ROAD AND WORKSHOP by Handyman
Page 64
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The Use
E
of Lamps for Signalling
OR many years now heavy vehicle 1 drivers have indicated their various moves to each other by using head, side or tail lamps. Despite many outbursts arising from this practice, their record ot accidents involving each other is negligible when yearly mileages are totted up, or comparison made with accidents between other road users.
Because of the vast increase in traffic, more and more people have criticized the transport driver and his use of lamps as a signalling medium and many wrong impressions have been given. Approaches have been made to the M.o.T., M.P.s have been brought into it, and also at times the national Press. All this indicates that drivers are doing little more than wave to each other, as it were, and using full headlamps to do so. Now, this is completely wrong. Headlamps are used, but equal use is made of side and tail lamps wherever possible.
Quite a lot of criticism is made without those raising it really understanding how the need arose for some reliable code between drivers of large vehicles. It is, I am sure, fair comment that few of
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Have you an idea that is worth passing on to other readers ? It must relate to maintenance practice. If a panel, on which Handyman sits, considers your idea worth publishing you will receive 3 gns. when it is printed. All entries should be addressed to The Editor, whose decision will be final. Every entry must be accompanied by a signed statement that the idea is not copyright, patented or somebody else's idea. Rough drawings will be adequate. It is up to you. We have the money. Do you have any ideas ? those making all the fuss have ever driven a governed diesel-engined vehicle. Quite early in the history of heavy goods transport (particularly on night journeys) a vehicle governed at one speed would be steadily overtaken by another heavy vehicle, with a top governed speed only fractionally higher than the one in front. As it was in the interests of both drivers to press on at their best pace, the co-operation of both men was needed to get the faster vehicle. safely past the slower one—bearing in mind that, unlike a car or light petrol vehicle, there was no extra surge of acceleration available to the overtaking driver. He just had to sit it out, quite often doing little better than 5 m.p.h. faster than the vehicle in front. Therefore, the whole exercise was a twoman job, with, both drivers knowing exactly what was required and when this could be safely accomplished.
It should be understood that both these men were at work, Each would cover 200 miles or more between starting and finishing, and annoyance or bad temper was never permitted to interfere. Each man would be well aware of thc consequences of bad judgment or carelessness. Therefore, as the following vehicle closed up, its driver would he aware that his approach had been noted, and that when the time was right he would be given the O.K. to pull out and go by. In due time, on seeing the first vehicle drop and lift his headlamps, he would move out and go ahead, maintaining his position until given a second flash, this being the earliest moment that he was clear to move to his own side. In each and every instance, the driver now in front would pass back his thanks via a brief flick a his tail-lamps—a courtesy that was neve missed.
Let there be no misunderstand im about this code of signals: it stands fa a form of discipline that is accepted with out question by all heavy vehicle drivers Woe betide the novice who is slow tt learn, or guilty of aggressive tactics. II no time at all he will find himself or the receiving end of an ear-burnim lecture the like of which he has neve before experienced—and will quickb acquire a pride in performing like an oh hand.
There are many examples where thi spirit of "help each other" is eviden among transport drivers. No drive would pass in the dark another vehich who had obvious rear lamp failure. Hi would cover him from behind withou question until a repair could be effected or he would escort him to some sal( point before driving off. Again, ric driver would dream of blasting his wal past another vehicle that had signallec caution with his rear lamps—he woul( slow down and drop in behind withou question.
This is not the end of the story by an means, but it is enough to indicate ttn need for such a code or system (that ha proved its worth a million times over) ii the absence of any better method. Tc sum up, can there be anything wronj with a form of discipline as reliable a, this, when it promotes a high standar( of road safety between, heavy transpor vehicles, together with a natural pride 4 a job well done?