Passing Comments
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THE Minister of Transport I recently stated that the experimental section of rubber road in New Bridge Street, London, has proved satisfactory in use. Maybe that in certain respects this form of surfacing has advantages, but in wet weather it needs most careful negotiation. We have occasion to traverse this stretch quite frequently and have suffered severe skids, luckily with no ill-consequences, but we have seen some road users who have been less fortunate. Careless braking or steering on this class of surface may bring trouble in its train.
The Employment of Rubber for Road Surfacing
Horses No Solution to IT is a little surprising in Traffic co n g es tion Ithese days to find how many Problem people are quick to defend the continued use of horse-drawn vehicles. Surely, however, the Daily Express financial expert is going too far when he advocates the total abolition of mechanical vehicles from the City of London as a solution to the congestion problem. In addition, he suggests that horses provide much cheaper transport. We believe that a careful examination of costs will show horse-drawn vehicles to be one of the most expensive forms of delivery, although they pay nothing for the roads. Though tless Practices HE practice of leaving that are Sources of vehicles on the wrong side Danger of the road at night, especially
on badly lit roads, is fraught with certain risks. The driver who is faced with twO• white lights, on a road he may not know very well, instinctively veers to the left in an effort to pass them on the correct side, and before he is aware of the true state of affairs it may be too late to avert an accident. Another habit that creates confusion is :that of leaving the headlights of a stationary car full on, a thoughtless procedure not so infrequent as one might imagine.
The Oil-fuel Tax as a Penalty on Individual Enterprise . .
INCREASED industrial ' activity during the past year has redounded to the benefit of most of the leading busHowever, it should be recalled
operating concerns. that many of them have been hard hit by the imposition of the heavy tax on oil fuel. The Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., for example, says in its annual report that "this tax cannot be passed on to the passenger and will have to be borne entirely by the company." As it was a pioneer in the useof. oilers in the passenger field, the company naturally • feels that the tax on oil is a penalty on its enterprise. Summoned for BringA CASE of an unusual nature ing Dirt on to the .rx was heard not long ago at
Highway . . . the Southend County Sessions,
when a defendant was accused of driving a cart on to the highway without removing the mud, clay, etc., adhering to the wheels and likely to result in injury to the surface of the road. It was stated that mud fell from the defendant's cart, thereby creating a danger to cyclists and motorists. No fine was imposed, but the carter was ordered to pay 4s. costs. It is said that this case is the first of its kind. New Speed Attempt THE records set up by Mr.
with Oil-engined I R. J. Munday with the old Car Thomas Special racing car, equipped with a Perkins oil engine, are the first to be officially recognized as world records in this class. The earlier efforts of Mr. George Eys-ton do not, therefore, count. Mr. Eyston will, however, soon make another attempt at Montlhery, when he hopes to average 100 m.p.h. for 24 hours on a car with an A.E.C. oil engine similar to that used for the passenger chassis of this wellknown make.