Opinions from Others.
Page 33
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The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters should be on one side of the paper only, and type-written by preference. The rzight of abbreviatton is reserved, and no respotzsibtlity for views expressed is accepted. In the case of experiences, names of towns or localities may be withheld.
Cardiff and Commercial Electric Vehicles.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1305_1 Sir,-1 have seen a reprint, from THE ComMUICIAL MOTOR dated the 18th December, 1913, of an article by you. The matter is of great interest to us, and perhaps, if some vehicles were sold in this district and it were known that we have upwards of 70 sub-stations within a radius of 20 to 30 miles around, where possibly an arrangement could be made for charging the batteries, something might come of it. In the writer's opinion, one difficulty may be the hilliness of this region.
We should be pleased to consider any application for charging batteries for owners at moderate rates during the night when our load is lightest.--Yours faithfully, THE SOUTH WALES ELECTRICAL PONNER
DISTRIBUTION CO. C. T. Alaska-, Assistant Manager. Cardiff.
What Causes Road Waves?
The Edilor THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1306j Sir,—Your article of the Thth inst. dealing with "Road Waves" is undoubtedly very interesting, and one that needs a good deal of thought and consideration before determining the cause of the waves. I partially agree with Colonel Crompton in his theory that the initial rolling during construction has a lot to do with the starting or a. wave, but I _cannot believe that this wave continues and increases harmonically, since the axle-weights of vehicular traffic vary so remarkably.
To accept this harmonic-percussive theory we must assume that all machines that travel over this wave would have to be identical in every respect, and as this is impossible we shall have to turn our thoughts in another direction.
I think that the fault is solely with the construction of the road. The material, as it. is crushed by the roller, is pushed forward or sideways by it, until the pieces are able to resist its pressure. Does this cause the wavel If ac, does not the fault lie in the class of material used for road construction?--Yours " TOLLINGTON PARE."
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1307] Sir,—Whatever causes road waves I am firmly convinced that Colonel Crompton's harmonicpercussive theory is not the correct one.
In the north of Scotland are to be found many miles of roads where this waving is very pronounced, and it cannot be fleets of motor omnibuses that have caused them to be in this condition, because a motorbus does not pass over them from one year's end to another ; in fact, the only self-propelled vehicle they have to carry is an occasional traction engine or a light motorcar.
From close observation, extending over a good many years, I have arrived at the conclusion, so far as water-bound macadamized roads are concerned, that self-propelled vehicles do to a certain extent increase read waves, but it is the steam roller that is the primary cause of them. To my way of thinking, your correspondent " Inst.A.E." puts his finger on the sore spot. If we watch a steam roller at work, we find that, when the front roller is being pushed over the loose stones for the first time, a. wave rises in front of it, and, if the coating of stones he thick, in many cases so high does this wave rise that the roller is prevented from revolving, but the adhesion of the
driving wheels is so great that it is forced on to the crest of the wave, and it then drops down and Continues the same process all along the surface being operated on. In many eases the results can be seeLl directly, but, although it may seem a. paradox, they show up best in the dark.
If one takes a run over a newly-repaired piece of macadamized road after it is dark, with a car fitted with powerful headlights set low down, and observes the road surface from the front seat, I think there will be little doubt as to what causes road waves. When viewing a newly-repaired road in this way, I have often thought that the roads ought to be rolled from side to side, as well as up and down. Looking at the matter in this way, it appears as if it is the design of the roller that is greatly to blame. If a front roller much larger in diameter and not nearly so wide were used, I do not think road waves would be quite so much in evidence.—Yours faithfully, . WILLIAM LEITH.
The Traffic Problem.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1308j Sir,--The Committee ef the National Society of Chauffeurs, having for some time had the question of street traffic dangers under consideration, desires to draw public attention to the fact that one of the most-prolific, causes of accidents arises from motor omnibuses making a practice of using the same stopping-places as the trams. It is quite a usual occurrence at a busy stoppingplace for a. number of trains to be stationary, side by side in the centre of the road, with a number of stationary motorbuses drawn up on each side of them, thus completely blocking the whole of the roadway. This practice leads to unnecessary congestion of traffic, which is a danger in itself, and should, in the Society's opinion, be abolished without delay ; moreover, the fact of omnibuses stopping beside the trams is fraught with grave danger to persons endeavouring to board or alight from trams. Another and even more serious danger, arising from the praztice, is that, when the driver of a vehicle finds the whole of the near side of the road blocked through trams and buses stopping side by side, he frequently does that which the law allows, i.e., passes the tram on the off or right-hand side. Unless the driver did this, he would frequently have to wait an appreciable tiine—sometimes four or five minutes ; on the other hand, by passing the tram on the off side, he either runs a risk of encountering a tram coming from the opposite direction, or of inconveniencing—possibly imperilling—a pedestrian crossing the road. At a committee meeting of the above Society, the following resolution was carried unanimously : - "That the attention of the Commissioner of Police be drawn to the grave dangers resulting from the practice of allowing trams and buses to use. the same stopping-place, and that he he asked to issue an order forbidding buses to stop within fifty feet of a recognized tramway stoppingplace."
My Committee would esteem it a great favour if you would give the above resolution publicity, and I am instructed to add that any remarks you may care to make on the subject. will he sent together with a copy of the above resolution to the Commissioner of -Police.—Yours faithfully, ARTHUR SEXTON, Secretary.
[We deal with this subject editorially on page MiL—E