SPEED OF MOTOR CARS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1921, Page 6

SPEED OF MOTOR CARS.

HAWERA BY-LAW ATTACKED. HELD TO BE UNREASONABLE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) October 4. An attack was made in thef Hawera Magistrate’s Court to-day upon the reasonableness of the Hawera borough bylaw which requires motorists to drive at a speed of not greater than 6 mi’es per hour when crossing an intersection. The ease was ’one in which the police (Mr. Beechey) proceeded against L. A. Taylor (Mr. Spratt) for exceeding 6 miles per hour in crossing the intersection of High and Princess Streets. Mr. Spratt said that the defendant admitted exceeding the speed of six miles per hour in crossing the intersection mentioned, but it was maintained that the by-law was stricter than was necessary for the safety of the public. A motorist had no more control over his car at top gear going at six miles per hour than going at ten miles per iiour. If he had efficient brakes then he was as well able to avoid an accident going at ten as going at six miles per hour. In many makes of cars the motorist was under the disabilities at a very low speed such as six miles per hour, as he must reduce to a lower gear in order to travel at the lower speed, and in changing from top to a lower gear, with most makes of cars, he ran the risk of a stoppage in the very place where a stoppage was not wanted. Even for the busiest intersection of Hawera, the intersection of Princes Street and High Street, the by-law was unnecessary. The by-law was not to be tested by the busiest corners of the town, but by the requirements of the whole of the streets of the town, and if it were bad at the intersections then it was bad in toto.

Sergeant Henry gave evidence that there were several thoroughfares in the town on which traffic could pass through the town without passing through the main street. There were several corners in the borough which equally dangerous. On occasions 10 miles per hour would be a dangerous speed. It would depend a great deal on circumstances. John Henry Graves, vice-president of the South Taranaki Automobile Association, gave evidence that six miles per hour was an unreasonable speed, as very few cars could go round corners at that speed in top gear, and in order to change gears a motorist would need three arms —one to indicate that he was turning a corner (as required by the by-law), one to steady the car and one to change gears. A motorist driving at six or eight miles per hour had not so much control over a car as a man driving at 10 miles per hour. The Magistrate reserved his decision.