Rutowicz v. United Motor Coach Co.

261 Ill. App. 377, 1931 Ill. App. LEXIS 39
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedApril 15, 1931
DocketGen. No. 34,384
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 261 Ill. App. 377 (Rutowicz v. United Motor Coach Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rutowicz v. United Motor Coach Co., 261 Ill. App. 377, 1931 Ill. App. LEXIS 39 (Ill. Ct. App. 1931).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Hebel

delivered the opinion of the court.

This is an appeal from a judgment in the sum of $2,048, entered in the superior court upon the verdict of the jury in favor of the plaintiff, which judgment was entered by the court after overruling motions for a new trial and in arrest of judgment.

The declaration filed by the.plaintiff is based upon an action on the case to recover damages for personal injuries, the first count of which charges the defendant with general negligence in connection with the management and operation of its bus.

The second count is based upon the statutory provision to the effect that no person shall drive a motor .vehicle through portions of any incorporated city, town or village at a speed greater than is reasonable and proper, having regard to the traffic and use of the way, etc.

The third count is based upon a section of an ordinance of the City of Chicago contained in Municipal Code of 1922, section 3821, and alleges that the defendant violated the said ordinance by driving its bus on the left side of the highway so that it ran into and struck the automobile in which the plaintiff was riding.

The fourth and fifth counts were withdrawn by counsel for the plaintiff at the close of the plaintiff’s case. The fifth count set forth the injuries which the plaintiff claimed she sustained as a result of the accident in question. Such allegation was adopted in the preceding counts.

From the evidence it appears that the accident complained of occurred on July 22, 1928, on Sunday evening about 7:00 o’clock on the road known as the Northwest highway. This road runs from a point where it intersects Milwaukee Avenue in the northwest part of Chicago, in a westerly direction through the villages of Park Ridge, Arlington Heights, Palatine, Barrington, etc. It is the main highway in that direction to the forest preserves of Cook county, and is also one of the main routes to the Wisconsin lakes.

The route of the bus operated by the defendant, was from Milwaukee and Lawrence Avenues to Park Ridge and return, the distance one way being about six miles.

There were six passengers in the bus at the time of the accident, and it proceeded in a westerly direction following the line of traffic, running close to the north or right-hand curb as passengers entered and left the bus at any street intersection along the route that might be most convenient to them. Immediately ahead of the bus at the time was an automobile of the ordinary type, and ahead of the machine was a large truck, carrying a load of young people.

The bus was a large vehicle, weighing approximately 12,000 or 14,000 pounds. It was about 28 feet long and about 8 feet wide. It was equipped with a foot brake and also with an emergency brake, the lever of which was pushed forward when it was necessary to use the emergency. The tires on the bus were heavy pneumatics, 38x7 inches. The speed of the bus was controlled by a governor on the engine so that it could not exceed 30 miles per hour.

It is apparent from an examination of the record that there is a conflict in the evidence as to just hoW this accident occurred.

The evidence of the plaintiff’s witnesses is to the effect that the bus operated by the defendant was turned to the left out of the line of traffic in which it was moving, and collided with the car in which the plaintiff was injured. The traffic was heavy on the day in question, and a line of cars was going in the opposite direction. If the facts were as testified to by the witnesses for the plaintiff they would establish the negligence of the defendant in the operation of the bus.

On the other hand some of the witnesses for the defendant who were, passengers on the bus testified that the bus operated by .the defendant’s servant did not turn to the left at any time to pass other vehicles, and it is pointed out in the brief of the defendant that there were certain physical facts resulting from the collision, such as the damage to the left front wheel of the bus, and an exploded tire, that could have been caused only by the driver of the car in which the plaintiff was riding turning to the left and into defendant’s bus.

It is earnestly insisted by the defendant that the testimony of its witnesses tallied in every respect and was perfectly consistent; that, on the other hand, no two witnesses for the plaintiff told the same story. While this court will analyze the facts and determine whether the manifest weight of the evidence is against the verdict, the jury has certain functions under our theory of jury trials, one of which is to determine the weight of the evidence, and in doing so they must pass upon the credibility of the witnesses, apply to the facts the law as given in the written instructions by the court, and determine from the facts the issues between the parties.

We are unable to find from this record that the evidence of the plaintiff is utterly inconsistent with the physical facts, or that the jury was not warranted in finding the issues for the plaintiff.

It is urged by the defendant that the plaintiff was guilty of contributory negligence from the fact that when the bus was about 75 feet from the car operated by her husband she became “scared,” and that in failing to call her husband’s attention to the oncoming bus, she was guilty of negligence. It does not appear from the record that her husband did not see the approaching bus; in fact he testified that when the bus was about 75 feet ahead óf him it cut over to the left onto" the right of way of the automobile operated by him, and that at the time he turned to the right and applied the brakes. The plaintiff under such circumstances could not have aided the driver by an outcry from the back seat, which she occupied at the time. From the facts, the question of contributory negligence is one for the jury, and we are not inclined to disturb the verdict upon that ground.

It is further contended by the defendant that the plaintiff should not be permitted to recover upon the third count of her declaration, which is based upon section 3821 of the Municipal Court Code of 1922 of the City of Chicago, which is as follows:

“Vehicles meeting. In all cases of persons meeting each other in vehicles in any highway or thoroughfare or upon or near any bridge, each person so meeting shall in all cases turn off and go to the right side. ’ ’

It appears that on the trial the ordinance was read to the jury by counsel for the plaintiff, and that at the time of the accident, which occurred on July 22, 1928, this ordinance was not in force, for the reason that the traffic ordinances of the City of Chicago were revised by the city council in March, 1927, and the ordinance quoted is not in the Revised Traffic Regulations. We are of the opinion that the motion of the defendant to exclude this evidence and that the court direct a verdict of not guilty as to said count' of the plaintiff’s declaration, should have been allowed.

The question before us is, was the action of the trial court reversible error? The plaintiff under the evidence was entitled to have the cause submitted to the jury under the allegations of the first count of her declaration, which, in short, is a common law count alleging general negligence.

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Bluebook (online)
261 Ill. App. 377, 1931 Ill. App. LEXIS 39, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rutowicz-v-united-motor-coach-co-illappct-1931.