Opinions from Others.
Page 16
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Is Near-side, Control Dangerous ?
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1448] Sir,—On two occasions recently I have narrowly escaped from -serious accident when overtaking commercial motor vehicles. Each time I observed that the offending :machine was driven by a man seated on the near side, and, on inquiry, learned that the vehicles, were American-made, .representing a type now being sold 'here in considerable numbers, and consequently likely to be•-inet with frequently.
Now it requires very little discernment, or experience of road usage, to enable one to see that the driver so situated cannot possibly be aware of the overtaking traffic, arid, as a consequence, is liable at any time seriously to obstruct faster-moving vehicles.
Is it not illegal for machines so designed to be driven in the streets of a country wherein the law of the road is to pass on left and overtake on right ? Personally, it seems to me that if it is not so, something ought to be done with that end in view. Surely our traffic conditions are difficult and troublesome enough, without the addition of such an unnecessary evil.—
Yours faithfully, "TRAFFIC." Putney.
Road Maintenance.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1449] Sir,—With regard to your comments anent my letter upon the above subject in your issue of 29th July, I am very pleased to note that you accord with my, views that as little water as possible should be used when rolling a macadam road, also that our roads of the future must have good foundations. As regards drainage, I must adhere to my statement that this is absolutely necessary to ensure a good road. Even should the situation of certain portions of the highway be detrimental to gbod natural drainage, these difficulties could no doubt be overcome by artificial means in every case.
You .very nicely sum up the -whole situation when you state that If the old principles of MacAdain and Telford were honestly carried out, so-called water-bound roads would not be in such disfavour," which plainly suggests that water-bound roads have not been given an honest chance of proving their utility and durability. With this contention I heartily agree because my previous letter was based upon the fact that water-bound roads were not being properly made and that, given an honest chance, they would not only be able adeauately to bear any traffic put upon them, but would constitute the roads of
the future.—Yours faithfully, G. F. FRY. Greenwich.
American Big Tractors.
The Editor, THE C9MMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1450] Sir,—The writer has just returned from a tractor demonstration at Hutchinson, Kansas, where most of the big fellows were represented ; others, like the Bull and the Creeping Grip were at work. Owing to the bad condition of the soil in Hutchinson, which later proved fair because of the drying out of the soil's moisture, I was enabled to note the manner of operation and the results obtained with each engine under different conditions of the soil.
I note that in some of the illustrations which were DUbliShed in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR these big tractors were shown only hauling a one-furrow plough. A man that is a landowner would be a dunce to buy an engine that would only pull such a plough.
With regard to the Creeping Grip, you note the gears are low : in soft ground they are in the mud. while in dry soil they receive directly all the dust and dirt brought up by the operation. What happens to B50 automobile gears when you put emery into the transmission ?
The belt-drive system is no better than the fourwheeler Aultman and Taylor engine iii hard or soft ground.
In the July edition of "The American Thresherman's Review and Power Farming," I refer you to pages 32 and 33 of that publication, you will'note the turning radius in feet of each engine which is likely to make a bid for the market. TheAultman and Taylor 30-60 h.p. will turn in 19 ft. 6 ins. The Bullock 20 h.p. turns in 22ft. and the Bull 7 h.p. turns in 24 ft. 1 do not understand what your correspondent means when he says that the Aultman and Taylor is too large to be handy on the headlands.
At the Winnipeg trials in 1912 the Aultman and Taylor engine proved itself to be the greatest worker, the least in fuel consumption and the highest power.
With regard to the contention that the ground becomes pressed or hard under these heavy machines so that it cannot be worked after they have passed over it, it is to be remembered that tractor work is done by hauling, ploughing, harrowing, discing, etc. The respective implements being attached to the tractor, as the tractor pulls them the ground is worked accordingly. After the ground has been worked, the tractor does not go over it again as it is ready for sowing the seed. One does not go over the ground without implements, so that even although the engines may press the ground down this does not appear to make any difference because the implements follow the tractors and work the ground. The paramount point is as to what kind of furrow the tractor throws.
The popular stunt of the cheap engine makers is to plough the end furrow 6 ins, and the others at 3 ins. so that the engine will be able to work. When you are investigating a tractor trial you want to look at all the furrows and measure them all.—Yours faithfully, • H. R. JOHN,
For THE AIJLTMAN AND TAYLOR MACHINE CO. . New York.-'