SAFETY FIRST

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 121, 24 June 1930, Page 4

SAFETY FIRST

TRAFFIC INSPECTOll'S ADDRESS. ,v A'DVIGE TO CHILDREN. Mr J. R. Dunnett, traffic inspector, of Hastings, paid a visit to the various schools of Hastings and Havelock North this afternoon. and addressed tlie assembled qhildren on the dangers of negligentlv using the borough roads. Mr Dunnett said : — "I regi-et that it is necessarv for me to have to come before sucli an assembly of bright and intelligent bovs and girls for tbe purpose of finding fault with the manner in which those of you who ride bic-ycles conduct your machines on the main thoroughfares of this town. TAKE A BACK STREET. "How many of you find it absolutely necessary to go to your respective homes via .Heretaunga street? 'Ihe correct way, providing of course, you have no messages, is along the back streets, the majority of which have a surface just as smooth and easy to ride upon as Heretaunga street, and in addition you are not running such a grave risk of accident. If you must ride along the main thoroughfares, tlien you must remember that you are not allowed to ride more than two abreast, and then only as near as possible to the left or near edge of the ■road. This does not apply to the hus.v part of Hastings only. but the whole of 'the borough. NO HANDS ON BARS. "Now I must touch upon the foolish practice that unfortunately some of you indulge in. that is riding without iiands on the handle hars of your cycles. The law clearly states tliat tlie rider of a bicycle must at all times, when riding a bicycle, keep at least one liand on the handle hars, and both feet on the pedals, if your hands are cold, tlien tlie correct procedure is to dismount and walk. and this _ also applies if you happen to be riding aloiig a rough road and decide to ride along the footpath. LIGHTS NECESSARY: "I want to remind those of you who find it necessarv to ride cycles during the period that it is necessary hy law to have a liglit on your machines, that you must have those lights burning at times during. the time which elapses between lialf an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunri.se. NO SIGNAL GIVEN. "Anotlier point which many of you may not. hav.e given thought to is the question of suddenly cuttiug over from one side of the road to the other. without giviug the necessary signal, that is, extending your right arm. Other traffic may he following you, and naturally- would not he expected to know of your intention to turn without some previous warning. I particularly won to stress the point of tlie matter of riding more than two abreast. His IVorship the Mayor. has on several occasions quite recently complained to me of tlie manner in_ which you boys and girls who reside in Havelock ride along the Havelock road three and four abreast. Only . this morning _ I saw three' boys riding abreast. T^]"s' •in spite of the warnings you have all liad in the past. I want to tell those of you who do not kuow that I control that road now and int^ud to see that you do right when using it. NOT A THREAT. "Unless you remember the few tliings I have spolcen of this afternoon, 1 shall have no alternative but to summons those who disregard the "advice which has heen given you for your own good and safety. A summons, -as you all know, will mean an appearance before the magistrate. and to him, none of you after to-day, will be able to say you "did not know you were doing wrong." I have not come here this afternoon .to threaten you. nor do we want to have any of you convicted hy a court. My sole ohject. as I have said before, is to give voq advice for your own safety and. at the same time, advice „ wliich will greatly benefit and make more comfortahle, the position of motorists in general. I sincerely hope that in a week's time I shall hear good reports of the manner in which • the .High School. pup.ils at any i-ate, ride their cycles,"