Maybe Not Just a Pretty Face
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T ASKED the director of a Tees-side haulage concern if the opening of the Doncaster by-pass had speeded up vehicle operations and cut down costs. He answered in the negative and explained how, being a little curious about this, he had taken his car and, about an hour after three of his vehicles had departed for London, set out in pursuit of therm After traversing the whole of the new by-pass at maximum speed but not seeing a sign of them, he took the more laborious route through Doncaster and Bawtry. There, to his surprise, he came across the three vehicles, parked outside a transport café. Was it the food that had attracted them? No. In this case it was the pretty face of a waitress.
But, checking up on various pull-ups along the Al. recently, I found that the worst fears of café proprietors when the new roads had by-passed their premises had come to nought. In fact, in nearly every case, since the opening of by-passes, trade had increased. Is it that the boys get bored with by-passes, or, humanity being what it is, vehicle operating costs are to remain high because of the pretty faces of waitresses?
Unfraternal
A LOT is said these days about the necessity for give and take on the roads, particularly between commercial and private traffic, Generally speaking. I think the commercial 810
driver does more giving than the private road-user, simply because of the limitations of his vehicle in a tight corner. He is also less willing to "take chances" than the man whose livelihood is not earned behind a steering wheel.
But one thing which does infuriate the private motorist in town is to be held up needlessly, or for a longer period than necessary, while a commercial vehicle manceuvres. An example of what I mean happened the other day on the A2 trunk road on its entry into London. The driver of an eight-wheeler wanted to reverse out of a narrow side turning on to the Main id in order to retrace, presumably having lost his way. His te got out of the cab, and calmly stopped the rush-hour ffic in both directions, while the wagon was still 50 yards up side turning and not even in motion!
[he manceuvre took something over three minutes, during ich time about 300 yards of traffic had piled up in both ections. Most of the car drivers seemed to wait patiently nigh, but one wonders if this is good public relations. [his instance is not so bad, perhaps, as the situation which :urs many times a day in London, when a driver, having npletely blocked a side-street while he loads or off-loads, itinues to pass the time of day with his mates while drivers all types sit and fume.
3rvice Please
ERVICE is not always a strong point with garages these days. but fortunately there are many exceptions. I found one the ier day when I came to a stop with a split water hosekily, as it turned out, outside Kingsbury Motors, Ltd., rigsbury, N.W.9. Within five minutes a taxi had been tamed for my passenger who had an urgent appointment, 1, not having the water hose required, a man was sent out for • to the nearest stockist, who was some two miles away. ter a delay of only 45 minutes I was on my way again. Dther less-interested garages please note!
he Long Arm of the Law ?
WAS told recently, about a fellow who said that he could tot take a driving test because his arm wasn't long enough— d read in a road safety booklet that a driver must put his n out 20 yards before turning.