DEFIANT DRIVER

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20736, 21 February 1939, Page 11

DEFIANT DRIVER

DOCTOR’S ALLEGATIONS GRADER BLOCKING ROADWAY COMPLAINT HELD UNJUSTIFIED (Times Special Reporter) TE AWAMUTU, Monday | Alleging that one of the council’s j grader drivers was gossiping with the i driver of a school bus on the Te i Awamutu-Cambridge road and made no attempt to move when complainant wanted to pass, Dr. G. Tothill, superintendent of the Tokanui Mental Hospital. lodged a protest against the i conduct of the man concerned to the Walpa County Council to-day. Dr. Tothill maintained that the grader . driver waved him on to the right side lof the road, where there was no j room to pass. The manner of the j driver was truculent and, apart from j j the fact that he was idling on his l work, ho seemed to maintain that it i was too much trouble for him to ; move his machine. “Arrogant Behaviour” i Concluding. Dr. Tothill stated that ! one expected reasonable consideration when graders were being operated, and there was absolutely no justification for pushing a motorist off the road. Hope that the driver would be dealt with in such a way that other motorists would be spared ois arrogant behaviour was expressed . by the writer. The county inspector, Mr R. H. Westbrook, said the grader driver referred to had reported the matter. He had stopped the machine beside a school bus to discuss with the driver the grading of another road. There was sufficient room for Dr. Tothill to pass the grader and the bus if he had travelled on the grass at the side of the road, which course, in the opinion of the inspector, was quite safe. No Previous Complaints Mr Westbrook, in reply to a question, said the grader drivers showed .is much consideration as possible to motorists, and lie had received reports to that effect from various sources. That he had never before had any complaints against the driver cited by Dr. Tothill was maintained by MrWest brook. To say tlie man was “idling” was in his op?nii*n incorrect. , The councillors considered that the , grader driver was 11E at fault, and it I was decided to semi a letter to In-, i Tothill expressing the council’s views 1 on the matter. , ]