Mexborough and Swinton Times, July 8th, 1932
Not To Blame
Case Against Bus Driver Fails
Wm. Lockwood, 11 Priory Road, Bolton-on-Dearne, a driver employed by the Yorkshire Traction Co., was charged at Doncaster on Tuesday with driving a motor-bus without due care and attention. He pleaded “not guilty” and was defended by Mr. W. W. F. Bracewell.
Robert C. Harlan of 225, Furlong Road, Bolton said that about 5-45 p.m. on June 12th, he left his home on a motor-cycle combination for Goldthorpe. He came out of an entry to his house and, about 11 yards on the main road, when a ‘bus driven by defendant and travelling in the same direction, caught the offside handlebars of his machine, twisting them round and forcing the machine on to the footpath. The ‘bus travelled on for fifteen yards before stopping. The motor-cycle machine was undamaged but there was a mark on the side of the ‘bus.
Answering Mr. Bracewell, witness denied that the bus was within three yards of the entry when he first saw it. It was only on Lockwood’s advice that he reported the matter to the police.
Fred Lunn, surface worker, 235, Furlong Road, Bolton, said he was standing near his home when he saw Harlan push the motor-cycle combination along the entry. When near the main road he mounted the machine and rode towards Goldthorpe. Harlan had not ridden very far when a ‘bus overtook him and somehow hit Harlan’s handlebars. The ‘bus was travelling at a moderate speed.
Robert Jones, miner, 234, Furlong Road, Bolton-on-Dearne who was with last witness, gave similar evidence. Both he and Lunn denied seeing another ‘bus in the road at the time of the accident.
Lockwood said another ‘bus was at the mouth of the entry and he (witness) about three yards away, when he saw Harlan come suddenly from the entry. “I swerved the front of my ‘bus and missed him, but I knew I was very near and that he would not be able to pull up, so I stopped.” When he went back to Harlan the latter stated that he had not seen the ‘bus till he was on top of it, but complained that Lockwood had not blown his horn.
Dan Cutts, 211, Furlong Road, Bolton, said he was only 50 yards away when the accident happened. The motor cycle combination came out from the entry and the ‘bus swerved to miss him, but the front wheel of the combination bumped into the life-guard of the ‘bus, turned round, and the ‘bus side was scraped by the handlebars.”
The case was dismissed. The chairman (Mr. G. E. Cooke-Yarborough) remarking that the evidence for the defence was too strong.