OPINIONS FROM OTHERS.
Page 56
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Scotland Yard and the Giant Pneumatic.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1760] Sir,—With reference to the letter signed "British Lion," anent the decision of Scotland Yard not to license " giants" for use on heavy hackney carriages in the Metropolitan police area.
In his penultimate paragraph he states that "what is needed in this country is an entirely new suspension system." I think that the writer might equally have said, "what is needed in every country." The present system of suspension is universal and common to all commercial vehicles in all countries. The attempted solution of absorption of .road shock by means of "giant tyres" is a standing insult to the whole . of the engineering profession—a literal bolstering-up of ill-designed chassia Up to-this year, it has been a remarkable fact that no serious attempt had been made by manufacturers to ,mprove the springing of their vehicles, or to depart from the very earliest designs, which are current to-day. It is, perhaps, all the more remarkable, because 'nearly every other detail in chassis design has been the subject of radical change and improvement;.'and because no detail of the presentday vehicle. presents such a pressing, claim for impeovement as did that of the springing.
The fallacy of .carrying passengers on a chassis primarily designed to carry merchandise, without any reference to the type of suspension, must be obvious.
It is a source of satisfaction to us that we have beenthe first to break away from antiquated spring design. a All those who have tried our system of springing—and they are numerous—had but one opinion, namely, that this is the most remarkable, improvement en any other form of suspension for• commercial vehicles up to the present time ; that the' riding is as comfortable as in a. pleasure car ;. and that the absence of side-sway is a notable feature of this noteworthy suspension. It appears to us that the enthusiast for the "giant" pneumatic tyre has overlooked the fact that, not only is the initial ,eoat prohibitive, but that the same cost has got to be expended annually by way of re., newels, which, we venture to. think, will take all the rosiness out of the. balance sheets of their users, unless, forsooth!, it is again to be the old story of " the public pays "
The experience of 'British Lion" will he an alltoo-common one if "giant" Wes are adopted for commercial vehicles, and we fear that the consequences may. be a little more tragic than those described by your correspondent.
Yours faithfully,
PALLADTG3,1 AUTOCASS, LTD: