HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1930, A
MOTOR NOTES
· VISION TESTS FOR DRIVERS.
NEW BRITISH
REGULATIONS.
HEART ATTACKS A BAR.
Searcts of the new Board Traffe Act were revealed recently by Mr. Herbert Morrison, the Minister of Tranaport, in an explanation of its "provisions. Here are the chief re- gulations, which will affect every class of motorist :-
Driving Licences. Two disabili. ties that will be an absolute har to anyone obtaining a driver's licence will be (1) extremely defective eye- sight, and (2) ability to disabling
fits.
A scientific eyesight test will he laid down in the regulations. It will be interpreted for the man in the street as ability to see a motor car number and read it in ordinaty daylight, with glasses, if worn, at a certain distance-probably 20 to
35 yards.
Heart attacks, epilentiè fi'n, and mental disease will be included in the lisabilities. Applicants for licences will have to make a de claration of fitness.
This part of the Act will come into force on Decentber i.
Lorries and Buses. Steel tyres, except perhaps for trailers, are to
yo,
|
licences. Two of them were taxi- cab drivers, three were chauffeurs in private employment, one was a 'hus driver, one was a stockbroker who drives his own car at week: ends, three were typical representa tives of the modern woman driver, one was a civil servant, and the twelfth was the departmental moo- nger of a big store.
Five of Them Work Eyo-glassca.
"Road It? No!" The stockbroker confessed at once that he could not read the number plate at 30 yards, but at 20 yards he could rend the plate quite plainly.
Why, should it be necessary for me to read a number plate at 30 yards" he asked. "I was passed it for active service in 1914 and my eye-sight was as good then as it is now."
Two ont of the three women drivers said, "That's easy and read the number
LONDON'S TRAFFIC
PROBLEM.
CONTROL PLANS IN PREPARATION,
Hackney Spea ing at South last month, Mr. Morrison Minister
in
important interests, concerned the provision of London passenger transport
A Pressing Problem; The problem preases. for, despite the work which has been done by the Ministry of Transport and the Traffic Advisory Committee under the London Traffic Act; 1924, 8 serious situation resnains. The steady growth of motorcoaches com ing into London, is an additional complication.
the
“COMMANDEERED." CARS.
Motorists at Hull who have had tlöjr cars #commandecred
"SO MANY NEW MOTORISTS.""
TAX-DRIVER "CONTINUALLY AVOIDING ACCIDENTS,”
the taxi caine into collision with Middiston's, car which had ovary, turned I went on to describo how hd extriosted the screaming women froin the car, and said ho (bad to fores open the doors and ↑rul; then out by their limbs. They- were taken to hospital and treated.
Parfait said he had been driving: laxis for 9 years. On this ocea
rands when Middleton's car midden-
a surprise that the practics should be treated · with good. humoured toleration. It is asserted there is an epidemic of this sort of thing, and that it is commce on wet nights for unattended cars to the Hove magistrates how be exsion he was nearly over the cross-
A police inspector recently told
bo seized by persons to get home after the trams have stopped. triested three screaming women Stern police action is demanded, who had been imprisoned in an overly bore down on him. The only So long as the cars are recovered turned car in Hove. The evidence and none of the accessories in mies ing nothing, they say, is done.
I
was given during the hearing, of 'avinmonzes for derging cars.
Inspector Mockfard said Parfait's taxi was traveling at thirty miles. an hour, and at crossroads des cribed na the most dangerous, in Hove there was a terrife crash and
"As the policy of the Govern ment is in principle similar to that outlined in the Liberal Yellow- book, it is reasonable to anticipate Liberal support. I would urge thenhle, so that Conservative policy | dangerous speeds. Conservatives to recognize in Parliament and elsewhere will goney of the matter and the vast te constructive and helpful in public interests involved, and to character, rather than the party of Transport, referred to the Gore ready to examine in a friendly succumbing to the temptation to ernment's policy on London traffic.spirit the detailed proposals of the function in the ordinary way at a
"It will be remembered," said Government when they are avail political Opposition. Mr. Morrison, "that in December last I made with the authority of the Prime Minister a considered statoment of tho Government's policy on London passenger trans- port. 14 was made quite clear that in the opinion of the Government
Over
A
One of the taxicab drivers could the adequate scheme of co-ordina- tend the number plate with his tion was possible except upon the right eye, with the left one covered.basis of fusing all the passenger He could not see the number plate transport undertakings at all with his left eye alone, and wide area into a single ownership with both eyes he read the letters and a single management. In or "Y.W." as ".V.M."
dor that the purpose of the com- bined undertakings should be a public service it was essential that Y.W. 1977 the ownership should be public, but it was also emphasised that success, rapidity of notion, officiency required that the man- agemont should be of the highest The departmental manager pro-quality and should possess the atl duced monocle from his pocket vantages of the best commercial en- and, by moving it backwards and terprise. forwards in front of his gye, sue ceeded in focusing the number plate so that he could rend it.
straight away...
The third woman confessed that she could read the figures, but not the letters.
pointed out (writes the reporter) that I did not think this would he allowed under the new. Act. be screwed the monocle in his eye and said:
When All motorcars, and heavy motor vehicles will have to run on pneumatic tyre. Newly registered public service vehicles (huses and motor-coaches) will have pneumatic tyrca.
All lorries and vans will have to be equipped with guard rails at the side butween the wheels, as now in use on 'buses.
Insurance. A certificate of insur ance against third party risks must he produced when applying for a driving licenes and also carried for production to a police-constable on demand,
Pooh. I've been driving a car now sinec 1904. I've never had an accident. I am a careful driver, and I've yet to learn that the ahility to read the number plate at
yards, teaches one read-sense."
But the Policeman-
•
'The civil servant pointed out that as the regulations were being dealt with by one of the depart ments of the Civil Service he could
No decision has been arrived at on the question of making unsplin-not possibly take part in my aug terable glass compulsory.
Many people in England at pre- ment holding driving licences may lose their right to drive because of the new vision rule.
gested test.
Then I tried the policeman. He told me at once that he could read any number plate at a dis- tance of 60 yards,
↑ As a result of this test it would
With the help of a City police. Dan a reporter marked out a disappear that the ordinary person tance of 20 yards. At one end he parked a car and had the back number-plate one of the pressed aluminium type-cleared,
Out of the first 20 people to come along 18 were the holders of driving
with ordinary eyesight will have no difficulty in coming up to the Minis- try of Transport's standard, hut that the average wearer of glasses will perhaps have to order glasses specially focussed to 30 yards.
and
consolidating Passenger fervicos,
"Having secured the passage of the Road Traffic Act, I have boen and am involved in a great dent of work in preparing the ad- ministrative machinery for this in- portant new statute and making a number of rogulations under the Act. But the Labour Governmont nover sleeps. Therefore, before my work in connection with the Road Trafic Act is completed, I am ac tivoly engaged in preparing in de tail the necessary chemo to im. plement the policy of the Govern- London traffic I am ment on about to commones discussions with all the passenger transport inter- eats concerned, both public and private, and shall bring into con sultation the main-line railway companies who are interested as the providers of important suburban * for. services. The task ahead midable one to face, but I under- take It confidently, believing that the policy of the Government is in all easentials sound and that 1 shall have the cordial support of Labour opinion. But would go farther and appeal for the encouragement and help of public opinion as a whole and the co-operation of the
thing he could do was to turn harply, and there was a collision ‚nd Middletion's car ́overturned,
In reply to a question, he said: "There are so many new inolorists on the vend now that we experiene- ed motorists are continually avoid- ing accidents"
The caso against Parfait was dis missed and that against Middleton adjourned.
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