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Coach Accidents That Should Not Occur.

29th August 1922
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Page 1, 29th August 1922 — Coach Accidents That Should Not Occur.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

THERE have ' already been far too many motor coach accidents this season, and we say without hesitation that they should not happen. We have very little patience with such vague excuses as that the coach " got out of control," " the steering gear failed," or "the brakes refused to act." We have just as little use for the fulsome praise often given to the driver at ad inquiry that unfortunately often has to follow a bad mishap. We have frequently heard the remark, "The driver was a plucky one ; he stuck to his post ! " A driver can rarely do anything else, and his " pluck " should not be allowed to obscure the issue which in 95 per cent, of the cases is really, "Has there been neglect ? "

At this stage in the development of motor vehicle design and manufacture, faults in method and construction do not occur in such a manner as to produce these mysterious and inexplicable failures. If a brake fails, then we are prepared to say that that brake has been neglected. If a steering gear fails, inspection in garage has been woefully at fault. The testimony of a driver concerning the efficacy of the brakes on his coach should never be accepted except after . an inspection of the mechanism and a demonstration of the capacity of each brake separately to hold the vehicle on the steepest available decline. Drivers treat the question of the condition of their brakes with absurd and even criminal casualness, and even some of the best garage engineers do not fully realize the need for extreme care and thought in regard to the maintenance• of perfect adjustment—particularly of the cams which are used to operate one form of , transmission brake.

Coach chassis designers and makers should at once take this matter in hand. Brake gear requires to be made not only readily adjustable, but also foolproof, and with every vehicle there should be provided an illustrated instruction eard, for display in the garage, dealing with the adjustment of the brakes and the inspection of the steering gear. The runningaway of a passenger vehicle, either forward or backward must be rendered virtually impossible, and the makers must consider, when producing their designs, the weakness of human nature, and must seek to compel the proper maintenance of the brake gear and to provide automatic cheeks which shall hold a vehicle should neglect or error occur on the part of ,either garage engineer or driver.

This may seem to be a high standard to set, but, if its attainment is not aimed at, the public will begin to lose confidence in the motor coach, and the industry will suffer.

THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR Carelessness in Driving That Must Cease.

LINKEDup with this question of accidents to .motor coaches is the growing use, by large passenger vehicles, of roads which are not adequate or suitable for this class of traffic. Beautyspots and historical places often lie upon narrow highways, and there is a not unnatural wish to exploit-tG desire of the sightseer to visit such places, but the provision of suitable roads is, and must be, the first essential.

Useful lives have been lost because of the inclusion of a dangerous stretch of road in the itinerary of a coach trip, to be negotiated perhaps by a driver unfamiliar with the features of the particular stretch. Road authorities (with few exceptions) are doing all that is possible with the money at their disposal to improve the roads, to abolish dangerous curves and corners, and to render the highways more suitable for motor traffic which is increasing enormously. Wherever one may go throughout the country (again with only a few exceptions), one finds the roads being widened, gradients reduced and surfaces improved, but we do not observe any general improvement in the driving. Drivers of goods vehicles and of omnibuses are, on the whole, the most courteous and careful, but coach drivers do not behave equally as well. We are sorry to say this, but it is our studied opinion, whilst we are convinced that drivers in the country districts are less considerate or careful than those who work in and from the Metropolis. Unless there be a great improvement in the methods of drivers of coaches, and particularly upon narrow and winding roads, pressure will inevitably be put upon the Minister of Transport by other road users to secure a better observance of the amenities of the road.

The Development of the Bus Station.

THE CONSTANTLY increasing congestion at the busy centres of certain of those towns which act as terminals for motorbus services, owing to extensions in the _fleets operated, is seriously exercising the minds of their municipal authorities, as well as those of the buscompanies involved.

The available public spaces in the important spots are not only cramped, but in many instances are required at special times, such as market days, to act as parking grounds for the numerous vehicles brought into the towns by the country carriers, and for other vehicles used in the ordinary course of trade. The result is that the operation of manoeuvring the buses into position is becoming increasingly difficult and delays are• apt to be caused, whilst the passengers 'waiting for seats merely add to the confusion and are usually unprotected from inclement weather.

The solution of the difficulty appears to he the bus terminal station. It is too much to expect bus stations to be built at every important stopping point, but it will certainly be a very satisfactory development if suitable sites are obtained—and there is no doubt that-municipal authorities will co-operate with the bus companies in this respect—and welldesigned and equipped terminal stations built thereon.

In an article in this issue we deal with the first two bus stations which have been put into active operation, and although these have been opened but a short time very satisfactory results have already been obtained. In the case of the station at Maidstone, accommodation on the vehicles can be booked, so that the intending passengers can arrive just before the start and be certain of obtaining seats.

The New Lights on Vehicles Bill.

HERE seems to be some uncertainty with regard to the parentage of the Lights on Vehicles Bill presented to the House of Lords by Lord Wigan, but, as a Matter of fact, it has the whole support of the Minister of Transport. Carefully -scrutinizing the Bill and studying its provisions, we come to the conclusion that in drafting it considerable difficulty has been experienced in reconciling various interests, but that, on the whole, the new law (should the Bill pass through all its stages to that of the Royal Assent) will be, better than the old. In the first place, every vehicle, being upon any, highway to which the public has access, must in the hours of darkness carry two lamps— showing a whitedight to the front and a lamp showing a red light to the rear. The bicycle 'need not carry more than one of the white lights (by the way, haw badly the Bill is phrased in dealing with this modification!), and only the Minister can exempt from the lighting law vehicles carrying any inflammable produce during harvest operations or vehicles carrying explosive's. The Minister, it would appear, will have rather extensive powers of modification, but it is highly probable that he will consider the safety of traffic on the road rather than the convenience of the individual user.

It will be determined by regulation where and how lamps may be attached to a vehicle, and we feel satisfied that common sense will be exercised in drafting the regulations. Too much latitude has hitherto been allowed to the police in insisting that the lamps should be so placed that they' indicate the full width of a vehicle. Lamps so placed are in altogether too vulnerable a -position. One ,clause in the Bill will call for some explanation. According to the terms thereof, a driver cannot be convicted of an offence under the Act if he proves that the offence arose through the negligence or default of some other person whose duty it was to provide the vehicle with lamps. What a loophole is thereby opened and what a risk will be entailed for other road users!

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