The Road Transport Illumination Demonstration.
Page 60
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THE demonstration of anti-dazzle devices, road-direction indieatoreevareing signals and signs and traffic-control appliances organised by the Royal Automobile Club and held in rather net weather in Richmond Park, London, on Thursday last was quite successful in this way—that it brought to the notice of a number of prominent people the results of study and research over the past few years.
Thir is no need for us to describe the appliances in detail. There were 59 different forms -of anti-dazzle device. Each one was pnt through its paces and that part of the denYonstration can be summed up by saying that there is no _need nowadays to impose upon road users the risk incurred by the use of devices that dazzle, because there were `certaiely half a dozen of the devices that were shown which were really excellent and thoroughly effective; that is to sae, they afforded ample light by 'which to drive and, at the same time, the light was never in such a position or of such a quelity that would dazzle oncoming drivers.
With regard to direction and warning signs on the road, -without doubt those of the reflector type were extremely good. They picked up the mildest possible rays (which we were able to test ourselves by dimming our own headlights) without the loss of the benefits of a single sign.
There were six or seven different methods of rear-numberplate illumination, all of which were in advance of the D2G normal 'method, and we still think that the one devised by Major Yitty, of Scotland Yard, is the most effective of all.
Careiirectien indicators were numerous, but we must say that we did not see anything that was better than, or even equal to, some -of those that Tire in general use in Germany.
With regard tralhe-eentrol sigesthoec which are intended to TJO placed peemanently at road junctions to control the flow of traffie without calling for the provision of pollee and thus (ffecting an 'enormous saving in man-power —the Anaheim and the Cronse-ELinds devices were bath displayed, and the former system created interest because the patent 'ens employed gave a degree of illumination which would ensure obedience to the signal by approaching road-users. The clock control of this apparatus is extremely ingenious and yet simple, and it is easily adaptable to the needs of any particular crossing, so that the flow of traffic in any direction can be proportionate to the needs' of the case. We _eave seen similar appliances working in Germany and we have come to the conclusion that they definitely accelerate aaffic flow, because they eliminate the inertia of the cmstable, and in R very little time rOad-users wool become accustomed to the Signal and would realize that it was better to obey than to try to rush past them when-. the signals were adverse.