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An Electronic Speed Cop
DRIVERS are not at all enamoured with the new
form of radar speed trap which is being tried out by the police in Bucks. It is too reminiscent of the old days of policemen hiding behind hedges and trees, when to drive at over 20 m.p.h. was considered to be a crime.
In action the equipment, which is American, and mounted on a police van, records the speed and a policeman further along the road is informed by radio.
At present, although drivers have been cautioned, the scheme is experimental and it is to be hoped that it will not be followed up.
Ambitious Plan for Circular Highway
BRITAIN may be neglecting its roads but many
other countries are not. Recently, experts from Italy, Greece, Turkey and Yugoslavia met under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe to co-ordinate plans for the completion of a circular highway, with a total length of nearly 4,000 miles, which would open up areas rich in historic and cultural interest and be of great importance in the promotion of inter-regional trade.
A driver could enter the route at say, Trieste,cross Yugoslavia, drive to Salonika and then go south to Athens.or continue towards Istanbul.
If the full plans are followed, he will then be able. to proceed to Lebanon and the Syrian frontier; on A20
the return he could follow the Athens-Patras road, take the ferry to Brindisi and go on to .Naples and Rome. Certain bottlenecks have to be overcome, also stretches of the road are at present in a bad state. It is estimated that, with foreign aid, most of the programme could be completed within five years.
Coaching in Colour Film
PART of the publicity for travel by coach organized by the British Electric Traction Group is a basic film entitled "Wheels Over Britain.' This has been made in 25 editions, each having its own opening title. and a special ending to suit the particular operating company.
Directed by Mr. John F. Speed, associate editor of the Coaching Journal and produced by Mr. J. W. Jones of Technical and Agricultural Films, it has a commentary by Mr. F. Phillips.
Lasting 32 minutes and being in colour, it depicts.. most attractively the pleasures and advantages of this form of travel, and shows many places and scenes in . Britain, as well as-sporting events and other interesting aspects of life here. Special attention is drawn to the remarkable network of express motor services and the great variety of excursions and tours available including extended tours both here and abroad, whilst the value of coaches for private party work is also stressed.
Apart from being shown by the various 6perator5,.: copies will be available for loan to travel and booking agents, societies, clubs; etc.
Dagenham Company's Centenary
AMOST interesting and well-illustrated book of
88 pages has been published to mark the centenary of Samuel Williams and Sons, Ltd., who own and operate one of the largest private docks in the Thames and are engaged in road, water and rail transport. Their fleet of commercial vehicles alone numbers about 300, of which 100 are on A licences.
Much of the development of the company has occurred in the Dagenham area. Many efforts have been made there to utilize the marshland and it was left to Samuel Williams, founder of the concern, to succeed in this work, which he started in 1887. A mile of river frontage was developed, river mud from his dredgers and later sub-soil from the construction of London's underground railways being dumped.
The most significant advance was, however, the coming of the huge Ford plant, a large area being sold to Fords on condition that the Samuel Williams company supplied the piling. The present editor of The Commercial Motor was present when Edzel Ford cut the first sod for the new factory, and saw
him accidentally bend the silver spade which he used. This was some time after going to press with a "One Hears—" paragraph, "What Edzel Ford called the spade!"--a curious example of prophecy.
The book also covers lucidly much of the history of East London and the changes in engineering, enterprise and industrial welfare.
"Flashing" May Cause Alarm
WHEN a lorry's headlights flash in your. rear-view " mirror during the day, what is your reaction? You have just unintentionally infringed a section of the Road Transport Act—something has fallen off the back of your vehicle—you have left your lights on—the police are following you. No, it's all right, the driver of the following lorry is signalling to a friend in an oncoming vehiclet It would be unreasonable to insist that the practice of exchanging greetings by light signals should be prohibited because of the possibility of other drivers intercepting. However, thought for the "other road user" should be exercised in this respect, as in all other aspects of road conduct.