The Waste of the Road.
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Owners and drivers of all classes of self-propelled vehicles know the enormous losses to which the eommenitv is sekjected through the cutting to waste of the highway by inconsiderate drivers of horse-drawn vehicles. The obstinacy of the surviving horse-drivers, who think too slowl— when at all—to conceive the possiliility of their lieing overtaken by a modern vehicle, and who keep on the crown of the road, is a commonplace. True. under the Highways Act of 1833, and according to settled cases in the Courts, the right of the road belongs to the man who holds it until it is called from him. It is only reasonable, none the less, that the individual who has this right of the road on any particular occasion should yield it with a mensure of alacrity in keeping with the times. We conic, next in order of culpable disregard for traffic rei[uirements, to the two or more drivers who again cut the road to waste by travelling in echelon, i.e., in parallel lines of progression, though not side by side. This is a most-annoying and destructive form of obstruction to modern traffic, which essentially requires that fast-moving vehicles should normally have the centre of the road at their disposal. What is to be done in the matter? It deserves to be seriously taken op, forthwith, by the Royal Automobile Club and its allied institutions, because we feel that the general sense of Perliament would favour the passing into law of a short Bill which provided in simple terms for the penalising of any driver who did not, unless and by reason of actual hecessity for temporary deviation, keep any slow-moving vehicle to the near or left side of the highway. This point is a sore one of old, The hansom-cabby wa.s accustomed to hurl anathemas at the drivers of heavy vans and carts; in turn, the hansom-cabby himself received his full measure of abuse from the mouths of the early taxicnblnes. A mans conceptions are relative, and he can only discern traffic impediments and nuisances according to the mancruvring and speed capacities of the vehicle which he drives. Is this country going to wait until the driver of el cry coal-cart and farm-wagon is converted, or in their graves, or is the quicker-witted section of the community going to come into its own pretty soon?
November Shows.
We desire to impress upon readers of this jeurnal, and upon our supporters generally, the intention of Tina COMMERCIAL MOTOR to concentrate its efforts upon the authorized and official show of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which will be held at Olympia in Mardi next. That programme ahead will not, however, interfere with our usual practice in regard to the Smithfield Club's show in December next, at which many oldestablished manufacturers in the heaviest branches of road transport exhibit; in fact, as was the ease last year, our
report upon the otilittmotors at the Smithfield Show wili appear in our Dominion and Overseas Special Number. We desire, in mentioning the once-vexed question of shows, which has by a process of natural selection narrowed itself within well-defined and well-understood limits, to emphasize the fact that the November shows at Olympia are private-car displays. On the next occasion, of course, numerous owners of commercial motors will be present. because they are also owners of private cars, and we have refrained, on live previous occasions, from mixing up the two divisions into which the vehicular side of the industry has adjusted itself. At the same time so far as regards the " education by the eye " of these and other visitors to the position of strength in which the motorcar industry generally finds itself just now. we cannot do otherwise than heartily conunend a visit to Olympia between the 4th and 12th November next. The SALM.T., wisely we feel sure, has decided to make a charge of 5s. per head on Tuesday, the 8th November, and of 2s. 6d. per head on the following Thursday, the latter charge being in accordance with precedent.
The Small Four-wheeler : Miniature Vans Wanted.
Demand for a small four-wheeled carrier is asserting itself with increasing force. The vehicle must be deserving of that classification: it must not he of the overloaded cycle type. It is required to carry less than a total imposed load of 3 cwt. as it ride, but it is also required to stand up to an occasional 10 Cwt. Its four wheels are to give stability, and it is not a recommendation that repairs prove negligible for a few months and prohibitive thereafter. The tricycle carrier has its admirable and many uses, but we have in mind something quite different —a miniature van. Can it be done?
The miniature traction-engine, which is now commohly known as the tractor, provides an encouraging and satisfactory parallel. It is true that the ideal small motorcar has yet to be produced. That deferred result need not deter us: the miniature four-wheeled motorvan deserves to become an accepted type before motorcar designers enable manufacturers to put on the market a comparable vehicle for private use. During the past twelve months, remarkable prog,ress has been inade towards the goal which will enable the motor industry to secure trade as a consequence of the direct substitution of one-horse vans hy motorvans, but that problem does not go so low down in the scale of wheeled distribution by road as the one for which we now ask attention. There is an unnecessary difference of price, between the 10 cwt. van at from £300 to £350 and models of parcel carriers at from£90 to £120. Tradesmen are quite prepared to pay more than the latter figure. if they can get a. suitable machine with ample margins of strength in all parts to withstand occasional overloading, to prove reasonable in cost of upkeep, and to possess durable qualities which will avoid the necessity for heavy depreciation. Are none of our British constructors prepared to come forward in this department?