RAIN AND ROW AT RUISLIP
Page 57
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Lorry Driver of the Year Com petition different from those previously held there. One was the weather, the other a considerable argument over a decision to disqualify a competitor.
Glorious weather has come to be expected at Ruislip, where the driving tests are held on the Express Dairy Co. premises. And, in 10 years that Express Dairy has held its own company driving competition there, every one has been accompanied by day-long sunshine, as have the previous National Eliminators. This year the day started badly, with threatening skies, and in the late morning • a good deal of rain fell. After lunch, the sun came out.
This was appreciated mainly by the good crowd of spectators, also usual at Ruislip, who were able to come out of hiding to watch—and applaud in many cases—some very good driving.
But the crowd and its real interest in the proceedings were largely to blame for the controversial disqualification. It would not have been so bad if the driver involved had not been C. Fey driving a Shell artic tanker in F2—a hot favourite to win the class because of his previous successes in eliminators and in• the national finals, And if the trouble had not been at the end of his final test— the angled bay.
What happened was that immediately before Mr. Fey stopped (beautifully placed in the bay) there had been a sudden chorus of shouts from some of the large and interested crowd watching the test. The marshal in charge of the test considered that this shout had influenced Fey and immediately disqualified him. In the many arguments afterwards some thought the action had followed an objection. But not so; this was not a repeat of the fiasco with Corporal Readman at last year's final. The disqualification was made immediately and in fact no measurements were taken, which confirms that it was on the marshal's own initiative.
The case was investigated by the clerk of the course and stewards—national and local—but the complete disqualification had to be upheld. Why? Because the rule book said so and left no room for argument. Briefly, if a competitor is " deemed " to have been helped by anyone watching, he is out. Out, that is, of the whole competition, not only the part where " help " was received. And, whether the " help " is organized or voluntary, Was C. Fey helped? He said he did not hear the shout and that he knew exactly where he was in the bay because he could see the rear of his artic by looking underneath the tank. But this is not the point. The marshal's decision must he supported. The wrong is done by the rule book which does not differentiate between blatant help by arrangement and involuntary outbursts by an excited crowd of spectators. The latter was most certainly the case with Mr. Fey's test. He did not set out to cheat and, in justice, should not, in my opinion, have been penalized so severely. As his performance could have been influenced by the crowd, the maximum penalty for the one test could have been given. I see no reason why the national steward could not have done this: he is there to interpret the national regulations. The clerk of the course was realistic and ‘sympathetic but his hands were tied. If the disqualification had been applied just to the bay test, incidentally, C. Fey would have won his class. Even with the maximum of 50 points over the worst performance he would have bettered the eventual winner by more than 50 points.
The national organizers should be concerned over the events at Ruislip. How easy it is to " nobble " a favourite. Just shout " stop " when he is about to do so and he is beaten. The answer is intelligent rules, intelligently applied. A.J.W.
RESULTS OF RUISLIP COMPETITION
Overall Winner T. C. Grafton (Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd.), Scammell.
Team prize: Schweppes Ltd. (E. Merriman, D. Pittuck, P. Lipop).
. Best Bedford Driver T. Martin (Beecham Toiletry Division).
Best B.M.C. Driver: S. A. Scott (G.P.O.), Morris. Best Thames Driven F. Calcroft (John Dale Ltd.). Best C-Lieenee Driver: T. Martin (Beecham Toiletry Division), CLASS A—up to 16 ft.: l, S. A. Scott (0,P.O.). Morris, 122; 2, M. O. Hill (G.P.O.), Morris, 124; 3, G. H. Chaplin (CA y. Ltd.), Austin, 141.
CLASS B--16-19 ft.: 1, D. A. Spurting (S.F.!). Ltd.); Cc)mmer, 145: 2. S. Puddefoot (Express Dairy Co. (London) Ltd.), B.M.C., 1621; 3, L. Holloway (The Murphy Chemical Co. Ltd.). B.M.C.. 174.
CLASS C-19-22 ft.: 1, T. Martin (Beecham Toiletry Division), Bedford, 68; 2, D. Piltuck (Schweppes Ltd.). Bedford. 97; 3, L. Lay (Schweppes Ltd.), Bedford. 111.
CLASS D--22-25 ft.: 1, P. LipoP (SchwePPes Ltd.), Bedford, 108; 2, L. Perry (Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd.), Austin..136-5: 3, J. Healey (Joseph Lucas (Electrical) Ltd.), Austin, 132.
CLASS EMI—over 25 ft., two axles; 1, H. 0. Panting (C.A.V. Ltd.), A.E.C.. 163: 2. W. Lake (Joseph Lucas (Electrical) Ltd.), Commer, 202; 3. P. F. Harrison (Silent Night Ltd.). Bedford. 220.
CLASS E421—over 25 ft., more than two axles: I. E. R. MeaEng (Guinness Transport Ltd.), A.E.C., 220: 2, R. V. Price (Guinness Transport Ltd.), A.E.C., 222; 3. G. Coles (Apollinaris Ltd.), Atkinson, 253.
CLASS F(1)—artleulated, tractive unit under 4 tons with flat or sided semi-trailer. Op to 30 ft.: 1, J. T. Gates (Hawker Sietrieley Aviation Ltd.), Bedford. 189; 2, K. Clutterbuck (Rockware Glass ltd.), Leyland, 223: 3, J. letters (Rockware Glass Ltd.). Leyland, 347.
CLASS F(2)—articulated, tractive unit under 4 tons with box or tanker smottraller, up to 30 ft.: 1, C. W. Bull (Harvey, Bradfield and Toyer Ltd.), Bedford. 305; 2, H. G. Payne (Shell-Mat and B.P. ltd.), Bedford. 357: 3, J. T Thomas (McVitie and Price Ltd.), Bedford. 4351.
CLASS C—articulated tractive unit 4 tuns and over nith flat or sided semi-trailer, up to 30 ft.: I. J. Toole (Schweppes Ltd.), Atkinson. 4331; 2, F. Clark (B.R.S. Ltd.). Bristol, 481. Only two entrants.
CLASS 11 -articulated, tractive nil 4 tons and over with box or tanker semi-trailer; I., T. C. Grafton (Shell-Met and H.P. Ltd.), Scammell, 365: 2, J. West (Shell-Meg and B.P. Ltd.), Scammell, 381: 3, J. Williams (Hoover Ltd.), A.E.C.. 412. CLASS S—standard Army and Civil Defence sehides (rigid). 19-24 ft.: Cpl, Adams (R.A.F. Slanmore Park), Bedford. 7585 (sole entrant).