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In “open country” on the highway, the speed limit was 25 miles per hour. If you were in “wooded country,” it was reduced to 12 mph.
The increase in the number of vehicles coincided with dramatic changes in automotive technology, which made for faster and faster vehicles.
The result was an increase in speeding tickets. One of the hotspots for speeders was Granville Street going south through Kerrisdale, in what was then the separate municipality of Point Grey.
“Constable Walker stated that the car was travelling at the rate of 41 miles an hour, and seemed to be increasing its speed as it went,” The Province reported. “People, he said, had been complaining about the speed at which this car travelled.”
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In its story, The Vancouver Sun said this was von Alvensleben’s “third offence before the court, and that he was notorious throughout the district as a ‘speeder.’”
But in The Province story, the judge noted it was actually “the first time Mr. Von Alvensleben had been before the court, the other occasions it being (his) chauffeur.”
The judge said “a heavy penalty would have been inflicted” if von Alvensleben had multiple offenses, but this being his first ticket, he was only fined $15, along with $4 costs.
This was still quite substantial, given that two other men were given $5 speeding fines the same day.
The same Province story said there was a proposal “setting aside a portion of Granville Street for the purpose of testing auto cars in the matter of speed.”
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“Magistrate Stewart cordially supported the idea,” reported The Province. “He suggested that Magee road to Wilson road would be a suitable place.”
A May 18 Province story had called for more road signs with the speed limit, because municipalities had different rules.
“In North Vancouver for instance the speed limit on unpaved roads is 12 miles per hour and on paved roads 25 miles per hour,” it said.
A “prominent local motor man” expressed his opinion to The Province: “The police department is able to get enough money out of fines to pay for a few sign posts.”
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A man named T.O. Mackay faced four charges: for driving 15 mph in a 10 mph zone (he was fined $5); for having an expired license ($10 fine); for not having his “rear (oil) lamp lighted” (dismissed); and for “using insulting language towards the police.”
The magistrate reserved his decision on whether swearing at the cops warranted a fine.
The police in Point Grey were giving out so many speeding tickets to Vancouverites in the spring of 1912 that a delegation from the Automobile Club went to Point Grey council on May 22 to complain.
Point Frey councillor Richardson rejected their plea for more leniency, stating that “anyone who drove a vehicle or walked along Granville Street at night took his life in his hands owned to abuse of the regulations by autoists.”
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He cited a report of 76 speeding convictions, where one driver had been fined for driving 28 mph, 14 for driving 30 mph, 16 for 32 mph, 15 for 35 mph, 17 for 37 mph, four for 40 mph, seven for 45 mph, and one for driving 50 miles an hour.
It was a continent-wide problem. In the May 18 Vancouver World, Capt. John Drew of the Los Angeles “speeders squad” issued “a set of excuses that will be accepted for ‘moderate speeding’ by the officers.”
The five acceptable excuses were “Going for a doctor; Catching a train; Aiding law and order; In case of fire; (and) Imperative engagement.”
Drew said “mercy will not be shown” for three other excuses: “Intoxication; Speedometer invisible or broken; ‘Pull’ with authorities.”