Passing Comments
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ANOTE in " The Motor" of January 14 draws attention to an inquest on a man in his 80th year who had been knocked down while walking in the road. It was stated that, despite his age and extreme deafness, he made a practice of this, saying "the road is as much for me as for anyone else." We are not surprised at this view, because so many block-headed people seem to hold it. Our astonishment is only at the fact that he lived so many years. This is but one more proof of the need for legislation to render the jay walker an offender in law. Fine the Fool. Who Endangers Himself and Others . . .
Hitler's Ideas About THE new Inspector-General of Road Transport • Are I Motorized Traffic appointed
Whirling by Hitler is Jakob Werlin, who
is, or was, managing director of Mercedes-Benz, and was responsible for the production of the People's car, which, although never getting into the hands of those who paid for it, is apparently being used to a considerable extent as a runabout at the various Front's: Werlin is well known to the British motor trade, as, during former years, he attended our Shows. As late as February, 1939, when we were at the International Motor Show in Berlin, he asked us to 'visit the factory where the People's car was being made, but although we were able to have a run on this vehicle, time did not permit us to 'accept his invitation. At that period he . usually accompanied Hitler on funeral corteges of well-known Nazi " poisonalities," and We trust that he will be even more fully engaged in this respect in the future. THE present position in Malaya and other places in the East, from .which Britain and America obtain much of their rubber, shows how well advised were the Americans in developing important plants for the production of synthetic rubber. Considered in relation to peace-time finance, the cost involved was considerable,. but it fades into insignificance compared with the huge sums now to -be expended in the U.S.A.. So far as production is concerned, it is believed that the capacity of plants already in operation is well over 100,000 tons per year, but that is only a beginning. The American version of the product is known as Ameripol, and it employs materials different from those used for the German Buna. Achieving_Independence of Supplies. of Natural Rubber . .
Why Fewer Taxicabs 'THERE has been a number Are Now Available in "L of complaints regarding the London . comparative dearth of taxicabs in London at certain times of the day and night, but the situation has been explained by Mr. S. C. Crew, secretary of the London Motor Cab Drivers' Union. Many drivers, he says, have been called up for military service and war work, hundreds of cabs are out of action through the difficulty of obtaining spare parts and tyres, an the annual overhaul may now take as long as three months instead of the normal week. Jt mu-st be remembered also that large numbers of thescvehicles were taken by the A.F.S. for the purpose of drawing trailer pumps, although we understand that some of these have' been returned. Models Cast in Clear ACCU-RATELY made Plastics Help Engic-b-models of miits and corn
neers ponents a r e helpful t o engineers, designers a n d students. Particularly is this the case if they be made in transparent material to show the mechanical features, oil ducts, etc., and to afford an almost X-ray effect of their method of operation, One concern producing the latter type, in a cast resin material, is Runcolite, Ltd., 3, Vere Street, Oxford Street, London, WA.
Hard Core" May Vyx learn that a not inconBe a Misleading vt' siderable proportion of the Term vehicles being offered by
hauliers in connection with the "hard core" part of the Government haulage scheme comprises tippers. It seems more than likely that this is due to misunderstanding by hauliers of the term "hard core," ,and that they are under the impression that the machines are required for the tranSport of hard core, a term applied to materials for
road making. It would seem, therefore, to be a good idea to drop the term and in future itemise the three departments of the Government scheme as (a) Chartered Vehicles, (b) Hauliers' National Traffic Pool, and (c) Defence Lines. It is no more difficult to refer to the chartered fleet than to the hard-core fleet, and the former would not be so likely to give rise to, misunderstanding.
Now is the Time to AST Friday we saw the Shed Tears Over Spilt L-dresult of a terrible accident. Gallons of milk had been spilt into the gutter and across the Broken glass was everywhere. The cause was obvious. There was a small but fairly deep depression in the road which had tipped up a dairyman's " pram." This should serve as one more lesson concerning the better cohstruction and maintenance of our highways. Naturally, in war-time, attention to these points has been, to a large extent, diverted, but the accident shows how the roads affect all sorts of ancillary interests.
Milk
, pavement.