (d) Ten miles an hour (1) when going through any tunnel; (2) when going round a curve or corner of any roed if the driver has not a clear view of the road in front of him for a, distance of at least 40ft in the direction in which he is proceeding (during which time also adequate and repeated signals must be given by the use of the warning instruments); (3) when passing any stationary tram on its route making in the same direction where a safety zone is interposed between the tram and the motor-vehicle. Controlling authorities are empowered to fix maximum speeds but these are not to exceed such of those incorporated in the above table as maj' be applicable to the circumstances. TRAFFIC JAMS POSSIBLE By these limits a certain onus is thrown on the driver, but by the last paragraph a great onus is thrown on the traffic controllers, and those responsible draw attention to the Grafton Bridge area at the noon hour on a Saturday, or at the homeward rush on week-day evenings. The driver will be responsible for anything that happens if he exceeds 10 miles an hour, and the city is not able to increase the limit. It is fairly simple to see that the latitude will be dmply taken advantage of, especially in Auckland, where drivers have become used to the modern and fairly elastic regulations, by which prosecutions have been for dangerous or negligent driving, with a mutually accepted limit of 30 miles an hour. A result of the deputation to Wellington has been the deletion of the proposed regulations that meant a driver had to reduce his speed on such wide roads as Manukau Road if he was proceeding in the opposite direction to a tram, and the tram stopped.