Glazebrook v. West End St. Ry. Co.

• Decision Date: 29 November 1893
• Parties: GLAZEBROOK v. WEST END ST. RY. CO.
• Court: United States State Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts Supreme Court

160 Mass. 239

35 N.E. 553

GLAZEBROOK v. WEST END ST. RY. CO.

Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, Middlesex.

November 29, 1893

COUNSEL Gorely & Newton, for plaintiff.

William B. Sprout, for defendant.

MORTON, J.

We think the instructions that were given were correct, and that those requested by the plaintiff were rightly refused. The plaintiff was driving with the nigh wheels of his wagon in one of the rails of one of the defendant's tracks. There was space enough for him to drive on the outside of the tracks without danger of collision with the cars. The evidence was contradictory whether he attempted to get out of the rail or drive straight ahead till the wagon and car collided. His view of the approaching car was unobstructed, and there was nothing to prevent him from turning out. The driver of the car had a right to assume that he would turn out seasonably. When the driver became aware that the plaintiff was not going to turn out, it was his duty to do what he reasonably could to avoid a collision. The jury were so instructed, and may have found so. The jury were also rightly instructed that the plaintiff could not recover if the accident was due to his own negligence, and that, if he was where he ought not to have been, but was not negligent in being there, the driver was bound to do what he reasonably could to prevent injury to him. Exceptions overruled.