CYCLING AND MOTORING NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 96, 6 December 1911, Page 3

CYCLING AND MOTORING NOTES.

According to the ruling of Mr Justice A’.Beckett in the Melbourne Court General Sessions Inst week motorists were quite justilicd in passing tramcars on the off or right-hand side. He laid djown that a tramcar is a vehicle within The meaning of tlic Victorian Motor Car Act, and consequently a motorist was within Ids rights in passing it on the right-hand side. This may be law, but if it is to become a general practice for motorists in Victoria to pass trams on the off side—then look out for trouble. Anyone who has driven a car knows the danger and risk of slipping round the back of a moving tram with the chance of meeting another coming behind it in the opposite direction, and to obviate which a motorist would on many occasions have to drive right across the road into vehicle trafic coming in the opposite direction. There is no doubt urgent need that specific regulations should be passed that tramcars should be passed on the lefthand side when going in the same direction. It is absolutely necessary for the protection of the public and for the protection of motorists themselves. A certain motorist possessed a car with a gear box which consistently oozed grease and oil from sundry places. His experience, alas, was that of many motorists. He was not satisfied, but try as ho might he could find no preventive. By chance, one day, in replacing the cover plate on the gear box he lost one of the clamping studs, so he replaced the floorboards and drove away without it. Next day he had a look at his gear box, and to his surprise its exterior was wondrous net and clean. Casting round for some reason for this he became convinced that the absence of a stud in the cover plate was the direct cause of the improvement. The hole left by the absent stud, ho argued to himself, acted as a vent and somehow prevented the lubricant working through the shaft-bearings, etc. He assumes that since, when a car runs, the gear box heats up, it must cause the grease and oil to expand. Thus if there bo no vent the liquid makes some attempt to get out. Ergo, provide a vent and it will remain where it was meant to. The above is given for what it is worth, but motorists who have trouble with leaky gear boxes should easily be able to determine for themselves the success or otherwise of the suggested idea. It is worth trying, for it costs nothing. A well-known French engineer, in discussing the future of the petrol engine, expresses the belief that the two-cycle motor will eventually become supreme in aviation, and that the development arising from its perfection in this field will also lead to the same type of engine becoming general on motor cars. If we do nob wholly endorse this opinion, it must bo admitted that the most successful aviation motor is more likely to influence motor car practice than that the best car engine will load the fashion in aerial engines. The aeroplane sets up the most exacting test, and it allows the smallest margin of weight. When it has a motor as robust, and as reliable and smooth-run-ning,. as the modern high-grade car engine, and when with this is combined very low weight, and adaptability over a wide range of temperatures, we can hope to apply a similar motor to car work, provided that in fupl and oil there will not be the extravagance which now helps to make aviation so expensive. Wo will probably have to wait a considerable time for all these conditions to be complied with.