SOUNDING HORNS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 August 1940, Page 5

SOUNDING HORNS

BANNED DURING CERTAIN NIGHT HOURS

IN ALL BUILT-UP AREAS. NEW TRAFFIC REGULATIONS. Residents in the vicinity of Essex, Pownall and Cole Streets were rudely awakened in the early hours of this morning by the continuous blowing of a motor-car horn, the sound of which resembled a siren. For several minutes the horn continued to break the silence of the night, and every resident in the neighbourhood was well and truly awakened. It appeared in this case as if the horn had jammed. This incident should serve to emphasise that under new traffic regulations now in operation, no person is allowed to use a warning device between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. in any borough or town district, or in other words, in any area in which the speed limit is 30 miles per hour. In the.case of an emergency arising from the presence of other users of the road the horn may be sounded, but this does not apply to road conditions such as bad bends or intersections. Fire engines, ambulances and police and traffic cars are exempted under certain conditions. ROAD LINES. Other regulations now effective stipulate that every driver shall at all times keep his vehicle as far as practicable to his left of any longitudinal line or lines marked by controlling authorities along the centre or near the centre of the roadway at corners, bends or turnings for the direction of traffic and where such lines, are double lines no driver of a motor vehicle shall overtake or attempt to pass any vehicle other than a bicycle within the area of the roadway in which such double lines are marked. This makes it an offence to overtake any vehicle other than a bicycle at corners or bends where double lines are marked on the roadway. It is still an offence to overtake another vehicle at any corner, bend, hill or at any place where the driver has not a clear view of the roadway, and traffic for at least 300 ft ahead. This still applies whether double lines are laid or not.

The new regulations also provide that no person shall drive any motor vehicle which is being used to tow a trailer at a speed exceeding 35 miles per hour. The lower speed limit of 30 miles per hour applies of course in closely populated areas. LOADED FIREARMS. Except, for police or defence purposes or except with a permit issued by a superintendent or inspector of police, no person is allowed to operate a vehicle on which is carried any firearm loaded with a cartridge or cartridges, whether in its breech, barrel or magazine. It is an offence to have a loaded firearm in any motor vehicle while the vehicle is in any place to which the public may have access, whether the vehicle is moving or stationary.