While coming over to the motor meet at Wiseton on Saturday, Mr C. Nainby, accompanied by Mr Parsons Wright and a lady, plus Mr & Mrs W.B. Jevons driving his motor car and who were accompanied by Mr C.H. Gilbert and Mrs Gilbert, were willfully hindered by a man driving a trap. He simply laughed at the annoyance of the motorists. When the annoyance was at its height, a constable appeared and the man gave way at once. Probably we shall hear something more of the incident. All drivers are not like that, but the few who are should be taught that motorists have a perfect right to the road, equally with other users. It was a very enjoyable ride to Wiseton and the run may be repeated. It was unfortunate that M.Fournier and the racing cars were not over yet from France , but that pleasure is to come.
Indeed something more of the incident was heard, the man driving the trap was taken to court, for impeding a motorist.
At Market Rasen Petty Sessions, the case was heard by Colonel Conway Gordon and other magistrates. Richard Bennett, farmer from Glentham, was summonsed for not allowing a motor car to pass him whilst he was driving his cart on the Gainsborough Road at Kingerby, on the 13th July 1901. It appears that Mr Nainby of Thorganby, accompanied by a lady and Mr Parsons Wright of Wold Newton, and Mr W.B. Jevons, of Market Rasen, was riding on his motor car to Wiseton. On the Gainsborough Road at Kingerby he caught up with the defendant, who was driving with his wife in a cart in the same direction. Mr Nainby sounded his horn several times, but the defendant refused to make room for them to pass on the right, but turned and laughed at the motorist.
The defendant stated that the road was too narrow for them to pass and that there was a deep ditch on the left. He signalled to them to pass on the left, but they declined. Had he so wished the defendant could have turned up another road to make way for those behind, instead of which he kept on past Bishopbridge, where the road became much wider. He still refused to let Mr Nainby and his party pass.
Just then a policeman came in sight and Mr Jevons signalled to him to stop the trap. When the defendant caught sight of the "man in blue" he quickly drew to one side, but it was too late.
The Chairman said the bench had given every consideration to the case, and in their opinion an obstruction had been caused, but as that was the first case of its kind to come before them they would be lenient, so the defendant was fined 5s plus 6s/6d costs.
The secretary of the Lincolnshire Automobile Club said of the incident, "The case brought by Mr Nainby, Mr Parsons Wright and W,B.Jevons, three prominent members of the Lincolnshire Automobile Club, against the driver of the trap for obstructing them and stopping their progress while motoring will do much good. True the fine was a light one, being a first offence in the district, but we shall hear of no more cases round here. No other driver will dare block the road to motorists and jeer at them".