The Evening Telegraph November 1905
FIFE LADY MOTORIST FINED
Miss Alexandra Malcolm Glover, sometime residing at Earlsferry House Elie and now at Mount Grange Hope Terrace Edinburgh, was charged at Cupar Sheriff Court this afternoon of having on Friday 6th October driven dangerously within the High Street and St Andrews Road within the burgh of Anstruther at an excessive speed in a manner that was dangerous to James Lawrie builder, William Drysdale police constable and Alexander McHardy police sergeant, and other lieges who were then on the road causing the motor car to swerve from side to side on the roadway, and driving it round a corner at the junction of St Andrews Road and High Street without slackening speed. She pleaded not guilty and was defended by James Grosset solicitor Leven.
A DANGEROUS TURN
Police constable Drysdale, Anstruther, deponed that Miss Glover on the day in question was driving her car through the burgh at a speed of between ten and eleven miles per hour; Sargeant McHardy, Mr Lawrie and himself had difficulty in getting out of the way*. The corner on which she swung round was a very dangerous one from the Shore Road to the Clydesdale Bank there were five turns. Cross examined there were no notice boards directing the attention of the motorist to the dangerous nature of the road. In answer to the Sheriff, Drysdale said in his opinion faulty steering was the cause of the car swerving; a dog was almost jammed between the car and the kerb. James Lawrie a builder in Anstruther in answer to the fiscal said the car was going fast enough for the place it was in – he did not think it was being driven in a manner which was likely to be a danger to the lieges.
COOLED DOWN
Sgt McHardy said that his opinion was that Miss Glover had lost control of the car. Lawrie shouted as she passed him that it was something terrible. The Sheriff – he seems to have got over it his alarm. Fiscal – he has cooled down but at the time he was very much struck. Sgt McHardy – yes he was. Proceeding, McHardy said that Miss Glover had so often come through Anstruther and driven her car in such a reckless manner that the people came out of their houses to watch her as she passed. The sheriff found the charge established and fined Miss Glover the sum of £3. He said he could never sanction motor cars going through town and particularly at dangerous corners at so dangerous a speed as 10 miles per hour**.
*I am pleased to say that in my experience the training of police officers is now such as to enable them to get out of the way of motor cars except if there is a possibility of the speed limit being exceeded. However I wonder where these three people were standing. **One doubts whether this is an expression from the bench that his lordship would have later preferred not to expound.
FOOTNOTE: Alexa Glover was a champion golfer, having won the Scottish Ladies Championship at the age of 19 in 1903. Maybe it went to her head!