Emergency Stop : Druver Wins Appeal
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ALORRY driver who was involved in an accident after he had jammed on his brakes to avoid a dog was declared not to have been negligent by the Court of Appeal last week.
The accident occurred when a lorry belonging to Finney, Barlow and Co., Cambrian Grove, Gravesend, and driven by a. Mr. Barnes, braked hard to avoid a dog, stopping within 35 ft. A lorry travelling behind, driven by Mr. R. H. M. Brown, .Murraytield, Crieff, Perthshire, palled out to avoid a collision and ran into .a car coming the other way.
Finney, Barlow and Co. were appealing against the judgment of Mr. Justice McNair, who had held that Mr. Barnes and Mr. Brown were equally to blame. Judgment had been given against both defendants for a total of £2,327 damages and costs in a claim for personal injuries.
In allowing the appeal, the court held that Mr. Brown was entirely to blame.
Lord Justice Jenkins said that Mr. Barnes did what any reasonable driver would do in such a case, which was to consider his primary obligation to deaf with the emergency immediately in front and to trust to the care of any driver behind to avoid a collision.
Drivers were not entitled to assume that the driver of a vehicle ahead would give a signal of intention to stop for the simple reason that an emergency might arise. Mr. Barnes had been unable to give a signal. MC. Brown was driving too fast and too close behind Mr. Barnes' lorry.
Lord Justices Sellers and Pearce agreed.
PIONEER SPIRIT NEEDED IN BUS INDUSTRY
OND( individualistic ideas, coupled with a pioneer spirit, will solve the problems facing the bus industry. This was stated by Mr. J. P. Marshall, traffic superintendent of the Mansfield District Traction Co.. Ltd.. when he spoke to East Midland members of the Institute of Traffic Administration, last week.
He said new ways would have to be found to serve the public, and managements should give serious consideration to the views of their road staffs where increased proficiency was concerned. It was therefore essential to maintain a first-class relationship with trade-union representatives.
Of the future, Mr. Marshall said there would have to be a larger number of small units. which would have more intimate public relations. Development would be based on experience.
"COAX BACK LOST PASSENGERS"
riA LARGE drop in. the number of passengers carried by the Trent Motor Traction Co., Ltd., was reported by Mr. W. Leese, general manager, when he spoke to drivers receiving safe-driving awards last week.
"We must take every possible step to encourage these people to return to us by offering the very best service," he declared. During the year, buses had covered 164.m. miles, carrying more than 62m. passengers