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Traffic Reform.

11th March 1909, Page 1
11th March 1909
Page 1
Page 2
Page 1, 11th March 1909 — Traffic Reform.
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The expected Local Government Board Order (England), for the purpose of rescinding Article IV (3) of the Motor Cars (Use and Construction) Order, 1904, is due to appear, and its publication will be welcomed by all motorcar owners and drivers. We directed attention to the present anomalous state of the law, in the course of a considered reference that was published in this journal seven weeks ago, since which date, as was duly announced by us (issue of the t8th ultimo), the Secretary for Scotland has excepted a tramcar from inclusion in the definition of " a carriage " in this respect. The Local Government Board for Ireland has apparently decided that no fresh Order is necessary, if we may judge from a recent reply which the Secretary of that Board addressed to the Secretary of the Motor Union, under cover of which communication tacit confirmation was given to the views of the Chief Commissioner of Police in Ireland. It is stated, in the course of that official's letter to a firm of Dublin solicitors, that " The police have at all times recognised that there are occasions when it is not Lrracticable for vehicles to pass trams with safety on the right or ofi side, especially in crowded thoroughfares, and in such cases they do not insist upon this course being taken. But, in such cases, drivers of following vehicles, if they pass on the left, do so on their own responsibility, and they must have due regard for the safety of passengers proceeding to and from the footway to the trams." Ws quite agree, in all instances, that any driver should have regard to the conditions of traffic at the moment, and no driver will, when the English Local Government Board amends its present regulation, be free to disregard the existence of tramcar passengers or other pedestrians on the highway, for the law of this country, that the pedestrian has a prescriptive right to the use of any thoroughfare, is unshaken, and it is pretty certain that the converse French law, under which a pedestrian who becomes involved in a street accident has to show good cause for his being on the roadway at all, is unlikely to find acceptance in the United Kingdom.

As soon as the looked-for Order is issued, the present legal obligation to remain behind a tramcar—if it cannot safely be overtaken on its off side--will be modified irs favor of the motor vehicle. It is, of course, only in areas where tramlines have been laid that the present difficulty arises, for the Highways Act of 1835 distinctly provides (Cap. so, Section 78) that it shall be an offence " If any person shall in any manner wilfully prevent any other person from passing him, or any wagon, cart or other carriage . . . or by negligence or misbehaviour pre.. vent, hinder or interrupt the free passage of any person. . . . or shall not keep his wagon, etc., on the left or near side of the road, for the purpose of allowing such passage." This section of the Highways Act should. at all times be sufficient to insure facilities for overtaking traffic, to which it most assuredly applies.

Army Transport.

The changed transport requirements of the army, whether it be marching or in action, are now very much in the public eye. It is true that interest in the tractor trials is limited to those who can look ahead, but the " man in the street " is attracted by the recent and imminent happenings in connection with the experimental use of motorbuses, anotorcabs and motorcars. The registration by commercial-motor owners of some 200 wagons and tractors, under the subvention scheme of the War Department, is testimony to a preparedness for activity in, but one quarter of several which are now being stirred. up. The General Motor Cab Company is arranging a modified subvention scheme, and the Automobile Association, at the instance of Mr. Arthur du Cros, M.P., is. bringing its members into line for a demonstration run to and from Hastings on the 17th instant. It is stated' that, for the purposes of the last-named test, " Loci() men,. with machine guns, ammunition, medical stores, tools,. food, water, baggage, blankets and other impedimenta, amounting to some 31) Ions." are to be taken to the South. Coast, but we seriously doubt if this can be done without partial recourse to heavy transport. The flying battalion of motor-borne Guards must be concurrently supported by its guns, presumably with ammunition and transport therefor. Is this to be the case? If not, we shall he forced to regard the display as a work of supererogation ;• if so, we shall not look for a speed performance in excess7 of that which might be more economically secured with motorbuses. The effective point-to-point speed of a column is that of its slowest unit. None the less, at a time when mechanical transport for the Army is held to be under investigation, we should be loth to throw cold water upon any proposition, or to say that no useful inferences can be drawn from any experiment, and for that reason we trust the proceedings on Wednesday next will lead to the discovery of some fact which has not hitherto, been appreciated in connection with the use and capabilities of the ordinary touring car. Apropos the organisation of army transport, wc have pleasure in publishing in exteuso, hereunder, the latest conditions for recruiting the Mechanical Transport Section of the Army Service Corps. These revised conditions were issued a few days ago, and we understand that there is a not inconsiderable shortage of drivers and artilicers. The rates of pay may not, at first sight, appear attractive to trained men, in comparison with those which are obtainable in civilian work, but the opportunities for rapid advancement are very bright just now when this branch of the service is being rapidly extended, and when new depots are about to be established. It appears to us, however, that the officers in charge have an immensely difficult task before them, because only a small proportion of really good men is likely to be prompted

by a spirit of military ardour to accept the rates of pay. We do not wish to suggest that there are not a few compensating advantages, such as a month's clear holiday (with pay) each year, and occasional short leave in addition, but we are confident that it would be an economical and sound step were the Army Council temporarily to approve higher rates of pay for, say, a period of two or three years, in special cases. As soon as this policy resulted in the securing of enough men to act as a teaching nucleus, and to set a sufficiently high standard for those who came in afterwards, the published rates might apply to all recruits. Any money so expended would be returned many times over, in the greater efficiency of the running and maintenance departments, and in the value of the better-paid men as instructors.


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