Bird's eye view
Page 39
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* Sober reflection
For transport journalists the coming of winter is marked not by the falling leaves but by the onset of social functions organized both by the trade associations and the manufacturing industry. And very useful— and enjoyable—occasions they usually turn out to be.
The Oldham annual dinner was one such attended by your scribe recently, where Orlando Oldham, in one of his typically carefully prepared speeches warned of the great change taking place on the battery scene, with new distribution methods—on the American pattern—being introduced.
Another event was the Garage Equipment Association's annual "do", with chairman Jack Bushnell conducting things in masterly fashion. A visitor from South Africa, Karel Bos, paid a glowing tribute to the GEA.
I pass on a rather nice little story by a comedian at the GEA dinner, and leave you to fault the logic: "I'm told that 10 per cent of road accidents are caused by drunken drivers, which mean that 90 per cent of all accidents are caused by sober drivers. The Government should be trying to get the sober drivers off the road. . . then the drunks could drive home in safety!"
*Hospitality on Humberside
Those in the vicinity of the top table were fairly dazzled by the many official badges that flashed and glittered at the TRTA dinner in Hull last week. The holders included Thomas Burt, RHA Hull area chairman, Bert Utley, TRTA Yorkshire divisional chairman, J. R. Fewlass, Institute of Transport Humberside chairman, and C. A. Wise, Hull Junior Chamber of Commerce and Shipping president. With many other notabilities on his list W. A. Grubb, TRTA Hull area vice-chairman, had plenty of scope for quick-fire welcome. There were good wishes for H. E. Robson, the Yorkshire Licensing Authority, on his impending departure from the Traffic Area.
Bill Hope, formerly TRTA Hull secretary, was there in his role of secretary to Hull Incorporated Chamber of Commerce and Shipping. As usual there was a capacity crowd, 236 this time, including a contmgent from the newly developed Scarborough district.
*Bad manners
It may be that with the change in legislation, there will be a change in the pattern of behaviour in the licensing courts. At an inquiry in Darlington last week, the Northern Licensing Authority, John Hanlon, on learning that an applicant had failed to put in an appearance remarked ruefully that it was the 15th occasion in his courts that month where objectors had been present but the applicant had failed to attend. He said he did not know what an LA was supposed to do since he had no means of broadcasting his displeasure when the people were not present.
* Second revolution?
If a film is called The World Thinks Tomorrow, which city do you think it might refer to? Manchester? Right. In fact it's the title of a Shell-Mex film which, tracing -the change in the North West since the industrial revolution, examines the possibility that this part of Britain could be on the verge of a transport-based second industrial revolution.
The film's showing last week drew an impressive audience of motor industry top brass, and I was very pleased to hear Standard-Triumph's Lyndon Mills declare, in response to the introduction by T. R. Grieve of Shell-Mex and BP, that he had nothing but admiration for the quality of films presented year after year by Shell. Amen to that.
* UNO who
The ubiquitous Monty Pritchard, chairman and m.d. of Perkins, is in Zagreb, I see, lecturing to representatives of developing countries, under the United Nations aegis, on special aspects of export production. He's doing it at the invitation of the UK government, which makes his selfdescription of "part engineer, part diplomat" even more appropriate.
The Perkins group internationally sells over 85 per cent of its diesels in export markets, which is a pretty good reason for selecting a Perkins executive for the lectures, but Monty himself is an even better reason, as he's been a driving force in every aspect of exporting and always seems to be whistling round the world. Last time I met him—in Amsterdam, I think—he was telling me how he'd got to explain to Mrs. P. on his arrival home that, contrary to ex pectations, he'd simply called in to pick some things up on the way to another distant appointment. That "diplomat" tag must come in handy in more ways than one.
* Record fare
Bus rides are getting more expensive these days, but! shouldn't be surprised if a Warrington man has set a world record— unfortunately it can't be ratified! And whether a corporation or a Crosville vehicle was concerned! can't say.
This is the story told by Warrington museum director, Mr. J. R. Rimmer. A man called on him to show him two unusual pennies, but putting his hand in his pocket realized he must have paid his bus fare with them.
What were the coins? Two I933-minted pennies, only six or seven of which were struck by the Royal Mint. Their value? Well, one such coin fetched £30,000 at an auction recently.
*Lane leapers
I have yet to hear of a court case against a British motorist for using the bus-only lanes which are now popping up here and there. Perhaps this accounts for the general con tempt with which these lanes are treated. I have noticed that the crafty regulars on Vauxhall Bridge use the bus lane (which is down the centre of the bridge, and is reserved only during peak traffic hours) as a means of overtaking the two "legal" streams of traffic. They whistle down the centre of the bridge at a rate of knots and then cut in at the lights.
Personally I am no great supporter of bus lanes of this type, which seem to me to be a potentially enormous waste of road space.
For the benefit of any lane-jumpers among my readers, let me tell you that action would be taken against motorists under the Greater London experimental traffic order, made under Section 9a of the Road Traffic Regulations Act.