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OPINIONS FROM OTHERS.

11th March 1924, Page 28
11th March 1924
Page 28
Page 29
Page 28, 11th March 1924 — OPINIONS FROM OTHERS.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of comm,erciat motors. Letters shoula oe on One side of the paper only and typewritten by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility for views expressed is accepted.

Runaways That Should be Prevented.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

[2246] Sir,—We have read with much interest the letter of Mr, Spencer, of Messrs. Brew Bros. (issue of 'The Commercial 2drotor for February 19th), particularly in its application to the question of the efficiency of brakes.

Mr. Spencer says that he has yet to find the 4-ton lorry which, when fully loaded, can be effectively controlled by one brake on a falling gradient of, say, 1 in 7.

The Saurer is, as you know, provided with two friction brakes on the rear wheels and, in addition, with the patent engine brake. On a gradient such as is described, either brake can effectively control the Saurer carrying a load of 51tons, or, with trailer, 10 tons, and the patent engine brake can control the same outfit on the same gradient.

Mr. Spencer's suggestion that two brakes should operate on the rear wheels direct has been adopted by the Saurer designers, and we think that in all the points thathe mentions we are able to meet his ideal requirements.—Yours faithfully,

Why Does Horse Transport Survive?

Th.d Ed;t00., THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR. For THE SAERER COMMERCIAL VEHICLE CO., LTD., • RALPH E. WILSON, Sales Manager, London, N.W.1.

[2247] Sir —From a life-long experience of Manchester and its methods, perhaps I can tell your correspondents why horse traffic is returning to our streets. It is that the business man of to-day only considers the money cost of transport. The fact that more loads per day can be moved by motor vehicles does not interest him. He would probably ask you what he would do with the extra time, that he would save. His view is that for horse cartage he pays so many Treasury notes lessthan for mechanical transport, and at present that is the limit Of his desire. I presume that he will continue to use horses and carts .until forced against his will by. foreign competition to wake up ; he will then realize.that time is more valuable than money. The former can never• be recovered, the latter can.

The realization Of this truth led our fathers and grandfathers to press all inventions for time-saving into their service. To-day we cling to tariffs and other weird contraptions of unenterprising minds.— Yours faithfully, REGINALD BARKER. Manchester.

London's Independent Buses.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOT0R.

[2248] Sir,—Doubtless your attention has been directed to the recent statement of the chairman of the tram, and omnibus combine, also to the Press notices to the effect that the question of London traffic is . to be . raised in the , House almost immediately.

As you are aware, the total number of the travelling public bias greatly increased. This increase is, not revealed, however, in the case of the tubes and.. trams, the omnibuses alone being --responsible for the growth in the number of passengera carried.

We are told that surface traffic congestion is the consequent result. We are not concerned with the' sympathy evinced by the speaker on behalf of the tubes, because were the Underground licit members of the combine, no seek tears -would be shed. We' are, however, more than concerned in another aspect 1344

of the case. We cannot see the general public being coerced into any particular mode of travelling at the dictates of any iudividual concern ; further, the attack on the so-called " pirates" is unwarranted and unjustified. If there are too many omnibuses, why add to their number at the rate of 25 per week? In point of fact, the combine have added some 1,060 additional vehicles to their fleet during the past twelve months. It is contended that these were necessary to meet the small competition of some 220 independently qwned vehicles. Apart from these facts, it must be understood that, in the greater majority of cases, these small proprietors, who are mainly ex-Service men, have, in most instances, invested their life savings, and so long as they provide an efficient and reliable service they are entitled to freedom from abuse. Fair competition such as they expect, and are prepared to meet, cannot hurt them.—Yours faithfully,

The III-directed Lorry Driver.

VERNON II. BURTON, Assistant Secretary,

• -Associated Omnibus Proprietors, Ltd. 59-61, Oxford Street, London, W.1.

The Editor, THE Coataimemi MOTOR.

• . [2249] Sir,—I have no doubt that the publication of the following incidents would prove beneficial to many of your readers.

A few days ago, on noticing the driver of a fire-ton lorry pull up to read a signpost, I asked him what direction he wanted, and he iriquired the way to Chapel-en-le-Frith. On informing him that he was already in Chapel-en-le-Frith, he asked for directions to Hathersage. These I gave him, whereupon he inquired which turning he should take in Hathersage for Dronfield. I, therefore, asked him what part of Dronfield he wanted, only to learn that his, real object was to get to Mansfield, I noticed that he had anap—a railway map, ,about 15 miles to the inch, and from further conversation with him .1 learnt that he had travelled from Rochdale via Manchester and then, somehow, to New Mills and Hayfieldand on toChapel-en-le-Frith, and, consequently, up to this point had covered many unnecessary miles, and would probably have proceeded via Caatleton, Hathersage, Dronfield to Chesterfield for Mansfield, had I not inquired his destination on noticing him pull up at the signpost.

Had the driver been equipped with a good map or written route card, the loss in time 'and mileage (which must have been considerable, seeing that the vehicle in question was a fully loaded' five-tonner with three men aboard) would have been obviated.

Another incident of a similar kind which came to my'notiee was that of a van on a trip from Bradford to Cardiff, the driver having neither map nor route card. He arrived at Sheffield and then not knowing the, road, made for Buxton via CastIeton, with the result that on Main Tar the big-ends of the engine dropped off and cylinders were cracked and the van had to await repair in a garage, althoughon the journey fromSheffield to Cardiff it was unnecessary to have taken Main Tor.

I might here mention that, considering the large number of all classes of vehicles which come up to this part of the Peak with their brakes in very poor condition, it is really surprising that the number of accidents is not far higher than is actually the case. Another point to which I should like to draw attention is that many lorries from Stockport and Manchester land up here on frosty and snowy days without chains, with the result that they are stalled for the rest of the day.

I think the foregoing incidents will show how advisable it is to provide a driver with a good map or written route card when he is covering a. journey over a route with which he is not familiar, and, with regard to the vehicles themselves, 'when in the Peak in winter, good brakes are sometimes better than an insurance policy, and a chain for the wheels of a lorry almost an essential.—Yours faithfully,

Chapel-en-le-Frith. H. M. HILL.

Short-term Motor Licences.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

[2250] Sir,—Do the coach-owning readers of The Commercial Motor who advocate the issue of shortterm motor-coach keences realize the dangerous

weapon they may be forging to be used against them? What is to prevent anyone obtaining this shortterm licence to operate on profitable periods—on Saturdays, for football matches and local fairs, on Bank Holidays, etc.—thus skimming what little cream is left for coach owners?

Again, is it fair to the yearly licensee, who finds that whenever "something is doing" Mr. So and So arrives on the scene with his short-term licence and proceeds to snatch all he can, afterwards retiring to his hole to await further opportunities ? In the event of a serious railway strike, it is probable that the Ministry of Transport has powers to organize sufficient transport for the requirements of the public. Failing such powers, surely our " doormouse" coach owners are prepared to gamble on a quarter's licence.—Yours faithfully, St. Austell, S. S. BAWDEN.


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