CROSSING SIGNALS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20091, 21 November 1930, Page 4

CROSSING SIGNALS.

In deciding to abolish the use ct ! green flags at level crossings, the General Manager of the New Zealand Railways (Mr H. 11. Sterling) has acted wisely. Uvon a child has been taught to associate red with danger, and just why gr&en should be selected to indicate the presence of a train at a crossing, instead of red, has always been a mosytery to motorist's. Whcil tramears are approaching certain crossings overhead signnls advise the motormen whether or not it is safe to go ' over thorn. In this case red means danger and green all clear. The HailWay Department has argued that tho presence or a crossing keeper with a flag or any colour rhould lx- .sufficient intimation that the lino was not clear, and it has also stated that the green flag or light was used for tho convenience of drivers) of approaching trains. If these men" were to see a red flag or light they Would naturally think that tho line was not clear, it was claimed. The practice has been the subject of numerous arguments extending over a period of years, but although the RailWay Department was frequently approached it would do nothing to remedy the position. However, it is gratifying to learn that a change is to bo made as from the beginning of next tnonth. It is safe to say that it will be appreciated by all motorists. HEADLIGHTS. Is it not about time that something was done to reduce tho strength of headlights to be seen on no many cars in and about G'hristchurcht While there can be no doubt that in the country such lights aro a great advantage to those in the cars equipped with them, it must not be forgotten that they cause considerable inconvenience to people in cars coming from tho opposite direction. The concrete and bitumen roads Which are being formed all over tho province are only 18 fect in width, which means that there 13 not much to come and go on if one wishes to avoid a collision with another vehicle. If one is in a car, the lighting system of which is not of the best, and a car carrying extra powerful lights is approaching, there is only one thing to do-—keep as close to the outer edge of the road as possible and to eneuro that one is able to do this it is necessary to keep one's eyes fixed on the edge. It must be admitted that there aro far too many cars running through the streets of the City fitted with lights much too strong for the purpose. Most of our streets aro tolerably well lighted so that there is no need for undimmed lights to be used. Home of the head lamps are so strong as to throw a beam Of light nearly 50 yards lung. The occasions upon which such powerful lights are neeoesary nro so rare as to suggest that except for special work such lamps should not be attached to cars at all. Another point fo bo considered—this time from tho point of view of tho driver of cars so lighted—is tha great amount of strain thf-y put on the battery.

COLOUB-ELIND DRIVERS. , Tho installation 01 the automatic U-af- | fic control system at the intersection of j Colombo and Cashel streets raises the j question of whether toloUf-blind motorist# should bo allowed to drive. Tho Byatem consists of three lights—grrcn for ''go," yellow for "caution," and tod for "stop." If a motorist 1b colourblind how can he know what the signals are? He might imagine red to be green, with tho result that when signalled to stop he would go on and perhaps collide with another motorist. Of courso a motorist .so affected need not go pa.st the intersection mentioned ar.d so avoid trouble, but if the system proves a success (as it has done in Other centres), and is multiplied in different parts of tho City, the need for good eyesight becomes apparent. Colourblindness is said to be much more prevalent than is generally imagined. If tho automatic signalling system is to bo a success, it will be necessary for motorists to be able to know at a glance what colours are showing. TYRE INTXATION. In spite of the number of times that they have been told how necessary it is for tyres to be correctly inflated, there are still numerous motorists who are content to guess at tyre pressures. It should bo pointed out to them that under-inflation presents a wide area of tyro to the road, thus increasing wear and friction. Under-inflation further causes a tyre to flex excessively, as a result of which internal friction and heat are set up. Tests with two sets of tyros correctly and incorrectly inilated were carried out some time ago, when it wag found that the under-inflated tyre provided 25 per cent, less mileage than its fellow. Over-inflation is just as harmful as under-inflation, although for ft tyre to be two or three pounds over the set pressure is not so bnd for it as a similar proportion of underinflation. Tests made of a car on a circular concrete trade with no banking, disclosed the fact that the tyros 011 the outside wors at an almost unbelievable rate as compared with those on the Inside. After covering 800 miles at an average speed of 25 miles per hour, tho outside tyres were worn away to tho canvas, while the inside tyres were hardly worn at all. This would appear to show that the skidding effect of the tyre on the outside of a turn has a strong bearing upon tyre life. NOTES. Motorics proceeding irom Christchurch towards ttangiora should be careful of the north brunch of the Waimakariri, where it is not bridged. A party who went out for the day on Sllldny Invf,. in cf nff the mnjn ,'ond, crossed the stream without difficulty the first time it lay across their route and also the second time. On the third occasion tlie water proved deeper, with the result that the car stopped in the centre of the stream. As the car was a light one, tho four members oi the party had no difficulty in pushing it to the other side, but before they could, do so they had to enter the Water, which was so deep as to reach the floorboards of the vehicle. The nor'-wester which was blowing soon dried the tvater from the spark plucs and elsewhere, and it was not 10112 before the car was bein-* driven along to tho hills. 0

The next quarterly meeting of the South Island Motor Union is to be held at Invercargill on December sth.

■ Roadster has received a copv of a non-fold.nr, .road map of the Island, containing not only every motor road hut also a table of distances. rhoro are eight pages in tho production and the continuity of the map is uninterrupted, each nade aftur the first carrying on from the point at which the previous page left off Tlie advantage of such a map j s that it t-nables u motorist to refer to it without the mconvonienc* of having to

spread a wide piece of pnper in front of him. The map is published by Messrs M:tnn, Mason. and t'o-mpflnv. at 2s (>d a copy.

One of the most useful and U'ast expensive camp trailers yet turned out lor the use of motorists in manufactured by Messrs C. Brain niit) Company. of Christchurch. When used simply as a trailer, it niny be utilised for the carriage of luggage, but when the spot 'has been arrived at where it is intended to stop for the night, or perhaps longer, the vehicle may be chftrtsiod within a few minutes into a home with two bunks, capable of providing accommodation for two adults and two children. The bunks when not used for such a purpose may be turned into either seats or tables, according tile side of the vehicle upon which it is wished to sit. To transform the vehicle from a trailer to n home, all that is necessary is to raise the sides, the action simultaneous] y elevating the canvas cover, which wiil keep out rain, a series of studs at the sides making the material fast and obviating nil risk of draughts

That Australia offers unlimited possibilities as one of the world's richest markets was an opinion expressed by Mr U A. feti-nnahan. president cf the Champion Spark Plug Company 'when he nniwuncM nlans for establishing a factory in Sydney. The company's bUKi'ip.ss (ins shown such satisfactory progress in countries throughout tl.'o th.it plans have been made for greatly increased operations in nil overseas markets. The Australian factory IS the first step toward the completioti of this expansion programme l;or m:my years.- Mr Stranahai. Mid, this world-known product hns been held in high esteem by the 4u*. tr.iiinn rnotorm- public. l» order to serve more promptly, this important but distant market we have formulated plans which will adequately take -J!', Readily increasing business in Austrul.a. Machinery im ci equipment for the new fnctoi-y are now being prepared for shipment to Sydney It- '. s planned f'so to supply the New Zealand market from the Australia factory. The new Australian company will be under ths direction of C A fr-poera, who ha# seen fourteen years' service with the Champion Company. Mr Speers during the past six years na S been connected with the export department at Sydr.ev. ue-