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Passing Comments

5th May 1939, Page 70
5th May 1939
Page 70
Page 71
Page 70, 5th May 1939 — Passing Comments
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Do Police Loud-speakLIOW much good is done by

ers Help the Traffic " loud-speaker instructions Flow from police cars? If there were more of these the influence might be considerable, but one does not .see many about. The other day we were waiting by the side of one at some traffic signals when a cycle messenger was startled by loud instructions to bring his bicycle back from across the line. As he did not do so at once, he was told to take it right to the kerb, away from other traffic. As we proceeded, the driver of a horsed van turned to the right without signalling. He was immediately ordered to remember to give the appropriate signals.

An Interesting I.A.E ("NINE of the problems which Report on Ring has become increasingly Flutter prominent recently is excessive

gas leakage or " blow-by " past the piston rings. This occurs on some engines at high speeds. The objections are fumes, an adverse effect on the oil film, resulting in piston-ring scuffing, whilst in severe cases it is sometimes associated with breakage of these rings, nearly always adjacent to the gaps. The cause is still a matter of theory, but is usually attributed to ring flutter. Experiments in this matter have been carried out at the I.A.E. Research Department for two years. The arrangement used involved do methods of sealing the crankcase and collecting and measuring the blow-by gases. Special attention has been given to the effects of radial pressure, thickness and clearance and the influence of other factors, such as engine load, ignition advance, cylinder distortion, oil viscosity, etc. As a result, it has been possible to evolve a tentative theory to explain the origin of ring flutter.

Spare the Rod and r OURTESY "cops' are Capture the Driver's ‘-'proving that more flies are

Sympathy caught with sugar than vinegar.

We know, because, late the other night, we played the role of fly. A motorcycle patrol overhauled us on a quiet country road and commented on the fact that we seemed to be in rather a hurry. He then went on to explain that all the police patrols in the district were out that night and that if we were asked to produce our licence and insurance certificate, and were compelled to listen to the "old, old story," we should lose all the time we had made up by a short burst of speed. " In any case," the patrol said, "it isn't worth risking an endorsement at this time of night." Such sympathetic treatment places a driver under a moral obligation to respect the speed limit and certainly achieves a willingness to co-operate that a system of penal fines can never secure. •

A Van Driver asWOMAN reader tells us

sumes the Role of A that she carelessly ran out

Knight-errant . . of petrol and was stranded on the road one night rather late. A light-van driver stopped to offer help. Although " late for an appointment," he gave her a lift to the nearest garage (which was not on his route) and, finding it closed, brought her 'back to her car. He then drove off but soon returned with a can of spirit. Such road camaraderie is now seldom found amongst private motorists.

U.S.A. Experts DeINDUSTRIAL research by velop a New Safety 'five American companies has

Glass resulted in the production of a new safety glass with a filling of a highly elastic material known as polyvinyl acetal resin. The cost of developing the formula is said to have been £1,500,000, expended over six years. The

glass is able to arrest an 8-oz. steel ball travelling at 56 ft. per sec.; yet when broken it can be rolled up like a rug. Travelling at 20 m.p.h., the ball cracked and aft-etched, but did not pierce, a pane comprised of two layers of plate glass less than in. thick with the special filling between.

Keen-sighted Reader rINE of our readers, who preAdministers a Repri‘-"fers to remain anonymous,

mand has pulled our leg in respect of an illustration of YorkWest Yorkshire buses, which we recently reproduced. He draws attention to a railway poster advertising quicker travel by rail, displayed on a viaduct above the vehicles. We feel duly rebuked, but do not regard the " crime " as being very serious. With our present roads, rail is sometimes quicker, but can it afford the same comfort and convenience as does the road vehicle?

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