HONG KONG DAILY PRESS TUES
OCTOBER 2 1933
MOTORING IN THE
U.S.A.
British "After You, Sir," Attitude Not Appreciated
A 3,000-MILE LONG ROAD
SPARKS
FROM THE PLUGS
I is well, Before taking the people leave their cars as a rule to in the street wherever a space can wheel of a car in the States.
Herein lies the nag, remember what motoring statis- be found. tica have to tell. There are some because there never seems to be a 20,000,000 private car, and if space that is nol a no-parking necessary the whole population zone, a bus stop, a Are-hydrant, a could ride in them at the same driveway, or less than arteen feet time. Out of this number, some from a corner! The other fellow two million are registered in the always seems to get there first, district of New York City and its and one spends half one's time. environs...nearly twice as many cruising around the blocks looking cars as in Great Britain; there for a space in which to squeeze fare the chance that there will the car. be something coming round corner is considerably than in our own country.
the
greater
The axiom that he who hesi-
tates is lost could never have greater force than when driving, in New York! In spite of the most perfectly organised system of traffic control in the world, the of the city Manhattan, section proper seems at times to be com- pletely blocked with automobiles, and to "make time" during rush hours requires a through know- ledge of the right streets, to take. with the determination of a Han- nibal to get there.
High Speeds Compulsory
Once off the island' itself, wher the river crossings by bridge, tunnel, and ferry have been safe- ly negotiated. there are some splendid speedways and boule- vards with lines for "fast" traffic where you can, and must, speed, These, even, become so congested over week-ends and holidays, with solid lines of vehicles that pro- gress is reduced to a mere crawl in obedience to the traffic lights and "eops."
The mentality of mest motorists who learnt their driving in the ald country suffers a rude shock after a day or two of driving in the States. The kid glove and more or less chivalrous. "After vou, sir," attitude of the British motorist is not appreciated; you must shove your nose in" to get a place, otherwise your stock will go down with a rush in "the mind of your fair companion, and you will miss that appointment every time..
M
just
As for speed in the city, you are not doing badly if you keep up with that yellow. taxi. ahead of you: you would prob- ably be horrified to find your, needle showing a good "40" at times. But when it comes to cu ting in between trolley cars and stationary trucks, and dodging in and out of the Elevated" sup- parts. the taxi will have you beaten every time.
Laws Vary in Each State
"Major Road Ahead"
TO WHAT EXTENT HAVE MAIN ROAD DRIVERS
鶴
MISCHIEVOUS CHILDREN
Do Not Realise The Harm Done
THE DAIMLER 15 SALOON
The Car With A Soothing Effect
To tell the truth, there is some-, standard of quiet smoothness in thing about the atmosphere of the its running. To the extreme Bext- Daimler Fifteen which deßes des- |bility at the slowest speeds afford- cription. The ear has a curiously ed by the fluid flywheel transmis- cha-scothing effect upon the driver. It aion is added a capacity to cruise will even banish the high-pressure along at a mile a minute without fretfulness which at times may erort Part of the fascination of overtake the most equable of us the car lies in the indeed delight- The secret, perhaps, lies in the
the
I am sure the following com- good-bye at the kerbside has not plants will be vouched for by the discovered to his intense majority of motorists who are grin some child's initials saratch- subject to the annoyance and in- ed" on the pantwork of the new convenience
caused by children car? The difficulty is that the
do not realise interfering with cars whilst left children unattended, writes a long suffer-damage they are causing. ing correspondent to a Home I would suggest that a move- paper. Some of these children ment he started in the schools are veritable terrors and make a with a view to impressing on the practice. or tampering with every pupils hot only the danger, but car they meet, very often with the immensely destructive nature. unfortunate results for the owner. of this mischievous pastime.
Taking Corners
buoyant balance of the car. It is ful ease of handling whilst at the just exactly right for its work in same time a really good all-round so many respects." It is a car fall-performance, in respect of accel- in one piece," as they say, yet it leration and the ability to average has an elasticity and a responsiye-a high speed, is there, ready to be nesa that give it fg. When the used If wanted. Not only the en- driver presses down his foot there gine and transmission, but the is no fuss from the engine. no whole car is quiet and free from rousing of a cataract of power; vibration, and remains BO when Instead, the upholstery of the seat coupled with exceptionally steady embraces hia back more frmly, and ĺand even riding-the radiator cap he finds himself borne forward at} keeps a levél course—produces a a speed that is rapidly increasing. į sensation of being in a large car, It is at once evident that this and gives a feeling of lordliness to
unusually 'high' the occupants.
As my garage is quite a dis- tance from the house, I have pe- casion to leave my car outside my home, with the following, results. The norm is blown about twenty times, and the lights and igal- tion are switched on, all the con» ""A letter published in the Cor- trols are moved, the lever is jam-respondence pages of "The Auto-car attains med into gear, and so on. The car of July 23rd, 1910. culminating point, urging me to Write this letter, occurred on recent Bunday afternoon. Endea- vouring to snatch a well-earned "nap." I was maddenly conscious of the sound of my engine run- dashing into the
• PRECEDENCE? --
That drivers on roads of lesser traffic importance should look out for and give way to "drivers ··-on roads of greater traffic importance, and that sigris should be placed on minor roads warning drivers that they were approaching a crossing where extra caution had to be ab- served, was a recommendation of conference convened by the British Minister of Transport in 1928 to consider the question of trafic precedence at cross-reads..
The
Departmental Committee on Traffic Signs recently supported this view, advocating wider use of A revised sign to be erected on minor roads before their junctions with the main road. and it will not be long before these signs are familiar to all English motorists.
The tendency has been of late for main-road drivers increasingly have the to assume that they absolute right of way. This, how ever, is a very questionable as- sumption, for it would seem that, while a definite precedence for the main-road driver in cases of doubting. -for example, where two vehicles street. I was treated to the spec- Of course, there are plenty of arrive simultaneously at a cross-tacle of my engine revving at parking places run by private en-roads-is assumed, he is not re about 3,000, with the choke closed little terprise, but in America when you lieved of all responsibility at such and all lights on. Two can possibly do a thing, for Co-functions. The rights and dutles "ippers." no more than ten years
of age,
were scuttling up the thing you do, even though it may of the main-road driver will have cost you the price of a damaged to be more clearly defined before street for all they were worth.
Another point is the damage to fender, OF
the situation becomes really satis- even a "ticket" for
the coachwork. I think nearly factory. a prohibited zone! parking in with regard to parking there is a
all motorists at some time another very sound law in all States that vehicles 'must always park on their right side of the road, facing that direction. A similar rule should be enforced in our country, In- deed, we could very easily take a leaf out of Amrica's book in many
of motor instances
Something for Nothing
A
ΠΟ
講
20
and little
have had wings panels scratched by these rascals. The ad part about it is the fact that the damage is too paltry for an insurance claim, yet it definitely spoils and disfigures the car,
I wish to all attention to the i
have of taking sharp turns in Practice some motor car drivers country roads at very dangerous speeds. I have had, while motor eveling, within the last month, five very narrow excapes from being smashed, to pieces, through cars
the rate of thirty. miles on hour. being driven round sharp turns at Naturally, it has been impossible for me to ascertain the numbers of such cars, as my own safety
demanded that my whole atten- tion should be given to my escap- ing collision. The greatest difficulty in connec-
"I am not a nervous rider by any i tion with this "main-road ahead"
means, neither am I a scorcher or i sign will be experiericed where
a novice, having used all kinds of two roads of more or less equal
motors for over eleven years, but importance intersect, and it is pre- cisely in such circumstances that
this matter has become so serious that it is time car drivers should the sign is of its greatest valuc,
give greater attention to the way Which of the two is the major road will be determined legislation
by
Very often one reads of serious they take these dangerous corners. Possibly the influence of your authorities after consultation with accidents caused by children rejournal may cause those who read the road engineers, Ministry leasing the brakes of vehicles, this letter to mend their reckless
leading standing on hills, and Transport, police,
The out- motor organisations,
What motor agent wishing his standing difficulty will arise where
eminent Banda valued an important main road on which a driver has been traveling for a considerable mileage is crossed by
After all, it is only a question of time before we reach the same traffic density as obtains in the: States now, and surely we should utilise their experience in ad- vance. For instance, the dazzle problem has there been quite' over-
come by making it actually illegal
to drive a car with lamps out of focus or with any light striking above a plane 4 feet from the ground. All cars are now turned out with standard fittings that conform to the law, such as driv- ing mirrors and lamps correctly set, and so on.
these
The greatest danger on the roads at the moment is the old hack with inadequate brakes and miserable lights; but speedily being eliminated as a re- sult of intensive police inspection of all cars
are
The main highways of America are superb: mostly paved with concrete and constructed for four lines of vehicles, they are ideal | for those in a hurry. The aver age "American motorist speaks of
the
a road of even greater importance. Two towns. for instance, with much traffic running between them might lie.
on cither side of a national long-distance high- way. The long distance driver would be unprepared to give way guddenly to a cross stream of traf- nc. Clear, well-placed signs should overcome this point, though it is one which adds to the risk of es- tablishing beyond all question the precedence" of the main-road dri- ver. The only safe procedure is for every driver to be always on the watch for "major road ahead" sign. Irrespective of whether he be travelling on a very minor road, a secondary road, or a long-distance national arters.
Of Long Ago
»
customer
INTERFERENCE WITH PARKED CARS
to
Commenting on letter our con- temporary says: The damage caused to parked cars by mischie vous children is well known every motorist. Most of us at one time or another have experienced. this annoyance; frequently the paintwork has been scratched, or a mascot broken, perhaps the most common occurrence being that of initials being scribbled in. the dust on the panels.
The suggestion is made that school teachers should. exert some effort to impress upon children both the danger and the destruc- tiveness of interfering with park- ed, cars. Certainly any teacher or parent to whom a child is report- ed should not neglect. to...... punish the" miscreant, and the police should not be too lenient in their From thirteen to fourteen miles attitude towards any they catch an hour is not too rapid to pre-in the act, not forgetting that vent one's enjoying every inch of "ampering with a car either on the road, or to make one overlook the road or in a park" is an of- one little glimpse of a never-to-fence punishable with a fine of be-forgotten view P. 954, Oct. 20. for a first offence. The 28th, 1899.
400 miles in the day as quite an From "The Autocar' ordinary run. In the west and south-west, of course, the road system is by no means completo, but you can always be certain of "good gravel" when making tṛan- scontinental trips Actually you can travel now on US, No. 1 highway from Maine to Florida, 3.000 miles, on concrete through
outl
American Motoring Terminology
mo
There are many other aspects of American motoring which cannot. It is not generally realised that be brought out in a brief article. the traffic laws are different inthe innumerable filling stations, some particular in every State of for example. You simply do not the Union This does not entail have to worry your head about any bother in a long-dstance run, running out of gas with 350,000 however, because luckily the fun-filling stations to serve you! Most damental laws, such as the rule of these are completely equipped of the road, are the same; full to satisfy every need. and mater warning is given of automatic ially assist your pleasure wherever signals. It is rather confusing you go... learning to make a left-hand turn in Washington, because there you 'make half the turn on the green and finish it when the red shines up. Actually the speed limits in both town and country are widely different, but it has been my ex- perience that these limits more to trap the reckless driver than to hinder the man who is trying to a move on The one essential is always to have both your driy er's licence and vehicle licence in perfect order, and remember you › cannot drive a car registered in say, New Jersey with a Pennsyl; vania licence. If you are involved in an accident the police are only too ready to suspect you if there are irregularities in your licence. If Further find a gun, or some other contraband.” hidden in the car-well, it is just going to be too bad for you, however vehemently you may protest.
|
Clean Hands.
bwners would be grateful to any passers-by, even, who were to send away children playing with standing cars
Motorista should remember that the locks of their cars are meant A British film has marketed a very excellent hand cleaner which to protect them from children as should interest everyone who gets well as from thieves, and would his or her hands dirty messing do well to make a habit of always. about with machinery writes removing the ignition key.. and, correspondent to the Auto car. It in the case of saloon cars, of lock- is surprising how
ing the doors. unpleasantly griny, one's hands can get with out touching machinery, have you
The motorist new to American ever noticed a bus conductor's The spontaneous origin of living terms should bear in mind that hands towards the end of his from inanimate matter must be re- the following, as examples are not shift, or your own after an hour garded as a highly improbable slang expressions pr Americanisms or so in a train or at the what event--Dr. J. Gray Chorrid word!), but part of every-of a car?, The water is rarely hot day usage. Likely enough the use on a train or in hotel cloak-roonis, If we go in for the methods of of our own equivalents would be and without hot water one simply force, we shall bo badly beaten. met with a blank stare. "Petrol, cannot clean the hands properly My W. M. Citrine
of course, is "gasoline" or, more usually, just "gas," "Gear change" is "gear shift? The hood" is the "top" The "bonnet" is the "cover". A “puncture” « is a "fat" The "wind-screen" is the "windshield." A saloon" is "sedan, alorry" is a truck."
If someone offers to take you for
ride, decline politely!
a
From a man at a petrol pump we In our higher state of civilisation, accept change which, for all we free from any physical fight for life, know, may have been in the pac- we feel too sald-Manchester Cour ket of a disease carrier a few ty. Coroner. minutes before. Therefore, it is
desirable to carry some form of No English family can trace a disinfectant The, hand cleaner genuine descent to the 'Baxons- is, something new: its name is Lord Raglan
Horol, and is obtainable in six- Is there not something Gilbertian. penny tubes which may be car-in a law which allows a quarter of ried in the car cubby hole. I used mile or so of advertising, matter it last some hours before writing in unbelievable colours to go un- this note, yet, in spite of having Footiced, but will pounce upon a pea washed my hands several time nut shell in Finsbury Park and fine since, they still feel soft and the now unhappy holiday-maker 18, and smooth. This concoction
od Mr Pound. compounded from tar products, s
Once it becomes known that an A word about parking: this is area is scheduled as meanitary, the a.perfect pest in every town, be decent landlords get rid of their pro- it small or large, and the whole perly and it falls into the hands of thing is a very difficult problem. a lot of rapecious, unscrupulous in the form of a felly, and is an It is Adolf Hitler's arm will, his Omeini parking places such as we persons who endeavour to squeeze antiseptic as well as a skin food. Folear determination, that the Ger Mr. G. It is made by the Nada Company, man people, shall be s pious peo know in England do not exist the last penny out of
of 150 Sonthampton Row, TOI except in very rare instances, and -Bottomley
ways.
CHAB, R. BEAUMONT.
an
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