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Passing Comments

13th April 1951, Page 24
13th April 1951
Page 24
Page 25
Page 24, 13th April 1951 — Passing Comments
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Doubts on Fruit, THE fact that increasing Flower and Vegetable I reliance is being placed on Transport road transport by fruit and veg.etable growers and distributors, especially in areas away from large centres of population where the transport may be expected to be most efficient, and at a time when hauliers' licences are being withdrawn, is causing great concern. This is particularly so when the squeezing effect on private hauliers by nationalized road and

rail transport is considered. "The Fruit, Flower and Vegetable Trades Journal," whilst acknowledging the immense task involved in organizing nationalized transport, seriously questions the wisdom of depriving thousands of hauliers of their freedom to compete with it, because free-enterprise services are more flexible and more personal. The journal asks whether B.R.S. lorries Will call round the growers to pick up small lots and run bulk loads into distant markets. It has grave misgivings concerning this. Attention is drawn to what is termed "stiffjointed machinery," whereby B.R.S. lorries arrive loaded at a market and return unladen, whilst others perform journeys in the opposite direction with empty containers.

THERE is not much love lost between cyclists and motor drivers. The cyclist believes the driver, to be inconsiderate towards him; the driver accuses the cyclist of unpredictable and generally foolish road behaviour. The cause of the antagonism may be said to lie in the cyclist's lack of appreciation of the longer time needed for a driver's reaction (as a driver proceeds some three times as fast), and the tendency to treat the slower-moving cyclist almost as a stationary object. The most careful cyclists are probably drivers as well, and drivers most considerate towards cyclists have been cyclists. Many drivers have cycled at some time in their lives, but it is unlikely that many cyclists have ever been drivers. On this ground, the submission that a greater proportion of cyclists than drivers fails to take proper care may be advanced: Support for this contention comes from figures recently given in Parliament by the Minister of Transport. In 1950, 602 cyclists were killed in collisions with motor vehicles. In 420 cases, it was said to be the cyclist's own fault. Examination of statistics concerning in iuries revealed a similar apportionment of blame.

Cyclists Held to be More Responsible for Collisions

What are the nN April 8, the first national Transport Needs at •-• census for 20 years began the People? , and every householder in the country received a copy of the national census form. One question which may seem to be a violation of one's privacy is that referring to the address of the employer of each member of the household. The purpose of this inquiry would, however, appear to be quite innocuous. From the answers, the tabulators can determine, for example, over what distances people have to travel to 'their work, and thus establish information on which transport operators can base their future plans. The results of the national census are, of course, available to everyone, but impatient operators will have to content themselves with the thought that it takes about three years to complete the tabulation of all the information gathered from the inhabitants of the United Kingdom.

Is this Craftsman pp• EGRETS are often Britain's Oldest Body1 •,expressed at the disappear builder ? . . . . :ince of the expert craftsman.

A letter from a bodybuilder received the other day shows, however, that this rare type is not yet extinct. Writing to "The Commercial Motor," Mr. Chris Sant explains that he is one of four directors of the Lawton Motor Body Building Co., Ltd., Stoke-on-Trent All the directors, he says, are skilled craftsmen and go back well into wheelwrighting days. Now in his 71st year, Mr. Sant

continues, "I started work as an apprentice wheelwright 57 years ago at the age of 13, working from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m for 3s. a week. After the first 12 months we finished at 5.30 p.m. I have always been in the road vehicle trade and was building trailers in the Boer War to the order of Fodens, of Sandbach, for their steam wagons" Mr. Sant was similarly occupied in the first World War, and concludes his letter by saying that he still relishes first-class work. There can be few men who have such a proud record of bodybuilding as Mr. Sant.

Did he Mean to ALWAYS a hilarious event, Make a Night I-1 at which the managers of of it the leading bus companies

forget their daily cares, this year's ball held by Black and White Motorways, Ltd., at Cheltenham, had a spice of novelty. Late in the evening the M C. announced that some property had been found and held up a pair of pyjamas. After hesitating slightly, a well-known representative of a manufacturer, his face almost as red as his night attire, advanced towards the bandstand to recover his possessions. How his pyjamas got themselves to the dance is something of a mystery, but people ,who saw Mr. D. M. Sinclair arrive said that there was a curious bulge in the front of his doublebreasted dinner jacket. A lady in the party was also greatly agitated by a possible turn of events, but her blushes were spared and no other property was "found."


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