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Page 44
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by the Hawk • Not so civil
A reader from Wigan, A. G. Crowther, has written to complain to us with some vehemence about a leading article in the March issue of the Civil Service Motoring Association journal which makes a very sweeping attack on lorries on the M1 motorway. Since Mr. Crowther is himself a civil servant his comments are all the more pertinent. As he says, a publication which is circulated widely among civil servants, and is influential, should be campaigning for more harmony among all classes of road users instead of taking an inflammatory line which can only serve to turn motorists against the transport industry.
The article complained of maintains that motorway driving conditions have produced a new type of long-distance lorry driver who drives competitively, often dangerously, and is an inveterate bully. His pet gambit, it is claimed, is to thunder down the centre lane terrorizing the drivers of smaller vehicles who are doing 60 or so.
Lorry drivers are also accused of sudden lane-swopping with only the tardiest of signals and are said to be guilty of "almost unbelievable antics".
Well, I dare say we have all experienced the odd tipper breathing down our necks at 60 or 70 mph on MI, and have had to brake sharply for a heedless lorry driver pulling out, but personally I have encountered just as much of this sort of thing from car drivers. The CSMA protest strikes me as overblown and unfortunate.
• One for the book
"If it were not for Jim Millar, almost half the vehicles using the A74, between Carlisle and Hamilton, would be off the road." This remarkable unsolicited testimonial was made to me last week by an extremely grateful trunker, who makes use of Jim Millar's 24-hour service.
Jim's garage is hidden from A74 in what was once the very busy village of Abington in Lanarkshire but has now been by-passed Apparently, the by-pass has not affected his breakdown trade. Possibly this is because this canny Scot operates a genuine 24-hour service, seven days a week, and he is in personal attendance 17 hours a day,! understand, Jim operates four breakdown trucks but he emphasizes that his service is strictly for commercial vehicles and covers anything from welding a silencer to replacing an engine. Jim is not an authorized dealer for any manufacturer, in fact, he doesn't sell vehicles and I have to admit doesn't appear in our CM 24hour service guide but if what the trunker says is true, the name is worth remembering.
• Smalls
We hesitate to claim that we have influenced the parcels business with our Sampling the Smalls article in June 26 but this week the LDoY staff have been recalling the trophies from last year's class winners in preparation for this year's final. The reigning champion (who will not be at Bramcote in September) Chris Reilly, of Petrofina, returned his "pots" from Leeds and they arrived within 24 hours of dispatch. The carrier was Courier Express Ltd. We also learned this week that Courier has reduced its charges.
Incidentally, we owe Tartan Arrow something of an apology. It was stated in the article that in June they'd still not invoiced the consignors or consignees for parcels carried in January and February. Now the senders say that they were in fact invoiced—in May.
• No red faces
One of the more unusual destinations of a copy of CM each week is the Institute of Scientific Information, USSR Academy of Sciences, Moscow—an establishment which very efficiently translates some of our technical contests into Russian (and sends us baffling cuttings of the translated pieces.) On July 2 they send us a card from Moscow, with a message in excellent English concerning details of these abstracts, and the card was addressed to: Commercial Motor, Dorset House, Stamford Street, London SE1, England.
If Moscow can get it right, and only about five weeks after we moved our editorial offices, I wonder why so many of the British companies and organizations to whom we have sent change-of-address cards are still writing to CM at 40 Bowling Green Lane, London, EC 1?
Wake up, England!
• Hair shares
True story. The haulier with a talented young son entering the business was unhappy about the boy's long hair. All reasonable persuasion failed to achieve the desired haircut.
One day, father calls son in for a man-toman talk about the future of the family business. Father says that he wants to be fair, and considers that some form of profitsharing would be a good scheme. Son agrees, obviously thinking he is on to a good thing. Father says he will take the profits accruing from the short-haired customers while son can take all the profits from the long-haired customers.
Consternation. "But dad", says son, "I can't recall that we have any long-hair customers."
Father "Precisely".
Next day: Quick visit to barbers.
• Infant prodigy
These days the accent on youth has sure gone too far. In the daily Press generally t "situations vacant" columns are as interet ing to those with a sense of humour as t] "agony column" of The Times always h been to the curious. Companies often se men not over 35 years of age with a range experience which would normally take a LH time to acquire. Now I find the same sort thing extending to the trade journals and oi such (not us!) last week had an insertion its "wanted" column tailonnade for the situations.
The advertiser described himself a "transport manager, engineer, AIRTE He has experience of full control of wor shops, tipper fleet, costings and vehic selection; he controls transport in thr counties and has been a director for 14 yea] His age? Just 25!
• Fares fair
When did you last hear of a fare decreasini Well, here's one and, yes, you're right, there a catch in it. Clyde Port Authority is seekir permission from the Minister of Transport reduce fares for buses and coaches on tl Erskine ferry from 4s 6d to 4s—to bring it line with Renfrew ferry charges. If approve the lower rates will probably be in effect fro the autumn.
The catch? The ferry is expected to cea operation about the turn of the year, when bridge (toll) should be opened.
• Northern farewell
I don't often touch on domestic matters this column but I'm sure that many reade of CM will be sorry to learn that our Norther Editor, Ashley Taylor. retired at the weel end. Since he joined Temple Press Ltd (r CM's publisher then was) 41 years ago it perhaps not surprising that he has made suc a vast number of friends and acquaintances road transport, particularly in the municip and passenger fields.
On a personal note, I'd like to say a publ "thank you" to Ashley for being one of tl most regular contributors of ideas ar contacts for this column. (And if he happer to read this piece, perhaps he'll take the hii to keep up the good work in his retirement