HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1930.
Pillions Which Are Not Proper.
What. exnetly, naks Motor Curling, custitutes a #proper " million seal as opecified in the Rond Trafie At The Met says that it shall not be desful for the pillion. passager Le be carried otherwise than sitting astride the exelé ou a proper Arnt kreurely fixed to the cycle behind the driver's seat." One kna picture the village cup, and kuhequently, perhaps, a bench of bugistrates, being more than a little puzzled to decide whether a sent is "proper" or otherwise. We
MOTOR NOTES.
Oll-Engined Cars to Geme?
WORLD'S MOTORS. REAR ENGINES FOR
35,000,000 IN DAILY USE.
ONE MACHINE TO 55 PERSONS.
MOTORS.
SIR HERBERT AUSTIN'S
PROPHECY.
FRENCH CAR SURPRISE.
ART GIVES WAY TO UTILITY.
French car designers, famed for urtistry in body design, have sprung a surpris on the motaring Sir Herbert Austin has just pro-world. They have gone over com- dicted that road vehicles of the plataly to the lazy man car, future would have hundreds of The Paris Salon, which opened
'buses, and charabanes may have Champs Elysece, was 姐 sombre
fewer parts and that taxi-cabs,
UNATTENDED CARS.
COURTEOUS NOTES OF
WARNING.
AMAZING GERMAN SPEED CAR.
RAIL VEHICLE COMPLETES TESTS.
Berlin, Oct. 18.-Villagers near the city of Hanover stared open- mouthed, children-screamed and herds stampeded during the suÇ- cessful trials of a 'now 100-foot car which, the inventors believe, will frovolutionize all rail-bound traffic. Resembling a cross between
A
I have heard it suggested, ́anys
nidget-Zappelin and modern racing car, the vehicle is severely "Focus" of The Light Car and
stream-lined and equipped with one Cyeleron, that if oil-engined cars
propeller at the tail-end which is driven
byn 400 h.p. engine which became popular the Chancellor of
Obstructing motor-cars are a however was throttled throughout the Exchequer would very soou put
danger to traie, and I am deter.to-day's trials as the available rail- all know that anything from a fewd. gallon on to Diesel oil in the
mined to make Preston one of the way-track was compartively abort square inches of sponge rubber tu a
The world's ownership of automo- same manner that he puts it on
safest towns in England, both for and morcover sharply curved. Un der these circumstances, "the maxi- giant upholstered sprung affair.can
pedestrians and vehicular traffic," mum speed attained during 'to- be perfectly safe and cau complý petrol. One has to remember, how-biles passed the 25,000,000 mark
said the Chief Constable of Presday's trials was only 182 kilome tou (Mr. J. P. Ker Watson) in an tera por hour but it is believed with the spirit of the Act, but whatever, that there is no tax on home during 1921, according to the annual
interview, will thus magistrates think on the produced motor fuels and Diesel world census of the U.S. Depart
recently in the Grand Palais.
that with a clear straight track Mr. Watson has adopted thend an opportunity for letting run subject? Another point which will engines run splendidly on oil deriv.ment of Commerce. Reports cover- arise in connection with that worded from coal. By the Intest pro- ing 137 different nations, posset-their engines at the rear. He was study in black, blue and dull groy. plan of having a warning notice the motor fall speed ahend, double
All French designers have appar affixed to any vehicle left unattend the speed will be possible. "proper" is whether it is intended cesses, I understand, a ton of coat sions and dependencies show making his prezidential address to
ed in busy thoroughfares. САГУ, the Institution of Automobile Enently decided that the French to notice courteously asks that the merely to men suitable or whether yields about 30 gallons of Diesel oil, | total of 35,127,388 passenger
and buses registered gineers at the Royal Society of torist wants utility-not brightness vehicle be removed to a parking so that even if a tax were put upon trucks, Its other accupted meaning should
and the cars displayed are vehle-place, and on the reverse side a list 'be taken into accusat, The Act
throughout the world-an increase Arts
nine per
Sir Horbert, who made it clear les that can be left out all night, of parking places and garages, is
given. makes it perfectly clear that the
of 3,092,880 vehicles or
Mr. Watson says he does not cent. over the total registered at
even in a storm, and look bright that his predicts applied only to
want to prosecute peopplo for caus- ocenpart of the pillion scat must
the beginning of 1029. The vast
the star or two, snitt we had and clean in the morning.
ing obstruction. Usually, strangers sit astride, and in 1930 that in
cavalcade of progress operating on
The French industry has also to the town plead ignorance as to universally considered both correct
the streets and highways of the "ot reached the millennium in auto-
moble design any more than in passed over in a body to the press-panking places, and the use, of the and modest, just as it is in order
world in larger by 165 per cent. than it was in 1922 when world other fields of industy. The pre-ed steel car with external fittings, notices will remove excuses of that sent position was largely the result mostly of rustless steel, the finish registrations
of standardisation made necessary being a particularly hard cellulose by, or consequent apon, tuns, pro- in dark hues.
for the fair sex to ride astride in Rotten Row. But what of, next year and the year after? Maste, before long, skirts will reach the ground by day as well as by night, and oven ankles will cease to be proper." How will our dounsels fore then, poor things? Perhaps pillion footrests will have to incor porate leg shields!' Should Motorists Obstruct Dan-
gerous Drivers?
imported oil the effect might be considerably to stimulate the coul oil trade.
Railways and Bus Competition.
It is signifienst of the times and indicative of the preference of the travelling public that the four large railway companies of the country have this year found it expedient to close to passenger traffic over 170 railway stations. As might be ex- pected, says The l'ommercial, Motor, many of the stations are on branch
areas
totalled 12,530,416,
says Commerce Reparte.
American Predominance,
duction to obtain a low manufac Various attempts had
At the beginning of 1930 thera ture cost. was one automobile for every fifty-been made to break away from this standardisation, but radical past fifteen years, and to leave the the well-defined limits of present day practice would require a lot of courage on the part of a large manufacturer.
sixty-one. The latest census shows that there is one motor vehicle to every 4.5 inhabitants of the United States as compared with a ratio of one to 4.97 a year before. Outside the United States the ratio is obe to every 210 persons, whereas at the beginning of 1929 it was one to
247.
British Dominions Next. Once more Canada and New Zea land tied for second plaer in ratio of cars to population, each with one
End of Fabric Bodies. The most noticeable thing in the
show is the way that pressed steer bodies figure on the cars of all na year. At this salon it is buried.
kind.
The
TOWN TRAFFIC PROBLEMS.
NOVEL SYSTEM FOR REDUC
ING CONGESTION.
With the object of reducing thoroughfares of Wolverhampton police constables in that town have been provided with a book of slips which they would hand to motorists by way of cautioning those who leave their ears too long in the main streets of the towe
The slips contain spacer for off cers to fill in the registered number of the car, date, time offeor's num. her, and place.. A footnote reads
i
But even so as the car hurtled reaming over the metals, both in
ers were half dazed by the speed. 40 passengers and the export on look- The next trials will take place on longer railway-strotch and in order to reduce fuel consumption is proposed to equip the car with Diesel ongine,
it
PARIS MOTOR SHOW. BRITISH INDUSTRY THIRD.
tho
The twenty-fourth Paris Motor- Show was held at the Grand Palais in the Champs-Elysees last month, The Excelsior published interesting fgures to support the claim that the French motor industry is second-
United States throughout world. In 1999 67,000 motor-cais were sold in Franer, of which 2,400 were new machines and the remain- This represents der second-hand. an, increase of new machines of 10 per cent over 1928. The total pro- duction was 245,810 motor-cars. which is an increase of about 22,000 over 1098.
lines and for some time past have five persons in the world, assuming been served only at irregular in-n world population of 1,949,000,000. changes had been few during the ions. The fabric body died last traffic congestion in the buse to none in Europe, and only to the tervals, but the small amount of A year before the ratio was one to traffic dealt with and its diminish Is a driver over justified in de liberately preventing another car ing volume have necessitated the from overtakingi asks The Light adoption of a policy of economy, Car and Cycles. It has been sug gested that it is defensible purpose- It is not altogether surprising that ly to prevent another driver over
this move has been made, for the taking in a danger zone. There are
reason that the railway companies matter. several aspects of the Noun of us wants to be taid exnetly are themselves now uperating 'bus how we shall drive by any Toni, Rervices in many of the Dick or Harry who takes it upon
affected or where this is not sn. himself to become a guardian of the public safety. Such n position they have working agrements with would be insufferable. There are } private operators. The public, times, the other hand, when passing can involve the overtaken therefore, is not being deprived of ngeful travelling facilities, but, driver in as much, if not more, danger as the overtaker.
under the new scheme, is being who passes at a blind bead and
provided with services which, by finds himself confronted by another
virtue of their regular and frequent car, for example, can often exentur the nalty of his offenes by the operation and their greater clas- simple process of entting in and dieity, are better able to meet pre- ants. forcing the car he has passed into the ditch. If there is any chance pent-diny nentis. One anay, perhaps, Arabia, had only one car for every of an accident of this kind hapin justified in regarding this de: 101,100 persons: Ethiopia (Abyssi- pening, a driver has very right to prevent a tallowing car ran get- ing ahead, for he is acting in his own as well as the other fellow's interests. Otherwise we should all realize that other drivers are just as entitled to rely on their judg iments as we are on ours, and, he
yond giving a warning if there is danger that we do not think they arn in a position to sec, we should let them drive as they think fit.
Rustless steel door handles, wind ereen lanips, beading, hinges and collision bumpers are coming. In Jess tion than a servant takes to A Tax Handicap.
clean a hoot, a chauffeur with a manufacture was leather will be able to clean The exigencies of
According to the Excelsior, Great Britain comes after France (in the This vehicle is causing obstruc- 1 atter of mator production 1 had largely controlled progress in the car, except for mud on the un- design though the rapid improve į derside of mudguards and wheels.
tion. Kindly remove it to a park. 1029) with a total of 225,826, and Another revolution in French ear ment of roads and the incidence
ing place and lessen the possibi-Gormany third and Italy fourth, For 20 taste is in the "baby."
lity of accidents and facilitate the and the rest nowhere. the movement of traffic.
The total aber of, motor-cars of British vehicle taxation had.
On the back of the slip is printed in use the roads in France is a map of the centre of the town said to have been 1,322,397 in 1929, - among other causes, been instru- ears the Frenchinau has had an mental in holding back progress immenso regard for the cycle type
showing the principal parking although it is not quite clear how car, but the Rosengart (the French edition of the Austin Soven) is al-places, so that the motorist is not this figure could be reached nor
may park his car. mast the only "baby" in the exhibi- only warned but informed where he whether all these motor cars were of tion.
A man
velopment as the thin end of a wedge which will ultimately be driven right home, and we may later hear that the same stations have also been closed for goods traffic. Truly road transport has made, and continues to muke, big inroads into the principal domain of the railways.
MICHELIN
THE NON-SKIDDING TYRE.
Tel. 22221.
Distributors :
A. GOEKE & Co. China Building, 4th Floor.
DEPOT FIAT GARAGE:
Tel. 22221,
Veux-Road Central Tel 24821.
give free tyre service to Michelin opera
at our Depols
to every eight persons. Australia in the design of vehicles suitable agais ranked third with a ratio of for colouin ise, "How mach this one to ten, and Monaco was fourth out-of-date method of calculating with one to every sixteen inhabit-horen power for taxation purposes Yetuan, in south-western has cost the British nation in lost xport, trade," hyenid, it would
Britain for Value. The average car is a saloon of be impossible even to estimate, and 15-17 hp. Utility is notable in although energetic representations every part. The controls are most- have been made to the Governmently in black and are of the finger- on the subject, designers are still tip type that call for no mental or
liged to keep the stroke/bare physical strain on the driver,
Technically, there is no great ad- ratio disproportionate for economic
There is a flood of now
nia), one for every 17,761; and Afghanistan, one for every 17,778. This latest census shows increas ed registration of automobiles in such regions as East, West, and South Africa, China, Persia, Syria, and sweet running results. The vance. and Siam, as well as in many American manufacturer in parti-straight right-cylinder models and smaller countries, which, until recular has benefited enormously by one or two new 10-cylinder ears for cently, presented few opportunities fur motor sales.
The present census reveals that registrations of all types of auto continential -united mobiles in states aumber 20,053,450, or more than three times those registered
countries.
nur persistent folly, and ia able to produce his vehicles at consider utly less cost by the adoption of shorter stroke and larger bore."
Need for Speed Tracks... Sir Herbert referred to the dif
millionaires. The four-cylinder is nearly dead. Two German firms have gear boxes giving six and eight-speed, ratios.
Prices are fightly lower than last year, but they have not reach. d the British love), French, Ger-
NEW SIX-CYLINDER CAR.
ALL-BRITISH VAUXHALL.
in all foreign and noncontiguous culty of finding suitable tracks for in and Italian nakers do not In the United States spoed trials. "When we take into five such value for money as their
consideration, the hundreds of race British rivals, alone were se. saty-eight per cent." enurses all over the country and of all passenger cars registered in the horess lashed and spurred to the world and sixty-two per cent.
provide a nieans of livelihood for of all commercial vehicles. Second the betting fraternity, we must in total registrations comes France, wonder why it should be so diffi- then England and Canada. In the cult to get permission to use a small inclusive hist of countries possess ing automobiles the sultanate of portion of public road for events Onna in south-eastern Arabia and such as the Ulster T.T. race. They the British colonial island of Ber muda, each with only ten registra-manage these things better in Ire land."All transport, he said, Elons, Eed for. last place.
would increase in pace, riding and driving gomfort become safer and
Commercial Cars Make Great Gains,
The latest, and one of the most notable, of the now cars for the 1031 season has been introduced
ear
into the market by the Vauxhall Company-& six cylinder five-seater caloon, which is to sell at the re- markably low price of £250. The is British-built throughout engineering finish of the Vaux hall tradition. Tis equipment in eludes hydraulic shock absorbert, internal servo-assisted brakes, cam and lover type steering and bi focal dipping beam headlights.
the
Registrations of commercial vehi- cheaper, and every change in deand has the distinguished lines and eles guined throughout the world sign must follow these directions at a relatively greater rate than to be successful and permanent...
passengers cars.
During 1920 the
London's Antique Taxis, world passenger-car registrations
Taxicab design might be drastic. increased by 2,510,511, or 9.4 per cent., while registrations of trucks elly influenced if a really comfort A apred of 3 to 65 m.p.h. in top,; and buses (combined) gained by ble model were put on the mar gear is claimed for this now
5,315,
of 10.0 per cent. The per ket. Why we in this country put "Cadet" model, which is also pra centual increase of passenger-car up with the present archaic type duced as sportsman's 'coupd. registrations, however, was higher ef vehicle as used in the London and two-seator. than the increase of 7.3 per cent.streets is a problem difficult to recorded during 1923, while dimt of understand," he said. “For many trucks and buses was 0.1 per cent. I practical masons the engine should smaller.
he put at the rear for a taxi-eah ears. Fuel coat is not the only im- Although the passenger, car out operating in congested areas, and partant item in the running of road
transportat numbers the commercial veldete in this would give a sunsible and con-
inost countries, in others the trucks venient means of entry and exit and buses are found in greater and better riding qualities, number. There these commercial look for early development in this vehicles are developing hitherto un-direction. There are possibilities developed regions and paving the of such a change in busce and way for greater numbers of passen, charabanes, ger: cara,
The Diesel Engine,
Bir Herbert said the weight of road vehicles could be reduced with
advantage. There is a very in teresting problem waiting to be solved for the British market."
added Sir Herbert; namely, to design a 15 hp, closed ear and get Registrations in the United
the weight down to not more than fourteen hundredweight, while hav. States, during 1929 increased by
"From time to time wo bear of ing comfortable accommodation for 2.028,527 veliteles, or more than the Diesel enginn being on the point four adults and luggage and fol 8.2 per cent during the preceding of replacing the petrol type, and lowing the present accepted disposi year the increase was 1.307,728. nr 8.9 per cent. Registrations outside while there is a gradual improve- tion of the components in the ment taking plan, in its adaptabil- chassis. It will requin, some vory the Erite fitates (inckling-voer Kontrol vehicley contiguous telefons of the Zutte,
there is no hood of arging thought and Temnity fo
necompizelf tES
miss the table, dn it would States) increased during the year side in that direction for a year worth while. The road vehicle of by 1,009,207 vehicles, or 14:4 per lernt, as compared with a gain of or two especially for passenger the future will have many fewer 973,347, or 15.1 per cent., in 1928. Continued at foot of next column.) parts-hundreds of fewer parts.
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