THE MOTOR AND CYCLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 263, 16 April 1915, Page 2

THE MOTOR AND CYCLE.

NEWS AND NOTES. With the growth of traffic all over tlie world increasing, t'.io report of the London trailic bruiiij of the Hoard of Trade attracts increasing attention. . She report recently published, deals comparatively with four consecutive years ending 1913, and is apparently a 'belated one; but such is not the case: there ia 80 much detail to be arranged and otherwise considered. The report contains an attempt to solve the problem of the relative danger of different classes of vehicles, and works out from the available data what is termed a "coefficient of danger" in this way: Figures are obtained for the percentage 01 traffic ,of each class of vehicle, and for the percentage of accidents caused by each, class. By dividing the percentage of accidents caused by the percentage of traffic for any particular type of vehicle, a figure is obtained whicli is, roughly, tlie comparative danger of that type, and is called the co-efficient of danger. The conclusion to .be gatheied from the report is that the motor is almost twice as dangerous as horsedrawn vehicles. But one great factor ia omitted. It is a first princinle in any calculation of percentage of traific that the factor to be considered must not be the number of vehicles of a certain class in use, I>iit the total mileage of the given class. For example, if one hundred horsed vehicles meet With three accidents in the course of a year and one hundred motor vehicles meet with a similar number, the comparative danger will not l)e the same for each, if the motors have covered five times as much ground as the horses, and to enlarge upon this is superfluous. But a point also to foe considered is that a larger number of accidents caused by horsedrawn vehicles fail to come to the notice of the police, simply because they cause leas commotion than motor accidents. Another point Ls that where an accident occurs by reason of a collision between a motor and a horse-drawn vehicle (judging from the general' practice 'and modes of report in such cases, ami in absence of inlonnation to the contrary),; it is not too much to assume that the mishap is classed as a "motor accident." At the same time, of course, it is idle to deny that motor accidents are more numerous than forrnerlv|, hut that is due to a very large extent to tlie multiplication of tlie number of motor vehicles in use. / In connection with the widespread methods of finding the necessarv money for t'.ieir construction, the Car (London) says:—"The doctrine of justice would] lead one to suppose that there should he no delay in enacting a law to the effect that all who use the road should pay for tlie road. Yet, there are many difficulties in incorporating such a principle on the Statute Book. Although the majority of road reformers have advocated it for years, it seems as if we shall continue on tlie present linej until, ' by the disappearance of all other forms of traffic, the owner of a motor vehicle j will automatically become the only user j of the road as well as the chief contri- J 'butor of locomotion taxes. Let us hope ( that he then will be in a position to enforce his claim that the roads of the country shall receive their rightful share of attention from our administrative •bodies.' This view of the quostion of I highway finance takes the form of a.j demand for a general tax. {

Britishers liave often Tjcen criticised for thoir sporting proclivities and for not taking life more seriously, and J)ct, it is claimed, this very characteristic is proving one of our greatest national assets in the present crisis. The marvellous development of sport of all kinds during the past three or four generations led Continental nations to ibelieve that the Britisher was decadent. The development of motoring in every shane and form has played a vcrv vital part in enabling the nation to meet the present emergency. For years the motorists have taken part in competitions and trials of all descriptions which nop'led pluck, determination and initiative. And these are the men who arc now driving armored cars, ambulances motor waggons and such like, or who are engaged in scouting or despatch work. In the latter category must he included hundreds of motor cyclists, who were once regarded as a rceiUess and daring class, but now are turning those characteristics to good account. There is a knack, almost an art, in :ir.d the comparatively iiic-NiH ncnced driver who lias mastered .ii'-ehanging v.-.ill a leather cone or single-plate clutch, may find himself puz/.led when lie first takes the wheel of a car with a multiple-disc clutch. Tie is likely to find Ihat changing down is niMcv than usual, hut lie may utterly fail to obtain a neat and quiet, "change up." The reason is very simple. A very slight pressure oil the pedal suffices to separate the surfaces of the leather cone, or the single-plate, but genile pressure on the pedal of a muli : - ple-disc clutch leaves the plates connected by a film of clinging oil. Consequently, the change up with such a clutch can only be silent if the foot l.ft thrust very firmly down on the pedal. ( hanging down, therefore, is simplified, been use the gentle pressure customary with a leather clutch merely causes a multiple-disc to slip, and so helps to.sustain that momentary acceleration which is desirable for moving into lower g^ar. The question of the four-wheel drive for motor-can's, and also the braking oil all wheels, are matters engaging the attention of motor manufacturers en both sides of the I'acilic; some, in fact, are striving also to include a system of steering with flic four wheels, and if these ihruj features are incorporated in the future car, it will, as a. vehicle, be the most easily manipulated machine on the roads- Xo donbt the combined sys-tems--driving, breaking and steering, might lead to seine complications, but there are very great advantages accruing. It reduces the risk of skidding and slide slipping, not only because the drive is taken on all four wheels, but l.ocau-io of the brakes acting similarly also. Ki>r hea.\ v traction vehicles on bad roads ax for on the finds of battle, sue]] a machine would hare many advantages, for the fonr-wh-el drive reduces the risk of in mud of (.day, for "there is a berter ehance of bi'iiv: aide to pull out w' liout c:'tr:i:H''iu;-; aid. !!"f<*renee was r-viit-ly made io a. wn.!ipi!i of American manufaetmv which '--mbodied all the above features. and \>riTt'h has boon in nso by (ho mililary authorities in the I'niied Stales for som" time, and has •riven ;.rreat sat isfaei io-i in districts where the roads are not worthy of the name. (lnlte a number of those vehicles at'' 1 also supplied to the. b'd]<;:;Triits in Kurope, and, no doubt, later mi, finable data will be supplied as *,vvards their capabilities, which ultimately may lead to the system ada-p'ed to all oilier types of motors. Owin;.; to the slreiiuoiis ooinlil inns. the life of a. motor ei the front rarely exceeds a iimi'l 1 !. v-V'-n ii must be overhauled and ; I-: S:ill (hen is no help >'.\v . '! 'i ' ''Hior !s the only 'iiiele j ii;i t: will seno nowadays. and

till Ml." h (111' i.: I , ri:11 lis. rlliri i(U (lii' s;-ci'iH'-i'. In onl'T, lio.v--li'.l'llll I'.li:."l'Vr (111 lr IT-.-milVi'S .as miaii a;-; tli.' Allii's in l-Ya:;;-!' riH'i'r.l!'; iirpn-i'il :i spri'd limit fur nio'.an' v,;iK"!!:; uf 1:1 ::i;!"s ;ier !nmr. w'iHi will, it is |i'ii;'.tlnii their us»>!;il life materially. Cn-tkiigps of spring r:'l! frr ;i sever:' lvuaiid fur (lie 'Vst. ami in!' llir m'cimt!, «niii-ro.;r-