OPINIONS FROM OTHERS.
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Scotland Yard and the Giant Pneumatic.
The Editor, TEE COMMERCIAL MOTOR:
[1760] Sir,—With reference to the letter signed "British Lion," anent the decision of Scotland Yard not to license " giants " for use on heavy hackney carriages in the Metropolitan police area. In his penultimate paragraph he states that "what is needed in this country is an entirely new suspension system." I think that the writer might equally have said, "what is needed in every country." The present system of suspension is universal and common to all commercial vehicles in all countries. The attempted solution of absorption of road shock by means of "giant tyres" is a. standing insult to the whole of the engineering profession—a literal bolstering-up of ill-designed -chassis. Up to' this year, it has been a remarkable fact that no serious attempt had been made by manufacturers to ,improve the springing of their vehicles, or to depart from the very earliest designs, which are current to-day. It is, perhaps, all the more remarkable, because 'nearly every other detail in chassis design has been the subject of radical change and improvement; 'and because no detail of the presentday vehicle, presents such a pressing claim for improvement as did that of the springing. The fallacy of .carrying passengers on a chassis 02
primarily designed to carry merchandise; without any reference to the type of suspension, must be obvious,
It is a source of satisfaction to us that we have beenthe first to break away from antiquated spring design. e. All those who have' tried our system of springing—and they are numerous—had but one opinion, namely, that this is the most remarkable, improvement -on any -other form of suspension for commercial vehicles up to the present time ; that the riding is as comfortable as in a pleasure car ; and that the absence of side-sway is a notable feature of this noteworthy suspension. It appears to as that the enthusiast for the "giant"
pneumatic tyre has overlooked the fact that, not only is the initial cost prohibitive, but that the same cost has got to be expended -annually by way of renewals, which, we venture to: think, will take all the rosiness out of thebalance sheets of their users, unless, forsooth ! it is again to be the old story of "the' public pays I "
The experience of "British Lion " will be an alltoo-common one if "giant" ty,res are adopted for commercial vehicles, and we fear that the consequences may be a little more tragic than those described by your correspondent.
Yours faithfully,
PALLADIUM AUTOCARS, LTD