WANDERER'S
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, MOTORING SUPPLEMENT. SATURDAY, JULY 26, 1930.
RETURN.
How Motoring in Britain Impressed
an
Exile.
QUALITIES OF BRITISH
CARS.
After ten and a half years of red Devor lands, and the quaint
village to find a dozen oxen to pull less surface, and the extent of these it through the river and up the beautiful roads astounded me: boulder-strewn, crumbly precipice countless miles of what I knew na on the other side?
rutty and stony lanes had inyari- Have you ever had twenty-seven ably this beautiful hard, black sur-
face. thorn punctures in one day, and mended twenty-five of them your- self, the earlier numbers of series occurring in a temperature of 120 degrees?
HINTS FOR CAR OWNERS.
Helpful Advice.
the car. Sufficient, anyhow, to detor a car thief.
The front wings on cars a year
when the vehicle is in motion.
2
U.S. FATALITIES.
or two old have a tendency to flap 31,680 Persons Killed This can be cured by taking by Cars Last Year. the I was agreeably, but none the
It is sometimes 'found that the length of steel tubing, just a little"
A total of 31.680 persons, were less forcibly, struck with the vast windows are inclined to stick in longer than the distance between preponderance of British cars--the the feltlined channels, a trouble the wings across the front of the killed by automobiles in the United car, and tapping. both ends. States last year, according to the
Anyhow, that is neither here nor Morrises, Singers,, Austins, and which can be cured by running Holes should be drilled in the Motorists Association. This repre-
there as regards my glorious motor ing leave in England.
uncertain their like had in no fashion ousted the cheap American one's fingers, or, better still, a
chalk to the felt.
will be necessary to have a nut on
I went to London. Traffic here car from our roads. Watching an/ piece of wood slightly large than wings, the rod passed through and sents an increase of approximately undiluted tropical Africa, during patchwork quilt of funny little and thereabouts is certainly a bit) endess string of cars on a main sea the channel, up and down the bolted up, using leather washers 12 per cent, or 6,780 deaths, ovar,* which time the largest town I ever multi-colured fields as we slid in-thick, but movea much faster than side road on a summer afternoon. Froove and then applying French on each side to prevent rattle. It the total number killed. in 1928, I found that, seemingly, 75 per The front bearing on the gear each side of the wing in order to and brings the grand total for the saw was Bulawayo, and that only to Plymouth harbour
excel- on the occasions of my half-yearly summer afternoon, with my mind lently controlled, and driving there cent. of the total was shared be- box of my 10 h.p. car was con-make a really satisfactory job..
tween the above makes a very tinually leaking oil with the re visit to headquarters, it was with still bearing the impress of the is easy, provided one exercies a
on a
soft I had expected, and is most,
past ten years to 190.850, Owing to difficulty in keeping Comparing the automobile deaths the speedometer flexible drive to the total number of accidental
considerably excitement and many sun-burned veldt of Rhodesia and modicum of common sense and does refreshing sign of the sound com-sult that the lubricant' got on towel lubricated, I devised the deaths annually in the United anticipatory thrills that I found the limitless, sweltering forests of not get flustered. Again, there are mon-sense of the less wealthy the clutch, causing very bad slip following means to supply oil in States, the figures show that about
myself in the position of being the Congo. Able to take a "Homeleave" last
me
One hole
A
British owner. This particularly Birmingham and Glasgow. where
washer on the shaft was a good a fairly easy manner. summer, thanks to the generosity hands with the friendly and affable though considerably slower than Rhodesia and the Belgian Coppo fit and practicably new, I came to was drilled in the speedometer one-third of all such deaths were
Then, after wanting to shake also the traille is on the thick side, refreshed me, coming as I do from ping. Although the oil-retaining
London, but-less said where the cheap American car is the conclusion that oll must work drive casing (4 in. diametre) and caused by motor cars. of the powers-that-be and the bene-dock porters, and the friendly and that of
in a very heavy majority, because;
Of the total killed by automobiles ficence of the manager of the bank courteous policemen and railway about them the better. where I garage my pass-book." officials, all of whom called
The traffic congestion, which in those countries Mr. Everyman way past this retainer and another in the dash-board.
The normal leather oil length was passed through the seventy-eight largest cities, having During my protracted exile I had "Sir" (a very considerable shock honestly I was rather dreading, I knows nothing of, and take no in. therefore decided to fit a second plece of copper tubing of suitable last year, 8.403 were killed in the
and buys merely washer.
hole in the dash and soldered to never missed "Autocar," which was never less the roar and clatter of the street Certainly. for my first few days what a well-primed salesman push- retainer is held between a brass the casing. To the other end or combined population of 39,000,-
a copy of The this!) I was solemnly impressed by found to be very much over-rated.terest in, cars,
a ring by means of the tube a 4 in., nut was soldered 000. The highest number of fatal-
additional or traffic of Plymouth, which I then, the traffic. I encountered in and es down his throat, and because he housing and
washing was fitted under the in, so that it acted as a dust cap.
and a piece of soft wood driven ities occurred in October."
While the increase in fatalities aix weeks old by the time it reach-on my first day, thought amply around towns in August seemed to heeds the dear old parrot who still rivets, and the new ing myself up to date in motoring ing of the congestion obtaining at had been long accustomed to; but up to Colonial conditions."
at week-ends, moan to be inherently inaccurate, hole through the ball-race. Since.
than four, and frequently five
models. new inventions, and the ten years my infrequently visited ed arterial roads
traffic appeared clutching subconciously at any its 7,000-8,000 inhabitants 7
Home, I read my copy through faded, but up to the first week offence.. from cover to cover, sometimes in my leave they became completely the comparative comfort of my obliterated.
$0.
nervy cx-
bers:
For
I mentioned the police. As for them I can only say that I met with courtesy, friendliness, and an attitude of good-natured tolerance throughout. True, I did not figure
it is fed to the cable.
and. has
A WASHOUT.
WE WANT IT WASHED _AN' POLISHED WHEN
SHALL WE COME BACK AFTER IT?
WELL ID SAY IN ABOUT -A WEEK..
CARS WASHED
IND
SAED
AIL
ed me; and with the object of keep-justified all that I had been hear me rather startling after what I cries, "British cars will not stand brass housing and extended to the It is now an easy matter to remove was approximately 12 per cent, the matters, and en courant with new Home. May I repeat that for over in the country, provided one avoid over ten years I have proved that shaft, thereby covering up the the wooden cap and deliver a few increase in automobile registration to be neglible: but the croaker still finds a follow-fitting the washer the car has drops of oil into the pipe. whence last year was only 8 per cent, it
is pointed out. latest improvements, and no doubt "big town" had been Bulawayo with that is to say, it did not burdening. though in diminishing num- covered 20,000 miles
proved so satisfactory that 3 link keeping me in touch with These first impressions gradually the roads to the point of inconveni-
It was a delightful thrill to me similar washer has new bean fitted I went from Totnes, in Devon, to see, and stare at, the several to the gearbox rear bearing-
Owners of some Morris cars to Folkestone and back, taking car that I knew intimately on
Think, may have noticed that the brake ratchet tends to vibrate own jerry-built house, sometimes on I stayed awhile in Devon, and two and half days over the double paper, but had never seen.
journey of 547 miles. By certainly until last August I had never seen lever the shimmering bosoms of the luxuriated in the sheer loveliness planning my route I passed through Bentley, Alvis, Arrol-Aster, Arm- when the car is in motion. This great Congo and Kasai rivers, and and lovableness of it; after a day only two real towns-Exeter and strong Siddeley, or the new Lagon- can be stopped, it will be found, sometimes in one of the little grass or two I found a stout engine and winchester-and the traffic
was das These were not in existence by a slight pressure on the rat- huts that consititue
chet lever; for example, that ap my banting a set of Dunlop-shod wheels under never noticeable. But crossing the at the time when I left England.
plied with the finger. This effect camp.
me, and took the road myself. Brighton road at right-angles be
Courteous Police. Bearing in mind that my last And
can be obtained by the use of a now-tell me what. in the low Horsham on an August Satur sight of England was of the war-name of Mike, are you fellows
shirt coil spring, one end of which day afternoon is a stunned country that left soon rousing at?
perience! It definitely sealed my
is secured through a hole drilled after the Armistice, and my motor-| I had insistently and repeatedly fixed resolution to avoid such roads
in the lower part of the handle ing had then, for the previous four read and heard of road traffic con- on summer week-ends. It appears
and the other made, fast by years, consisted of promiscuous and gested to the point of saturation: to me, however, that heavy trafic
small screw tapped in the hand often illicit runs on pre-War crocks the officiousness of the police; in- be easily avoided by the in the courts, but, speaking of the brake lever. Only a weak spring over vertebra-shattering roads on nocent motorists hounded for speed-private motorist if he cares to do men and officers whom I met on is necessary, otherwise it will the hectic occasions of a few days"ing: and persecuted for making a
the road, I cannot call to mind a interfere with the release of the leave from the Line. I was pro-noise; cars crushed off the roads
single exception to the above state- ratchet. A narrow-strected old county pared for many surprises, partly by devastating juggernauts of
A cheap and simple device from my meticulous persual of omnibuses; ghastly accidents at traffic congested, but the passage incidents that came to my notice, town like Exeter easily gets its ment; and, in view of one or two The "Autocar," and partly from every corner; roadhogging ram is not a long one, and in the city how the police retain their civility the remarks eagerly lapped up pant; and roads perhaps goodish in question I thought the red-yel- of admiration and wonder
and imperturbability is a source from the luckier ones who had in parts but otherwise often a dis-low-green automatic traffic signals I was frequently surprised at the to me more recently been Home. Sur-grace to the advanced civilization excellent and splendidly efficient, latitude allowed to motorists as re prises I got, and many, but several of to-day.
besides releasing police for other gards speed and noise, and that I had anticipated did not
Really Well Of.
duties.
thought this latitude was governed materialize, whereas ran up Well! What do you want? You against others I was unprepared certainly do not know when you
by an exemplary amount of com- Roads for, which, when you think of it, are well off. Have you ever tried secondary is rather a way that surprises driving 600 miles without passing such as I followed on my Totnesly, and, after my long absence. I the beautiful, almost human, cars
a village, a pub, or an A.A.scout. Folkestone run, I found simply The First Shock.
and that over roads that would wonderful. I spent every available found some of the speeds a bit of to-day, on the incomparable, mo My first shock, if such a blunt make the driver of any army tank minute on them, and never ceased startling: but, taken in general, word can be applied, was the home-hiccough? Have you ever left your to marvel at their superbly hard, this was all to the good. It is cur- ly and soothing impression of the car and walked two hours to a punctureless, and almost vibration-with the opinions of those who had to compare my impressions
grown up with the progress.
For exampe, I read a letter to the Press, written by a driver of evident experience, who said: "In these days, when the roads are crowded with vehicles, driven most- ly with an appalling degree of in- competence Now, one of my first impressions was the higher standard of driving as compared with what I used to meet before, and the higher percentage, as dis- tinct from actual number, of good] drivers that one encountered.
have.
* Wonderful Roads.
everyhere, including cross-country routes.
DEPENDABLE Yes
for it has inbuilt ruggedness to pledge its long life.
Pontiac owners speak in glowing terms of the never-failing service their cars give, year after year. When they are touring-on distant trails far from help when then they need extra power for tough bills, sticky mud or sandy stretches-when they neod flashing acceleration to take advan- tage of openings in traffic, or a quick, smooth stop-Pontiss is faithful to their demands.
And one of the reasons for Pontiac's remarkable rise in popularity is because it gives this performance day after day. When less, sturdily. built cars are beginning to get tired of working--Pontiac is alert and. active-in its prime-ready to give a type of performance never be- lieved possible at the price!
For the fundamental reason-look at Pontiac's design and construction. It's a big-cari But at lower cost to buy and maintain.
Such positive statements are worth investigating aren't they? Then, why not lot us show you the new Pontiac Big Six to-day.
PONTIAC
Big Siz
Product of General
Mator.
THE ORIENTAL MOTOR CAR COMPANY
303-9 HENNESSY ROAD
Telephone 20406,
*"*
mon-sense.
Traffic had speeded up enormous-
The house in which I was stay- ing in Devon is on a steep and winding hill with a fairly fast ap- proach at the bottom, and I im- mediately, remarked on the number of drivers who (1) dropped Into a low gear before reaching the steep- est part of the decent, and (2) who made a quick and neat change; 'down.at the bottom of the ascent before their cars lost speed. It was a small thing, but, to me, a sharp contrast to the general me- thod of driving that I used to meet with years ago.
Road-hogging, in the form of cutting-in, overtaking on boards, and driving on orie's breaks and horn, still existed, but to a far less extent than I had expected.
New Omnibuses,
The omnibuses certainly did flab- bergast me, having previously seen only the London type of town bus in and around the cities. To-day's huge, Juxurious, long-distance coaches were a novelty that in- trigued me immediately. I hate them, but apparently they all dis- appear at the end of August. Also, the small country bus, driven through by-lanes by a promoted butcher boy, is a bit of a night; mare that no doubt time will ame- liorate, and which even to-day is, fortunately, not too. numerous but the big, long-distance coaches filled me with admiration.
Fast. silent, and generally superbly dri- ven, they must be a boon and a blessing to the populace.
Sometimes during my ten and a half uninterrupted years of tropical Africa I was homesick, deadly homesick, but latterly I had felt that Africa was "getting me"; the heat, the eternal sunshine; the feeling of being somebody in an environment of nobodies, I was be- coming, perhaps, as the South Africa Bays; "aalted." I even saidi once: "If I can work a 'home-leave" I shall go just once, but Africa is my real home." I actually said that, which meant that I had been out too long.
Now that I have been home, and revelled in the beauty of it all: the joy of meeting again - old friends, with some of whom one had almost lost touch; the joy of recognizing old faces and old scenes, and finding that one was not for- gotton-now that I have handled
a
which will help to prevent the unauthorized use or theft of car can be made by drilling a hole proximity to the floorboard and in the clutch pedal arm in close passing a This will prevent the use of the padlock through it. clutch pedal and will certainly make it almost impossible to drive
dern roads, my one hope is that those roads will not be car-saturat- leave, or by the time I come home ed by the time I next get home on
for good:
10 TO
60
IN 31 SECONDS
Marquette
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Telephone 30228.
33, WONG NEI CHUNG ROAD, HAPPY VALLEY.
WHEN · BETTER AUTOMOBILES ARE BUILT BUICK WILL BUILD THEM