Fairer Rallies
Page 67
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rr HE hope expressed last year by The Commer cial Motor that commercial-vehicle rallies would become a national institution is beginning to be realized. Coventry and Portsmouth Accident Prevention Councils showed the way and this year Leeds and Slough are following suit. A rally for Scotland, to be held next year, is under discussion.
There are still' many areas of the country which are not covered by a contest. A competition based on Blackpool or some other popular Lancashire centre should attract widespread support. Wales, the north-east coast, the eastern counties of England, the west country and London also should sponsor qualifying rounds for the "Lorry Driver of the Year" contest, so that the title is truly earned in national competition.
The promotors of this year's rallies have learnt by experience and have tried to meet the minor criticisms made by The Commercial Motor on September 17 last year. For instance, in the tests of skill in manceuvring, judgment and braking, the importance of speed has been reduced, although the time element must obviously remain. The fastest driver will not necessarily be the winner and thus a complaint by this journal that the drivers of loaded vehicles were last year unfairly penalized, will, it is hoped, be met. Another criticism that has been answered concerns " appearance " competitions. The Commercial Motor argued that civilian operators could not withstand competition from the Forces in a concours d'elegance, because the Services were able to divert an uneconomic amount of labour to the preparation of vehicles. This complaint has been met by organizing a concours d'elegance for civilian operators separately from a "spit and polish" contest for Service drivers.
Last year some competitors lost valuable points through making slips in answering questions on the Highway Code. In some instances, familiarity had undoubtedly bred contempt. This year the new Code is the basis of the contest and competitors will have to study it carefully before taking part.
A great deal of careful organization by voluntary workers has gone into these rallies and they deserve the support of any operator who can spare a vehicle on a Saturday or a Sunday. The drivers enjoy exhibiting their skill and the events have a substantial publicity value for the operators who participate. No one who watched heavy vehicles being handled in the manoeuvrability tests by some of Britain's finest drivers could doubt their safety at a legal maximum speed of 30 rn.p.h.