The Daily News. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1912. THE MOTOR HOG.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 132, 22 October 1912, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1912. THE MOTOR HOG.

U is really quite time tliat the police or the Borough Council, or whatever body is primarily responsible, took steps to prevent the persistent furious driving of motor cars and motor cycles through the streets of the city, more particularly in its immediate outskirts. The motor car and the motor cycle are "modern inventions" of a particularly useful type, and no sane person would for one moment contend that they have not the same rights to the road as other forms of vehicular traffic. We have many chauffeurs and motor cyclists in our midst who are careful and responsible men, with a proper appreciation of the public safety, but there is a minority—and not too small a one at that—who drive through the town and round corners at a speed which is absolutely criminal. A fatal accident would be a heavy price to pay to bring home to these reckless drivers a proper sense of their responsibilities, but nothing is more certain than that this will occur if some steps- are not taken to check them. On Sunday a woman and two children had the very narrowest escape from being run over by a car which swung round the corner .from St. Aubyn street into Queen street at a pace which must have been many miles per hour over the recognised town speed, and escapes such as these are being reported on all hands. Further up St. Aubyn street last week two dogs were run over and killed by motor ears on the same day, and if these agile animals cannot escape, what earthly chance would the average child have in an emergency? Several complaints have reached us upon the subject, and we know emphatically, from personal observation, that they are only too wellfounded. Unfortunately, some of the worst offenders are the very men who ought to know better, and their action brings discredit and contumely upon motorists as a whole, where it is not I deserved. Ordinary pedestrianism is snr- ' rounded by quite sufficient pitfalls in congested centres already, without having added to them the risks attaching to furious motoring. The protest is no idle or;», and if the motorists themselves will not take the initiative in stopping the practice we must look to the police to do so. A healthy prosecution or two would be preferable before a calamity rather than after it, and might act as a practical hint to these offenders that foot-passengers have certain rights which it is necessary to maintain.