Page
Traffic Control And The
Pedestrian
When Mr. Oliver Stanley, then Minister of Transport, introduced the Road Trafe Bill in the House of Commons last April, hè announced that he proposed, un- der powers he already possessed, to issue regulations establishing
20 pedestrian crossing places.in London. The idea was admitted- Ly experimental, and was intend- ed to enable local authorities to judge whether they should apply for similar powers in their areas. Though the time that has elap- sed since its introduction is short. it is probably sufficient to enable some judgment to be passed on the scheme. That judgment must, we fear, be not altogether favourable. To begin with, the regulations under which, the crossing places are worked are netther very clear, nor have they been sufficiently widely disse- minated. It is not sufficient in a matter of this kind to rely on the goodwall of the Press and the BBC. Officials. Notices available to everybody are neces- sary and there would not appear to be any difficulty in afixing them to lamp posts alongside the crossings. If the notice is drawn up with skill it geed not be lengthy.
A number of the more cautious! motorists at first presumed that a pedestrian crossing a street be- tween the white lines would have the right of away. On the other hand, the more cautious pedest- rian, having in mind the incon- siderate motorist, perferred not to take any risk. It is not going too far to say that from the point of view of the pedestrian
LONDON POLICE IN AUTOGYRO
Test Of New Traffic Control Plan
(Special Air-Mail Service),
London. Aug. 18...
A blue and silver autogyro few over London yesterday to test the value of aerial observation traffic control by Scotland Yard.
The observer was Mr. H. A. Tripp. the Assistant Commissioner in charge of London's traffic problems. By special permission of the Air Ministry he was allowed to y lower over the Metropolis than the minimum (4,000-ft.) enforced by regulations, and at times was not more than 800 feet above the busy streets. This gave Londoners an opportunity of seeing the compara- Lively unusual machine at no great height above their heads.
I understand that the heads of other departments at Scotland Yard will make fights in the near future to test the value of obser- vation from the air in other bran- ches of police work.
Marked Car Watched The bead of the CID. will prob- ably conduct experiments on the lines of those made by the Chief Constable' of Leicester 1. Iew `months ago, when a marked car tried to make its escape from the town by dodging down side streets and doubting back on its tracks, but was kept in constant view by "the watcher in the sky. A similar experiment wül be particularly in- teresting in London, where the larger area will give greater ad- vantage to an escaping car,
If it proves successful the Fly- *ing Squad may have an air arm. Aeroplanes constantly in touch with headquarters by a two-way wireless system would send pies- sages which would be picked up by the patrolling motor squads.
aze
FOR CROWDS AND RIOTS
It is also likely that an auto-gyro would be particularly useful dealing with mass demonstrations. When disorderly scenes. pected the police use look-out posts on, the top of tall buildings. The top of the Marble Arch and s room in Canada House overlooking Trafalgar-square have been used: several times. But auch observa- tion has been confined to a limited cpace. From the air crowd move- ments over a wide area could be kept constantly in view
whether he regards safety er ease in crossing the road as the criterion, the system has not yet produced what was hoped from It If he attempts to cross an unpainted portion of the road he still takes his life in his hands; and no attempt has, been made to penalise him for doing so. while the situation of the care, fu! pedestrian when he uses one of the trafftanes, remains much as before, especially when these are of the controlled varie- ty. It was laid down that veh!- cles turning into a main street from a side street at an intersec- tion where a lane has been est- ablished were to give way to the pedestrian, but this safeguard is very frequently ignored. In fact, the relative position of the mo- torists and pedestrians in the London streets differs little froin that which existed before scheme was inaugurated.
the
In some ways, indeed, it is worse; for the pedestrian may be imbued with a false sense of se- curity so long as he is within the white lines, and the motorist'a
attention is subjected to another disturbing factor, which renders more dimcult the already" ardu- ous task of driving in the crowd- ed streets of London. The mat- ter may possibly improve as both sections of the public become more familiar with the new at- rangements and the lines have already done something to bunch the crossing pedestrians. Very definitely, however, more wide- spread and clearer instructions about
non-controlled crossings
are necessary.
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY,
MOTOR
SEPTEMBER 4, 1934.
SUPPLEMENT
THE AUTOCAR ROAD TESTS
D.K.W. Four-seater
Cabriolet
There is interest at once in a car with an engine smaller than that of any other car on the British market, and that in terest la further increased when the engine in question is a ver- Dical two-cylinder two-stroke. and the car itself has indepen- dent springläg of all wheels and front wheel drive. Such is the D.K.W.. machine of the econo- inical type, which is being deve- loped to considerable exterit in Germany, and one manufactured by a firm belonging to the group of companies comprising the Auto-Union-
"There is a tendency at first to regard the car targely from the view point of technical interest in view of its unorthodox design. and there is much about the lay- out which is worth studying: but on the road there speedily grows a respect for the perfor mance which the engine gives for its size, and carrying a four- seater closed body which is by no means filmsily built.
The effect of the two-stroke principle is that the torque of a four-cylinder engine is given and speeds of 20 m.p.h upwards probably no one could tell that the D.K.W. had not a four-
CAR PRODUCTION cylinder unit, or even then that
SOARS
U.S.A. Leads On Exports
A study of the world produc- tion and exports of motor vehi, cles, compiled by A. W. Childs, chief of the Department of Com- merce, U.S.A., reveals last year's tremendous activity in the motor industry all over the world, Com parisions between 1932 and 1933, as published in "Automobile To- pics," show a marked increase in production for 1933 in every country. The world production of passenger cars, trucks and buses during 1933 totalled 2,715,- 575 units, compared with 1,975,- 963 units in 1932, Passenger cars accounted for 2,187,710 units in 1933.
No other country can pompare with the United States for pro- duction totals, for in 1933 she Broduced 1,959,945 units, compar- ed with 1,370,678 units in 1932. The nearest to this enormous figure is the United Kingdom with 244.434 units in 1932. For the rest France increased to. 191,929 from 170,955 units; Ger- many to. 105,832 from 50,417: Canada to 65,924 from 60,816; Boviet Russia to 49.743 from 26.- 849; and Italy to 42,000 from 29,- 100. Consideration must, how- ever, be given," when comparing these production figures, to the total areas and road facilities of the various countries.
When it comes to exports the figures are not so divergent, but the USA is still well in the lead. the total foreign sales of NAS. motor vehicles in 1933 being 107,~ 031 units, compared with 65,492 units in 1932. Next in order was the United Kingdom, whose fox- #eiga shipments totalled 51,892
units as against -40,178 · units In ́ 1932; France rose to 25,466 from 19,206; Canada to 20,403 from 12,-- 534; Germany to 13,350 froen 11,- 025; and Italy to 7,389 from 6,511.
Mr. Childs gives as major reali sons for the improved position "increased purchasing power of people coupled with the existence of a huge reserve of replacement demand."
sages showing the state of trame will then issue instructions to men in congested areas. Headquarters
on trafic duty in the streets. Mr. Tripp's pilot, Capt. R. A. C. Brien, of the RAF found yester-"When one is in the air one gets day that the most convenient al brain waves, but naturally Ideas titude for observation was about have to be carefully formulated 1400-ft. If the plane descended before we can announce our plans. flower the view was screened by high buildings, and the streets passed out of sight too quickly.
Traffic Problems
■
It was a two-stroke, though with the engine ticking over, and on the overrun when the throttle is released at the lower speeds, four-stroking is evident, and the running becomes uneven in the way which is common with this type of power unit.
Two Stroke Engine
One has to remember the pur- pose for which the car is made, namely, that it shall carry aeve- ral people at almost the very lowest possible cost where four wheels are concerried; that it shall be capable of dealing with varied types of roads, and that it' shall be simple, wherein a two- stroke engine is particularly good, for. there are no valves to require attention,
Actually, the car possesses ค much better performance than might reasonably be expected of The what is a utility vehicle. engine gains power surprisingly quickly from the lower speeds, and dccelerates. well up to about 45 m.p.h.
Moreover, it is smooth, not over-noisy unless pushed to its Imit, and it pulls the car well up the ordinary kind of slope without the speed falling off to anything like the degree that "might be expected
Not only is it a car that can meander comfortably and easily by virtue of its size along by. ways, but also it can be driven to put up a quite useful perfor- mance on a run of some length, go'ng up willingly. if required. to above 50 m.p.h., and having a maximum appreciably above that which the average user of
direct but not over-heavy at any time, and it is
accurate direc- tionally. The gear change, with the lever projecting through the instrument board. is, of course, unorthodox compared with an ordinary cif the gear box being ahead of the engine in view of the front wheel drive.
Top Gear Ratio
Once one becomes accustomed to the movement of the lever for the various gear positions, the control works, well-in fact. 1s really as convenient as an or- dinary lever. But not over-much gear changing is called for ex- cept to increase the performance, because of the low 6.1 to 1 top gear ratio On second · gear about 35 m.p.h. is possible, and- on first gear about 18; the spee- dometer gave a reading between 5 and 7 m.p.l. fast.
run
-It should also libe mentioned that the car tried was not really in, and its performance would probably be altogether freer when a few hundred miles more had been covered.
The brakes gave very reason- able power for the speed of the car.. and an mprovement was found to be made by utilising the accessibly placed band- operated adjustment. There is a tree wheel, in connection with which the Impression is gained that gear changing was not as much simplified by its usé AS one is accustomed to and with a free wheel.
As to the suspension, which consists of double transverse half-elliptic springs. one above the other, at front and rear, there being no ordinary axles, it' is difficult to say that the car is appreciably mbre comfortable on the ordinary kind of road than a normally sprung small car, though certainly the riding is good; but, on a really inferior surface with pot-holes and cor- rugations the springing allows a speed to be maintained which would certainly not be comfor- table or possible with ordinary spring.
A Cabriolet.
There is a feeling about the car of its being somehow larger than its actual dimensions would suggest. This in part, is probably accounted for by the firm steer- ing which is not in
the least spongy, and the general stabilty of the car. There is a peculiar bút not actually troublesome point about the steering wheel, which is set, at a slight angle. because the steering box is al- most in the centre of the car, the frame itself being unusually narrow.
18
T
The body, termed a cabriolet, a type which is popular in Germany, and certainly it has some practical features about it." The head can be rolled back and then secured, leaving the two rear-quarter windows in position,
such a car is likely to need but giving practically the effect
the
During the test some distance. was covered with four people on board, and, not only had they adequate. room, finding spring comforable, too, but the weight seemed to make little practical difference to the per- formance...
As to control, it is almost im- -possible to tell in ordinary driv ing at front wheel drive is employed: the steering is, fairly.
"From the air one sees things which it would be impossible to detect from the ground, and r think there may be great strides in solving traffic questions by the use of autogyros, rang
*
of an open car.
A particularly durable-looking kind of upholstery. almost of tweed type, is employed; the rear. cushion, in particular, la gene- rously sprung, and the Interior Anish, though plain, is practical. On is not put in the engine in the ordinary manner, put, due to the possbilities of the two-stroke system, is added to the fuel, the bearings and pistons relying. therefore, on the lubricant taken into the crank case with the mix- ture.
The engine is very accessible, and the details give the impres- sion of being done in a thorough, methodical manner. It is note worthy that a car of this type has a one-shot chassis lubrica tion system.
Preparedness
"The sort of thing a policeman sees from the air which strikes him at once is, for example, an excellent roadway which is empty.) neck, and motorists are not using At the end of it is a nasty bottle-
It because they know about the bottle-neck. Its removal is ob-
Johnny was very hard on vlously suggested, although from wousers. One day, while shopping the ground one might never learn with a friend his mother bought that it was the reason for a long cloth for a pair of trousers, for stretch of roadway being neglect
Johnny, but ordered a good bit. more than seemed necessary.
ed
Traffic problems cannot be sol-"I shall certainly go up again, It is proposed when air observa- ved locally. Only the other day but it would be premature to say tion is used to control traffic that there was a big hold-up at West- to what extent we intend to use the observer in the auto-gyTO will minister. We traced the cause as nying machines for traffic con- transmit to Scotland Yard mes- far away 28 Kennington.
7trol."
Why do you get so much?" asked the friend who was with her.
"Oh," was the reply
served, scats,M
#
L
AN AUSTRALIAN
CAR
For a number of years experi«. ments have been carried out in Australla with a car called the Southern Cross, which has a number of specially interesting points in design. New, according. to the Australian paper The Re -feree," the car has completed its tests, is in producion, and is be- ing offered for sale. The chief point in the chassis is that the power unit consists of an engine with four horizontal cylinders, two on each side of the crank case, the power developed being stated to be 60 hp. at 3,200 re- yolution a minute.
The engine is carried in the normal position at the front of the frame, and drives through what amounts to a torque con- verter, which, incidentally, hus been the subject of "many years of experiment, the control being simplified, it is claimed, to a point where all the driver has to do is to open and shut the throt- tle, apply the brakes, and steer, the gear ratio being automa-. tically reduced or increased sc- cording to the work with which the car is faced. Clutch, in the usually accepted sense of the word, there is none...
Sloping Lines
The finished car is for sale at £295 with a four-seater saloon body, the general outline showing ย certain American tendency, though there is no effort to streamline the car in the fashion now popular in America. The radiator, which has shutters, is carried at a considerable angle. and the fort pls of the saloon, together with the windscreen, slope backwards into the roof, which tapers away into s sloping tall at the rear
Good For Distance "You've put too much postage on this package, madam.” ..
Gracious mel I only hope it won't go too far.”
How It Works And Why?
(Continued from Last Week)
The pedal operates the pair of shoes in each of the rear wheel" drums, and each of the two brake rods, which are attached to the lever on the end of the camshaft, is connected at its forward, end to a short lever on the end of a. cross-shaft carried in suitable Another bearings on the frame.
lever on the cross-shaft is con- nected to the brake pedal, and when the pedal is depressed the cross-shaft is partly rotated, so
that both rear brakes are act- uated at once.
In modern four wheel brake sets there is a drum on each of the front wheels also, and the operating gear is very similar, except that as the front wheels move from side to side, in order to steer the car, provision must be made in the camshaft to al: low for this. Some form of unf versal joint is, therefore, atted in the camshaft, and the brake rods run
back to
the levers on end of the cross-shaft set oppo- site to the levers which operata the rear Brakes Therefore, when the brake pedal is depressed and the cross-shaft partly rotated, all four brakes are applied at once,
On a car with four wheel brakes the hand levar may apply che, transmisson brake, or it may bring into operation another pair of shoes in each rear wheel drum. In some cases only one pair of shoea is used Ir each rear wheel drum, and the hand lever appiles these, but does not affect the front wheel brakes," while the pedal applies all four sets of shoes.
Hydraulic System
Naturally, in the detal rangements of braking systems there is considerable variation, and in the manner in which the force exerted by the driver's foot is transmitted to the brake shoes there are many differences. For example, the hydraulic system may be used, and in this case the brake pedal is replaced with what may be described as B pump cylinder filled with oli
As the brakes are applied the friction between the drum and the shoes gradually * causes the Uning of the latter to wear away,
and accordingly some method of adjustment is necessary to coun- teract this wear. This is usually effected by incorporating & Screw and put in one or more of the brake rods, SO that the rod, or "rods, may be made shorter in length when necessary, the effect of this being partly to rotate the operating camg so as to bring the brake shoes more nearly in con- act with the drum before, the brake pedal is depressed. Such- an adjustment may be fitted at the end of each of the four brake
cross- rods running from the shift levers to the camshaft, or one master adjustment may be inserted in the rod connecting the brake pedal to the cross- shaft.
Servo Mechanism
The int):-duction of four wheel brakes has-in its turn led to the use in some cases of a servo me- chanism, this being given to a device which applies the brakes mechanically · when the driver depresses the brake pedal. The servo brake may be of B me. chanical nature, and may resein- ble & small clutch mounted at some convenient point on the transmission. say, behind the gear box. When the brake pedal Is depressed it not only begins to apply the brakes, but brings one " clutch plate which is stationary into contact with another clutch plate which is revolving," and the rotating plate tries to drag the stationary plate round with it.. The stationary plate is connect- ed by suitable levera to the brake operating gear, so that it helps to apply the brakes. :
Another form of servo „ me- chanism consists of a ́ ́ cylinder is a piston which is connected-to. the brake operating gear. When' the brake pedal is depressed, it applies the brakes and also oper- ates a valve which puts the brake cylinder into communication with the Induction pipe, so that the engine “sucks" the piston into the cylinder, and the move- ment of the piston applies the brakes mechanically, the force developed by the piston being added to that exerted by the driver's foot
TRUST A THORNYCROFT WITH YOUZ E FANSPORT
DEAL DIRECT
THORNYCROFT
SIX-CYLINDERED
COACHES & OMNIBUSES
MOTOR VEHICLES
DIESEL OR PETROL.
Manufacturers of Com INS
Full Range of Spares carried in Hong Kong and Shanghal,
4 or 6 Wheels
4 or 6 Cylinders
80 Cwt. to 10 Ton Loads
20 to 70 Passengers
JOHN L THORNYGROFT & CO., LIMITED,
TRUST
this is for
Pienser Building, Nathan Road, Kowloon
TEL: 56759.
VCBOFT WEW YOU TRANET