Dangers of Overloading Light Vehicles
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THE conscientious haulier and ancillary user, the road transport associations and the vehicle manufacturers are all considerably perturbed regarding the practice of overloading light vehicles, which is being indulged in by a number of operators.
At the time of the Commercial Motor Show of 1935, the Minister of Transport issued a warning to the effect that if the industry did not mend its ways in this respect it would be forced to do so by the Government. A study of the problem was made by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, but the plating scheme then evolved does not appear to have made much progress, and it was subjected to a considerable amount of criticism. It is urgently necessary, however, that the problem should be satisfactorily solved at an early date.
The need for close attention to it is indicated by the number of letters of protest which we are receiving from operators who object to this practice, but are constantly faced with unfair competition in the way of rate-cutting by hauliers who are carrying loads at least double those for which their vehicles are rated.
Unsound Economically and Bad in Principle.
That the machines stand up to such treatment may be a credit to British designers and to the materials of which such vehicles are Constructed, but this gross overloading is bad in principle, brings the industry into disrepute, renders farcical the situation in respect of guarantees by the makers, and may have unpleasant repercussions in the matter of insurance—in fact, it may be regarded 'as doubtful whether vehicles run in this manner can be considered as being really covered. From the makers' point of view, it is an unhealthy condition and entirely uneconomic for a buyer to purchase a low-capacity vehicle with the full intention of utilizing it as a highcapacity model, for this artificially boosts lightvehicle sales at the expense of specially designed types. The makers should be trusted to state definitely the load any particular chassis can carry safely and economically, for it is in their ultimate interests that confidence in their products should be maintained.
No Rate-stabilization Without Load Control.
We do not want further legislation, but we shall certainly have it thrust upon us if agreement on this matter be not quickly reached. There can be no proper st2bilization of haulage rates until this question is settled, and a powerful weapon against road transport is being placed in the hands of the railways and its other opponents. There is not wanting evidence that accusations of overloading have helped many objections.
Drivers whose rates of pay are based upon legitimate load capacity also have a grievance if the vehicles they handle be, through overloading, virtually brought within a higher-rated category, which, incidentally, involves far more work in loading and unloading. • Much of the trouble has been caused by the archaic laws under which the ordinary fourwheeled goods vehicle is limited to a gross weight of 12 tons, and the speed limits are based upon unladen weight, the only other restriction in respect of weight being that a vehicle must not be loaded dangerously, and this applies more to the positioning of the load than to its weight.
Beware of the "jointing Trick"
00MPLAINTS have reached us from various sources that the old and much-condemned practice, known as the "jointing nick," is again becoming prevalent in several ways. A traveller will call upon a motor-engineering concern or a road-transport operator with samples of some brand of jointing. After a good deal of persuasion, the person approached may agree to purchase a small quantity of the material and is then asked to sign an order for this.
A few days later he may be surprised to find that he has received anything up to 10 times the amount agreed upon in conversation, or jointing several times thicker than that which he intended to order. To his dismay, he then usually discovers that the amount corresponds with the figure on the order, which he was not cautious enough to examine closely when appending his signature to the document.
In one instance, where the documents were sent to us, the material supplied was 3-32-in, thick, whereas that required was 1-32-in. In this case the " 3 " had been written in such a manner as closely to resemble a " 1." Where the matter is brought to court the latter usually decides in favour of the supplier.
On one occasion the material was immediately returned with a note to the effect that it was not the piece ordered. A letter was received in reply demanding payment and suggesting that the order should have been read before being signed. The consignee then wrote accusing the traveller con cerned of deliberate deceit, and pointing out that, in law, a signature obtained by fraud is neither legal nor binding. In response he received a solicitor's letter demanding settlement, to which he replied by placing the whole facts before the solicitor concerned and suggesting that his client should be persuaded to accept the returned material. In this particular case this course proved effective.
A reputable concern would never stoop to such methods of selling their products. It is quite possible, however, that, in some instances, it is carried out on the initiative of the traveller, and it is advisable that suppliers should, for their own sakes, check most carefully any accusation of this nature laid before them, whilst buyers would be well advised closely to examine any order that they sign.
Do Manufacturers Avail Themselves of Research Work?
ASLOW-MOTION picture of the explosion that takes place in a cylinder is now, according to our associated journal, The Light Car, an accomplished fact. The cylinder head is provided with a window—there is nothing new in this idea— but through this no fewer than 30 photographs are taken in the almost incomprehensibly short time represented mathematically as 0.06 sec. In the case in point the engine was running at 2,000 r.p.m. Thus during the taking of the 30 photographs the crankshaft moved through 60 degrees ; that is, one exposure per 2 degrees.
Observations have been made of the normal progress of an explosion caused by sparking-plug ignition and of the phenomenon of detonation. Whilst confirming in general the deductions that have already been made regarding the internal combustion thus caused, they provide certain data hitherto unavailable. It is not long ago that the cathode-ray indicator was developed. This marked a definite step in the progress of scientific investigation into the phenomena of combustion in an engine cylinder. Supplemented by equipment for obtaining permanent records of the appearance of the gases during the firing stroke, the appliances at the disposal of our engine testers and designers are such that advances in design should follow.
We do not wish to belittle in any way the work that is being done in this direction. Recent developments in oil-engine design alone are evidence that our manufacturers are not allowing the grass to grow under their feet, but we question whether full advantage is being taken of the facilities that are now available, thanks to the fine brains that are devoted to what may be described as the tool room of the ideas factory.