Motor and Cycle

Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 62

Motor and Cycle

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DEMON.

“People had better take warning from this case, which is the first of its kind brought in Christchurch,” stated Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., in the Traffic Court at Christchurch, when dealing with an offender who proceeded against the automatic traffic signal in Colombo street. “ There are still a few people who do not take any notice of the signals, and the sooner they realise that the signals must be obeyed the better.”

“ A is a well-known fact that women have no idea of speed when they are m control of a motor car,” stated counsel during the hearing of a traffic case/in the Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch. Trials conducted by the Automobile Association had shown that the great difficulty with women drivers was that they were unable to judge whether they were going too fast or too slow. He thought- that a competent woman driver was 'always exceptionally reliable, however. In courts bf law motorists almost invariably say, “ I was travelling at 15 miles an hour.” Such evidence probably actuated Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., in commenting on speed at an inquest held ir, Auckland recently (says the Star). A witness told the old, old story that he ■was travelling at 15 miles an hour. “ That seems to be the conventional speed of every motor cyclist and every other motorist,” sceptically remarked the coroner.

Giving evidence at the sitting of the Arbitration Court at Blenheim a garage proprietor stated that though his petrol turnover was less than 2500 gallons a month, he was forced to maintain six pumps, because of the fancies of different customers for a particular brand of motor spirit (reports the Express). His Honor Mr Justice Frazer: “I suppose one man insists on spirit, and one . though it is known that both come out of the one storage tank? ” The witness said he had had many instances of that.

EIGHT-WHEELED VEHICLE. An English firm with a reputation for commercial vehicles recently brought out an articulated truck for useful loads of up to 40 tons. Primarily the wagon is intended for the conveyance from works to site of large indivisible pieces of heavy machinery, such as electric transformers, generators, etc. It has eight road wheels on solid tyres, with an arrangement whereby the four rear wheels can be detached, enabling the rear of the platform to be dropped, furnishing a ramp for loading purposes. The . power unit develops approximately 80 b.h.p. at 1800 r.p.m. HEAVY POWER UNITS. Within the past two or three years many notable changes have heen taking place in the car designs (engine and body) of Continental cars. As is well known, the eight-cylinder engine has replaced the six and the four in certain popular care of European make, and the tendency towards the higher-powered engines seems to be spreading. According to a report in a recent' issue of the British automobile trade journal, Motor Transport, one of the outstanding features of the Berlin show was the increased use that is being made of large capacity power units, particularly for the larger types of vehicle. While the tendency in Great Britain is to fit high-efficiency engines that, in order to produce the required power, are run normally at high speeds, the Germans are now following the opposite course. Their policy is to use a large engine capable of producing, in some cases, as much as 150 h.p., but running normally at speeds of no more than 1000 r.p.m., the necessary „ road speed on the level being obtained by geared-up top speeds or over-speed gear boxes. The Germans claim for these big engines and high gears that, although a great reserve of power is always available, the normal speed of the engine is such as to make for a great saving in fuel and oil, and a reduction in engine maintenance costs.

THE “ ENGINE-IN-REAR ” AEROPLANE.

In view of the suggestions that have been made from time to time that future development will result in the production : of a great many motor cars with the engine at the rear of the body, it is of interest to note that certain British and European manufacturers of aircraft are investigating the possibility of a return to the “ pusher ” type of aeroplane for commercial and private flying. The advantages, of placing, the engine and propeller behind the pilot and passengers in an aeroplane are .that both noise and the intensity of the air-draught in flight are greatly reduced, while the personnel of the machine also escape the possibility of being splashed with oil from the engine. The advantage of comparative freedom from engine noise. is undoubtedly of more importance than it is in the motor car, as an aeroplane engine cannot be silenced without greatly impairing the all important power-weight ratio. It seems less likely, however, that this innovation will be widely adopted on aircraft than it will on motor cars. The pusher type of aeroplane is open to the serious disadvantage that in the event of a nose down crash resulting from a low altitude stall, pilot and passengers are exposed to the full impact with the ground, while there is also the grave danger of their being crushed, by the engine as the fuselage of the machine collapses. Moreover, unless, the engine is placed well above the fuselage—in which position it usually impairs aerodynamic stability—-the trim .appearance of the modern tractor machine w cotnpleteAv lost in the " pusher.”

AUSTRALIAN MOTOR INDUSTRY. Striking evidence of the extensiveness of the Australian motor industry is supplied by the figures showing the number of persons employed. There are at present 650,000 motor cars, motor trucks, or motor lorries registered in the Comrnionwealth, and there are no fewer than 197,000 people directly employed in making, selling, maintaining, or operating these vehicles. The total number of railway employees in the Commonwealth is about 110,000.

Of employees in the motor industry*-' 125,000 are engaged .as of motor trucks, while 10,(100 "garages provide employment, for * an aggregate of 40,00 Q mejj. "'"Fuel companies employ 10,000 men, body builders 7000, tyre-i manufacturers 6000, while 4500 are usually engaged in the assembling and testing of new cars. Manufacturers of replacements and accessories employ 2500 hands, while spring makers and manufacturers of electrical equipment together employ 2000 men. At present about £5,500,000 is collected annually as petrol tax, while an additional £4,500,000 is collected as registration and licence fees. In ordinary times import duties on chassis and other parts, amount to £4,000,000 annually. It is estimated that of the 125,000 motor lorries registered in the Commonwealth more than 100,000 are operating directly or indirectly as feeders of the railways. OVERLOADING THE TYRE. Although such great strides have been made by manufacturers of motor tyres during the last decade, increasing the average mileage three to four times, there are still fundamentals that have an important bearing on the life of the motor tyre wheih are imperfectly understood by many drivers. It is pointed out by the

Dunlop-Perdriau Company that if a motor ear or motor truck is' overloaded even 10 per cent, there is a reduction of 17 per cent, in mileage; if carrying 20 per cent, overload, 30 per cent, of the potential mileage is lost; whilst if 30 per cent, too much weight is carried, the mileage is affected to the extent of 40 per cent.— definite evidence that it is false economy to overload tyres.

THE DIESEL MOTOR BUS. New forms of aviation motors now being used with considerable , success in Great Britain, Europe, and the United States by no means represent the only important recent developments in the application of the Diesel type engine to a dirigible vehicle. Experiments with this type of engine for use on the ordinary private car have proved highly encouraging in the United States, but in Great Britain the Crossley Company has just completed and delivered to the Manchester Corporation the first motor bus in Great Britain using a compression ignition engine. The vehicle is in no sense an experimental one, and its performance and economy in operation have proved so striking that additional vehicles of the same type are on order. The engine is a six-cylinder one, rated at 43.3 horse power, and developing about 85 horse power at 2000 revolutions a minute. It is said to be as smooth in operation and as easy to use as an ordinary petrol engine, and it has been fitted to a standard bus chassis without any alterations to that chassis. The fuel consumption is as favourable as 14 miles a gallon, a much better result than that obtainable with a petrol engine of similar power used in the same vehicle, and this fact, coupled with the much lower, price of crude'oil, indicates the operating economy which may be expected from the engine. There is every reason to hope that this engine will be the forerunner of a similar and smaller one suited for use on the private motor car. FOOT-OPERATED GEARS. Considering the wholesale adoption of foot-operated gear controls for road racing, it is rather surprising that this method, of gear operation has not come into more general use on standard machines. Its advantages are considerable. First, on the score of safety, it is far preferable to a hand control, since it enables both hands to be retained on the ’handlebars; secondly, since the right hand remains on the throttle, it gives quicker and better gear changing. Almost all who have tried this type of control would never consider reverting to hand operation. The difference in cost between the

two z types is negligible. Recognising these facts, it is desirable that where a foot change is not standardised designers should make provision for its fitting as optional equipment. EYESIGHT STANDARD. The eyesight requirements for motorists under the new Roads Tariffs Act in England demand the ability to read a motor car license plate at a distance of 25yds. It has been suggested that this method of testing eyesight is far better and less troublesome than the present method in New Zealand. Here the method is to use an optician’s testing card. Often this is hung in an indifferent light, and even people with excellent sight are unable to see the various rows of letters distinctly. The English test has the backing of the British Medical Association, which considers it adequate. NATIONAL RACE SCHEME. As a result of an. informal chat among famous British motor sportsmen-in an hotel at Monaco recently,Mt i a expected that before September an important suggestion wi_U_be placed before the Society of Mqtor Manufacturers and Traders, says the" News Chronicle. This suggestion is for the formation of a guarantee fund of £25,000 to build four British national cars to compete as a national team in world grand prix races. The proposal, a revival of an idea of three years ago, is for the entire British trade—car makers, tyre makers, and accessory firms—to contribute to a fund organised by the society, and for the society, if they approve the scheme, to appoint a famous engineer, unattached to any car firm, to design the engine, and another noted engineer to design the chassis. The society would select six of the foremost racing men to form the driving team. Views favouring a new form of graud prix will come before a meeting of the international body controlling racing. ISLE OF MAN EVENTS. Although the cabled reports of the Isle of Man T.T. meeting are very meagre, it is obvious-that the New Zealand representatives added nothing to the reputation of the Dominion (says the Auckland Star). Ben Bray and Howard Tollcv were entered, for all three events, the junior, the light-weight, and the senior. Both started in the junior events and both retired early with damaged machines.

Engine trouble, nature not stated, put Ben Bray out, and Tolley damaged the back wheel of his machine.

The cabled result of the light-weight event does not mention the New Zealanders, though Ben Bray was entered to ride. His name appears with that of Tolley among the also starteds in the senior race, but he lasted only five laps. Tolley did only two before engine trouble put him out of the running. . Odds against the inexperienced T.T. riders were heavy. Even in -the junior event, the average speed was 73.94 m.p.h. The average recorded by G. Walker in the light-weight dropped to 68.98, but that was a record for the class. Forty-two riders started. The great race, the senior tourist trophy, was won by P. Hunt on a Norton, which maintained an average speed of 77.9 m.p.h. Every lap-time was a record, and Hunt’s average time was over 3 m.p.h. better than the record put up by W. L. Handley, who won the event last year on a Rudge-Whitworth with an average speed of 74.26 m.p.h. The threat of foreign competition did not amount to much in the senior race. The ■ 56 machines which started represented the best products of the manufacturers of nine different countries, but noue of the foreign motor cycles could stand the strain of the seven times 38 miles race. After Hunt, on a Norton, came Guthrie and Woods, on similar machines, with Nott and Walker, on Rudge Whitworths, fourth and fifth respectively.

In a desperate endeavour to overtake the leaders, F. G. Hicks took a risk. His machine skidded and he died of injuries. He was one of the greatest of British motor cycle riders. In the French Grand Prix two years ago, when all the prizes were won by British riders, he took first place, and so had good claim to be considered the champion of all Great Britain’s motor cycle riders." SAFETY IN STREETS. ATTENTION BY BOY SCOUTS. As. an international organisation that is doing a-great work for its own generation by instilling high , ideals and a sense of civic duty, Boy'Scouts’ activities are of interest throughout the world. In accordance with their efforts to foster the welfare of their fellow-citizens and promote safety, many troop s of Boy Scouts have taken a pledge .regarding safety that might well be incorporated in the creed of all young and. old (says an American publishing section of a well-known firm).

This pledge includes the promise to cultivate safety ideals in the minds and hearts of others, and to assist public officials in every possible way to increase safety in motor traffic. The plan which has been devised by the Boy Scout Foundation of Greater New York and the Police Department has in it ideas which might be adopted in any community -by any group of citizens vitally interested in human welfare. Take, for instance, the matter of protecting children at street crossings. With the consent and approval of the principal of the school near crossings which need guarding, safety patrols of older students might be organised. The duties of such patrols will be at street crossings in the vicinity of school buildings. They will be on the job just after school is let out in the afternoon and just before it begins in the morning. Children who live in the city are unfortunate in that they do not have the facilities or places in which to play that suburban children enjoy. To help such a condition and reduce the number of child accidents, side stre'ets which do not carry heavy traffic, have been set aside for the exclusive use of children at play. No vehicles pass through. However, such reserved sections of the city streets do not occur in liberal quantity, and many hundreds of children find themselves at play on streets through which there is continual passing of traffic. They should be taught to restrict their play to the sidewalks only and never to cross the streets by themselves. The Boy Scouts have been taught a rule which is excellent and can be easily implanted in the minds of other children. It pertains to the crossing of thoroughfares and reads : “When crossing a street, cross only a regular crossing, go straight across, but before crossing always look first to the left and then to the right for approaching vehicles and allow safe distance when crossing ahead of traffic. Watch for and obey the traffic officer.” Street cars present a source of danger. Automobile drivers should not approach within eight feet of the entrance of the car and should wait until passengers have gained the sidewalk. Persons on foot should never walk around, behind or in front of a standing car or other vehicle until they make sure nothing approaches on the other side. Stealing rides by “ hitching on ” behind motor cars while on roller skates, bicycles, etc., is the delight of many a boy. But it is an exceedingly dangerous practice, and a frequent cause of serious injury. Sometimes the boys fall from the vehicles they are in motion, sometimes they slip while holding on, and can be struck by a car following behind, which often does not have time enough to stop, and avoid an accident. Begging rides is another practice that is discouraged by Boy Scouts for the welfare of boys who ask for rides as well as the occupants of the automobile. There is danger in being struck by other cars and of causing accidents by distracting the attention of the driver.

SCRAPPING OLD CARS. In the United States, with its teeming millions of cars, the problem of disposal of those which are worn out or completely wrecked is most pressing. In many’ cases owners of worn-out and worthless vehicles have abandoned them outside the limits of large towns and cities. To such an extent was this done in some States that it became a public nuisance, as the owners of property found large areas of their land encumbered by abandoned cars, and the difficulty and expense of removal and disposal devolved unon them. Levees for the strengthening of river banks were constructed of abandoned cars and trucks of this sort. It is even stated that in some cases barge loads ’of the old cars were towed to sea and sunk to get rid of them. Still the problem remained as acute as ever, and the overcrowded roads were made more dangerous owing to the unreliable character of a large proportion of the cars in use. In 1930 2,925,000 motor vehicles were scrapped, and a special “ junking plan ” adopted by the leading motor manufacturers was put into operation. It resulted in another 350,000 vehicles in an unsafe condition being removed from the roads. Most of the leading dealers in the United States are co-operating with the Highway Safety’ Programme in getting rid of these unsafe motor vehicles, and it is stated that 87 per cent, of those associated with the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce are participating i n the plan. Most of the manufacturers allow their dealers a stipulated allowance for a limited number of • .cars, which are demolished in the presence of the factory representative. One company, allows a flat rate of £4 for each complete car delivered to the company’s salvage plant. The manufacturers have also established a reserve fund into which from £1 to £2 a car is paid for each new car sold to distributors, and to the amount of that fund dealers are permitted to scrap old cars, on which they are reimbursed from £5 to £7 a car. It is anticipated that this y r ear will witness an even greater clearance of bld cars off the roads. The Ford Company has tackled the problem with characteristic thoroughness, and is operating at a profit a big plant which demolishes 400 old cars a day at Detroit. Provision is being made to install facilities throughout the United States for collecting old cars and shipping them to Detroit, where the salvage plant will be extended to enable it to handle 5000 cars a day.

RACING AT BROOKLANDS. The annual Double-Twelve Race at Brooklands, held on May 8 and 9, is probably the most gruelling race in the world, and this year the track broke.up under the strain, so that appalling stresses were imposed on chassis and bodywork of the competing cars. _ The handicap was such that weeks before the race a win by a 750 c.c. unsupercharged ear was regarded as a “sure thing.” ®The larger cars would have had to travel at almost impossible speeds to hold their own. To quote., a specific example, Sir Henry Birkih’s Bentley would have had to lap the course at 105 m.p.h. to equal in performance D. Higgin’s'M.G. Midget! As a result; the few large- cars' that started soon cracked up under the strain, and from the,very first lap a “baby" win

was assured. For a time interest was sustained by the fight between the Austin Sevens and the M.G. Midgets, but presently it became obvious that the former, after a long period of successful racing, had met more than their match. So, an hour or two after the start, the M.G’s held all the leading places. Nobody could keep up with them, and the race, as between individual cars, was no longer of any interest. Only the stern battle for the team prize, hotly contested by the Austin, M.G., Talbot, and Aston-Martin teams, went on for the whole of the 24 hours’ racing. Finally, the Earl of March’s team of M.G. Midgets had a welldeserved win. Although there was very little transmission trouble, many engines suffered from broken valves, valve-springs, pistons, and bearings. The tyres and springs stood up well, but shock-absorbers betrayed weaknesses. There were four non-starters. Lord Howe, who was to have driven a Mer-cedes-Benz, was ill on the day of the race and could not compete, while the Maserati, to be driven by Fronteras and Outlaw, was found to have a broken timing chain wheel just before the race. The other two were an Alfa-Romeo and one of the M.G. Midgets. Only two big cars were in the race, a Bentley and an Invicta, both of which encountered trouble.

From the start the Midgets proved the leaders, the unsupereharged models lapping at 68 miles an hour. At the end of 12 hours the Earl of March and C. 8. Staniland (M.G. Midget) were leading, with H. D. Parker and G. K. Cox second, R. Gibson and L. Fell third, and N. B'a -k and C. W. Fiennes fourth. The final results showed the Earl of March and Staniland first in their Midget, with similar cars second, third, fourth, fifth, six, and seventh. T. Rose-Richards and I. R. Cobb won class D with a Talbot, A. C. Bertelli and J. Bezzant were first in class F with an Aston-Martin, while A. F. Ashby and R. Pauling took class G. JUNIOR T.T. RACE. Once again (say e “Focus” in the Auckland Herald) misfortune has overtaken the Dominion’s representatives in the Isle of Man T.T. races, both Ben Bray and Howard Tolley having to retire with machine trouble in the Junior. Neither rider took part in the light-weight yesterday, but. both are scheduled to ride in the senior to-morrow. It is to be hoped that they will meet with more sue cess for although no serious hopes are entertained of their being placed, the opinion is general that one or both might, by steady riding, manage to annex one of the coveted replicas. Although only the barest results of the Junior have come to hand. P. Hunt evidently rode a great race to win at 73.94 miles an hour with his 350 c.c. Norton. It is understood that the machine was one of the overhead-camshaft type. How the other competitors fared is at present a matter for conjecture. ' It was generally known, however, that the Rudge people were making a great effort to repeat their performance of last year, when their machines finished first, second, and third. The Velocette team was also mounted on new and very fast models, which were expected to do great things on the Island. There were 47 entries for the Junior, but no foreign machines were entered, although several overseas riders took part. Mario Ghersi, the noted Italian competitor, was mounted on a New Imperial. The official list was as follows:—Velocette, 14 machines; Rudge, 6; Norton, 5; A.J.S., Excelsior, Raleigh, and Catton, 3 each; New Imperial, 2; S.G.S., 0.K., Supreme, Diamond, Newmount, and Douglas, 1 each. The official Norton team consisted of P. Hunt, S. Woods, J. H. Simpson, and J. Guthrie. The following is a table showing the Junior results since 1925:—

m.p.h. 1925— W. L. Handley (Rex-Acme) 65.02 1926— A. Bennett (Velocette) .. 66.70 1927— F. W. Dixon (H.R.D.) .. 67.19 1928 — A. Bennett, (Velocette) .. 68.65 1929— F. G. Hicks (Velocette) .. 69.71 1930 — H. G. Tyrrell-Smith (Rudge) 7,1.08 NUMBER PLATES REPAINTED. CHRISTCHURCH, June 22. The discovery of number plates that proved to be last year’s repainted and altered led to the appearance of Donald M'Kenzie, a motor cyclist, on a charge of using an unregistered motor cycle. The magistrate (Mr E. D. Mosley) imposed a fine of £2O, remarking that the offence was a deliberate fraud. INTOXICATED DRIVERS. LICENSE CANCELLED FOR TEN YEARS. WELLINGTON, June 26. In an aggravated case, of drink in connection with motor driving, Mr E. Page, S.M., to-day fined Robert Bruce M'Kinlay £5O, cancelled his license, and forbade renewal of it within 10 years. The defendant had previous convictions, and in addition his lorry collided with a pole after he was bailed out this morning. OFFENCE BY FARMER. ASHBURTON, June 26. A farmer named Hugh Keenan was fined £2O and had his license cancelled for two years for being intoxicated while in charge of a car *which collided with an electric power pole at Willowby. NEGLIGENT DRIVING. CLERGYMAN FINED £25. WELLINGTON, June 26. .As the result of a collision on tha Hutt road near Kaiwarra on Easter Monday afternoon last Canon Percival Ernest James was prosecuted in tha Police Court to-day for negligent driving, and was fined £25. Canon James, who had his wife and another relation in the car, had first swung out of the line of traffic and passed another car when the collision occurred between his Car and a motor cycle carrying two people who were severely injured. Canon James himself was also injured, and was absent from his duties for five weeks.

The magistrate, in reviewing the case, eaid he thought the real and effective cause of the accident was Canon James’s negligence in driving as he had on the wrong side of the road when the con ditions were not safe to do so. Mr Treadwell submitted that in the present case the mere fact that a con viction had been entered would be suf ficient penalty. The magistrate, how ever, said that two people had been injured, and might have been killed. The defendant’s act had clearly been negligent and dangerous. He would have to be fined a substantial amount. SPEEDWAY CONTESTS ENGLAND BEATS AUSTRALIA. LONDON, June 28. Enthusiastic onlookers packed the speedway track at Crystal Palace to watch the first test between England and Australia, which England won by 55 points to 37, her team work proving superior to the brilliant individualism of the Australians, w r ho were somewhat handicapped by accidents. “Vic” Huxley and D, Case won the first two heats, England winning the remaining six in the first half and leading by 30 to 15. ’ Huxley met Langton in the eighth heat after both had made the fastest times in the qualifying heats, but Huxley fell in the first lap.