McGhee v. Birmingham News Co.
McGhee v. Birmingham News Co.
Opinion of the Court
The evidence shows without dispute, as is conceded by counsel for plaintiff, that the intestate was riding on this truck without the knowledge or consent- of defendant, or of the driver, Cornelius, and was therefore, in legal contemplation, a trespasser, pure and simple.
The mere fact that a trespasser on a vehicle wishes to alight, and the driver agrees to stop in order that he may do so, does not impose upon the driver, in the operation of the vehicle, the duty of ascertaining at each step of its operation the position of his trespassing passenger, whether safe or dangerous with respect to the ordinary movements of the car.
Having started for the curb, and being yet six feet away, and in motion, he was not bound to turn his head to observe.the movement': of the intestate, nor to anticipate that he would attempt to alight out in the street at that distance from the curb, and while the truck was still in motion. If the intestate had been a lawful passenger for hire, no such precautions would have been due him. Being a trespasser, the di’iver was, as to him and his safety, under no restraints in his mode of moving or stopping the truck, unless he knew that the intestate was in a position of peril in relation to the movement, contemplated — -in this case an increase in the speed of the truck, with some resulting jerk.
The evidence was in conflict, but, in whichever aspect the jury may-have viewed it, it was without any tendency to support an essential element of plaintiff’s case, and the jury were properly instructed, without hypothesis, to find against the plaintiff.
Affirmed.
Reference
- Cited By
- 10 cases
- Status
- Published