THE MOTOR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1458, 5 June 1912, Page 3

THE MOTOR.

(Br Aiiriiius.)

Traffic Regulations. I,'p to (.ho present time Ihe extent of Ihc traflie in the New Zealand towns lias not liinilc it very dangerous to allow a large liititmlc on tlm part of inolor anil hor.so drivers. Xow, however, there is apparent need for strict control of the traffic, especially in the four centres— Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin. ]t Wiis, therefore, a jileasant surprise to most of us when we read of the conference of delegates held a few days ago m Wellington to discuss the control of vehicle traffic, especially moter traffic. But, <if course, it is useless imposing regulations upon (lie motorist if the laky driver is to be allowed to continue to neglect to light up at dark or to .slumber on his seat. The u.se of (lie motor car has become, so general that it must now bo reckoned just as an important factor of the traffic as the horse and cart. Indeed, in large cities, (ho motor is established as the- conveyance, <if tlio day, Iwth for passengers and good.-, even to the extent of beating in economy the most up-to-d'ite tramway systems. The Right Side of the Road. The most important rule of the road is that everybody—whether riding, driving, or motoring—should be compelled to keep «u the. correct side. Attention to this fundamental rule, is essential it' driving is to be an.vthjjig but a continual nervetesting competition, tfo long as the current of tin.' traffic is running in tlio ono direction accidents are not frequent, but, as soon , as an impatient driver tries to corkscrew his way against a stream of vehicles comiiis in the opposite direction, an accident is not improbable. In narrow streets, Mich ns Willis Street, care, should, bo taken in passing a standing vehicle, and on no account should one. try to pass it by dodging over to the wrong side of the road unless they sec first that the way is absolutely clear du front and behind. From the motorist's point of view ono of the worst roads in Wellington is Adelaide Road about dusk on a winter evening, when tho smoke is hanging close to the ground. The road is packed with lumbering lorries which seldom, if ever, carry n light, and, having no* particular inclination for any *jde of the road, zig-zag about as they pass one another, or are passed. On a roiul as broad as this it should bo perfectly safe to travel at 20 miles an hour if the traffic were only regulated on each side of the train line. Fast driving is certainly dangerous if carried beyond a reasonable, degree, but, in well regulated cities, the motors travel at a much higher rate of speed than in ■Wellington. In London and Paris cars glide past, ono behind the other in a continual stream at a greater pace than is usual ill Willis Street, for instance. That is made safe simply because they are all going the same way. So it appears that better than gauging the pace of the traffic, regulate its position on the road. Tho police, therefore, might well l>e urged to exert themselves in upholding this essential rule, and not devote themselves entirely to speed-checking. As to the lighting of cars, there is not a great deal to be said, as one seldom sees a ear after dusk-not lit up. Two lights at least are the rule, find, in the town.-, sidelights might be permitted, as the dazzling headlights are frequently the cause of accidents. A fail-light .should also bo insisted upon, and =o fixed as to throw (he red light, to tho rear, and the white light on to the number plate. But motorists are. as a rule, particularly careful about their lamps, and, being so, it is essential that drivers of other vehicles should ha equally careful. -Four-wheel-ers and hansoms are seldom uulighted, but the express and lorry drivers are not so:-attentive. Perhaps because as they drive such a. heavy vehicle, they imagine that motorists-will take good-care not to pilo up an expensive car on such a. solid mass. Cyclists should look to themselves in this matter, for they are bound to get the worst of a collision, and should protect themselves by having a red, reflecting glass at the back to reflect any approaching light. Less Noise. As wo have at, last a body of capable men pledged to further the petrol machine, might ono suggest that among their regulations one pertaining to motor cycle silencers would not be out of place. Motor cycles havo long ceased to bo a novelty, and the irritating row which some of them make is becoming rather tiresome. There is no reason why the silencers of motor cycles should not umlTle the explosion* as the car silencer does. And tha habit of some cyclists of riding through tho town with the silencer open should be suppressed. Motor Legislation in England. It appears from the English papers that Captain Murray, M.P., is introducing a liilt to subdue street noises, and he directs his attack chiefly against motorists. The motor critic, of the "Illustrated London News" protests against such legislation. He .-ays: "I do not approve at all of many of the fearsome instruments of torture which are fitted as 'road-clearers,' but neither am 1 in favour of grandmotherly and repressive regulations. I have never used anything but thu ordinary motor horn of commerce on a car of mine, because 1 detest the raucous, strident tone of certain of the electric and mechanical devices. But, all the same. I object to being held up by tho roadside by a policeman with a tuning fork, the while lie endeavours to ascertain whether the note of my alarm is that of F sharp, which is legal, or B flat, which is forbidden. It passes comprehension why the motor vehiclo should once more be selected for special treatment in the matter of noises, when there are so many other vehicles which are far worse offenders in this respect, such a≤ traction engines, tumbrils, railway vans, etc." The Charley Patent. It is reported that the Charley .Voters, Ltd., tho .Melbourne 'Company,"which is handling tho Charley Patent Eriuipn'se Car Suspension—which is claimed to do away with the necessity of pneumatic tyres—have just contracted with a Molbourno syndicate for the supply of worth of motor-cars, the delivery to be spread over a. period of 15 ninths. A deposit of JJ'Jo.OOO is stated to have been paid. This big transaction is the result of satisfactory trials that l-avc ieceutly Ikcii given in Melbourne, villi a car fitted with the "Charley" suspension. There is no doubt that some I'jcakish things can be dono with this new suspension. A writer in another journal states that ho was on board a "Charley" when it was turned at right angles to" a gutter, and driven at a pace of eight miles an hour straight at tho surbstono without any shock! It mounted the lootpath, crossed a vacant ilicco of ground strewn with bricks and down over another, curbstone and gutter on to the road again without a. bump. The cur weighed SOcwt., and was shod with throoiuch solid rubber tyres-; Thero is no doubt the "Charley" suspension leaves a favourable impression after a trial run, particularly regarding tho manner in which it absorbs bumps, but there are several important points that havo yet to bo determined, namely', what extra power-if any—will bo required tivdrhe a "Clnrley* car shod pith solids as against the pneunuitic-lyml standard type car? Will tho mechanism :iiid wheels stand up lo continual use and wear, and will there bo a limit lo tho speed of a "Charley" shod with solids? If the new suspcsijiin demonstrates that there is no material loss of power and speed, and no great increase in wear and noise, then Ihc patentees hiive a. wonderful proposition lo handle, iind one that will have its influence on the motoring industry of the world. A New Zealand Motor Cyclist. This year tho annual Paris-Houbaix lioad Raw*—the equivalent of the D'nilop Warrnambool to Melbourne road eventdrew a Held of 118 riders, these including most of tho leading cracks of France. The race went to a. now man, in (.-rupelandt, who won by two lengths, in 8 hours 30 minutes. Tho distance of the two events is the same. 105 mil«s. V. d'Sliea (New Zealand), who won the blue riband in the last Warrnambool to Melbourne event, took 8 hours 18 minutes 4tsec, but, on several former nceasuns, fully u hundred Australian riders have ridden tho Wairnnmbool courso under 8' hours.