Evening star., 1903-08-18
MOTOR LAW IN BELGIUM.
Recent Decision by a Dinant Court
Causes Faster Driving,
,ndence London Globe.

Brussels Correspondence London Globe
A decision of much Importance to motor
lists has just been given by the court Of
first instance of Dinant, Belgium, sitting as
court of appeal from the police court of
that town. 1t Is one reversing the convic-
ton of the owner of a motor car for pro-
crossing at greater speed than the author
lied ten kilometers hour. The facts of
the case. as put forward by the police,
seemed incontrovertible at the first hearing
1t was proved beyond question that the car
had gone at a rate far in advance of the
legal one: and 1t was also proved beyond
dispute that its owner, against whom the
proceedings were taken, was in 1t at the
time The police court Judge convicted on
this. and fined the owner 10f. paying no
heed to his contention, which, indeed
seemed the merest quibble, that the police
could not have recognized him as the
chauffeur, as he whizzed past in a cloud of
dust. The owner however, was not ga tis-
fled. and he carried his protest to the high
er court. where it won the day for him, to
the great JOY Of Belgian chauffeurs.
The defendant in the case stated that he
was not. in fact. acting as chauffeur at the
time when the breach of the law was COM
mitted but his plea did not rest on fact
nor did he bring forward any evidence to
sustain his statement. The ground on
which he went was that 1t was impossible
car, since he. like each Of his companions,
was masked and specialized The court ac-
cepted this plea, and in acquitting the ac-
cused motorist, put 1t officially on record
that 1t Is Impossible to recognize a person
passing at the speed indicated in the charge
when he is wearing spectacles and other
objects Indispensable to those who circulate
in automobiles" The triumphant motorist
refused to "denounce" the chauffeur, and
as all the powers Of Belgian law seemed
unable to compel him to do so, the case fell
entirely to the ground and the police found
themselves proved impotent and Ridiculous
Whatever may be thought Of 1t, the 5udg-
ment must be sound in Belgian law. for
not only did the police authorities carry
the case no further. but a similar judg-
ment in another case at Ostend, given on
the same grounds. comes to prove the val
idity of this one.
point which might escape notice ts that
which legalizes. in the judgment, the wear
ing of masks and suchlike projections
against wind and dust. 1t Is illegal in
Belgium to disguise oneself at any time
appear In public in fantastic or fancy dress
and there is no minor offense the police are
quicker to pounce upon as English sports
men going to chase" in the uniform of
their hunt and Highland soldiers travelling
in Belgium have found out before now to
their momentary disturbance. OF course
In the case OF the soldiers and huntsmen
the matter was speedily explained and set
leu ny proIuse apoiosleS' Dut IL appears
that motorists are henceforth to be above
the ordinary law and at liberty to disguise
themselves as they will. provided their dis
guises are made up of objects which are
indispensable to those who circulate in
automobiles" Already the Inhabitants
of Brussels and its suburbs are crying out
that as a consequence Of these decisions
whatver police supervision of the motor
lists speed existed already has been almost
entirely allowed to lapse. and motors are
now said to rush everywhere in the suh-
urbs. even after nightfall, at the speed Of
express trains. Within the last few days
accidents fatal to pedestrians have been
reported from Brussels. which the more
timfd are not slow to trace to the newly
discovered immunity Of all spectacled
chauffeurs.