CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 61, 14 March 1913, Page 7

CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

THE SCARCITY OF PETROL. Undoubtedly the real cause of the high price of petrol is to be found in the fact that the world is now consuming more petrol than is being got out of the earth. In other words, the leinand has overtaken the supply, and consumers are living on their capital, so to speak, so far as petrol is concerned. The more the statistical position is studied', the more evident it becomes that the present shortage is simply a natural economic phenomenon, and is not the result of any artificial scarcity created by designing combines and trusts. The existence of monopolist organisations may ho a grave evil, but unless that we as-

sume the combines, which are the popular scapegoats of this controversy, are either restricting production or piling up hidden stores, we cannot justly uold them responsible for the present state of affairs. So far as we are aware, there is no reason to suppose .hat the production is being intentionally restricted. The main object of the trusts is to make the largest possible profits, and under present conditions the prices obtainable for the oil they produce are so favourable that it is really* in their interest to sell as freely aS possible, more especially as every gallon they have to dispose of is readily absorbed. The suggestion chat stocks are being secretly accnmulted and held back for higher prices is hardly credible, for the all-sufficient reason that in the present propitious ■or.diton tff the petrol market it would scarcely be a business proposition to : ncur the expense involved in providing additional storage accommodation. Wo are therefore forced to the conclusion that tiie existing state of affairs is not the outcome of the malign jperations of the trusts, hut is solely l ie to the continued excess of consumption over supplies.

LEFT OR RIGHT? The question of placing the steering wheel on the left hand side of che car is being debated once more, ft is said that in 3o per cent of the cars made in America the wheel is so placed; but the custom has not caught on elsewhere, and the consensus of >pinion is certainly against it in those countries where the rule of the road is to keep to the left. The system would certainly facilitate the fitting of the control levers between the driver and the passenger, and thus give free access to the front seat from both :ides. This, of course, could also be •arried out with the driver sitting on che right side, but that means that che change speed gear and brake levers would have to be operated by the left hand. As regards the brake, no difficulty could occur, but very few men can change gear with as much certainty with the left hand as with the right, though possibly in process of time they would learn to do so.

Personally, we do not think there is much between the two systems. When overtaking a vehicle, steering from the left hand side is more convenient, enabling the driver to calculate more ■losely the necessary margin for safety. Also, it gives a better chance after .lark of following the near side of the kerb closely and of avoiding pedestrians and cyclists who are walking at die left side of the road. The right hand position, however, is more suitI hie when passing approaching vehi■les. In this case, however, there is as a rule plenty of margin, and the same necessity for passing at close quarters does not exist as when overtaking a vehicle.