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THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. MOTORING SUPPLEMENT. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1930.
SOLVING HANGAR PROBLEM.
The question of where to house an aeroplane even if you could buy one has been solved by this tiny plane made in Chicago. Its wings can be detached and placed alongside the fuselage, as shown in lower photo. Then it can be parked in any garage large enough for a small automobile,
TAKING TIME.
MEASURE HUS IMPACT,
senger automobiles bought in the Public Roads are experimenting
NEW NATIONAL ROAD CONTROL.
Standard Signals and Route Signs.
SIMPLER AND SAFER MOTORING.
The early summer of 1931 is to see the road traffic conditions in Great Britain altered beyond recognition. By that date all the ma- chinery of the new Road Traffic Act will be in operation. Among the changes will be:-
+
Controlled and regulated services of motor-coaches, with timetables so arranged as to link ap with railway and other facilities;
Compulsory road services on unremunerative routes which at present are often neglected;
Shortened hours and fair wages for drives of public vehicles; New licensing conditions for motor-driven, who will be re- quired to reach a certain standard of physical fitness;
(Existing
Compulsory insurance to protect victims of accidents; Abolition of the speed limit for light motor-cars. local speed limits will probably disappear at the end of 1931, but ntay be substituted by new local controls arranged in the interval.)
Standardisation of road signs and traffic signals.
In the following interview with The Daily Mail Mr. Herbert Mor rison, Minister of Transport, discusses the coming changes and their effect on the public.
Mr. Morrison's Statement. Out of an almost bewildering tangle of conferences the new order of the road is being evolyed..
"If you tell me that there are persons who would be refused even this form of cover, then I tell you that it is extremely probable that these are persons who, in the pub- The new driving licence regula-lic interest, ought not to be allowed tions are in draft, and are being to drive at all. actively considered by motoring and other interested nuthorities.
"The insurance policy is a pri- vate contract between the company and the individual. Clearly no
The Highway Code, which is to be the motor-driver's guide in fu- Government is in the position to ture, is mapped out and is to be say. You shall take such-and-such ready for issue with new driving a risk at such-and-auch a price."" licences on January 1 next.
"We still hope." Mr. Morrison: said. to have the new driving;
Code of the Road.
The Road Cole, the new official licence regulations ready by book of rules of the rond for the November 1, but they entail the printing of a new application form motorist, will be ready with the new About G1 per cent. of all pas- Officials of the U.S. Bureau of and a new form of driving licence car licences on January 1. It is United States during 1929 were with a large bus of interug in great quantities, which have to to be compressed into a small book- purchased on the installment plan, type to see what effect the impacts be distributed all over the country.
"Under the new law every ap the average deferred payment of heavy buses have on a stretch to the American Motorists' Asso-deen Proving Grounds, Aberdeen, declare, under substanial penalties, being 3444 on each ear, according of concrete paving at the Aber-plicant for a licence will have to
ciation.
Md.
New Marmon Big Eight
--one of Marman's four new straight-eights
COME TO STRAIGHT-EIGHT HEADQUARTERS
FOR THE ONLY LINE OF FOUR STRAIGHT-
S
EIGHTS IN FOUR PRICE CLASSES
INCE 1926 Marmon has concentrated on one type of car-the straight-eight-improving it-perfecting it. Marmon invented the Down-Drañ Manifold which made the straight-eight really practical, by keeping the end cylinders from being "starved.” This year Marmon introduced Double-Dome Combustion which makes the straight-eight smoother, quieter and far more pow. erful. On the basis of its past and present accomplish. ments Marmon has attained indisputable straight-eight leadership.
THE CARS-Four Distinct Price Fields
The New Marmon Big Eight, the finest product of a company long noted for fiue products (16 feet, 10 juches overall).
The New Marmon 879, for the fine car purchaser who would buy conservatively(15 feet, 11 inches overall),
The New Marmon 869, the most advanced, yet time- proved straight-eight for the still more conservativs price buyer (15 feet overall).
The New Marmon Model R—the world's only time-proved, moderately-priced eight-cylinder auto- mobile (14 feet, 4 inches overall).
ORIENTAL MOTOR CAR CO.
303-309 HENNESSY ROAD, New Reclamation.
Tel. 20406.
MARMON
whether he or she has any physical disability.
Eyesight Standard,
let which will slip into the pocket, und it will be available to the public at a penny.
"The Code," Mr. Morrison ex-
plained, "is permissive; it does not law down penalties, but failure to observe its provisions may affect questions of liability: It will be a simple, clear guide to the use of the "We are laying down, for in-road, and it may contain agreed stance, a minimum standard of eye- signals and sigas which will make sight. Government departments for public safety. have considered the matter, and a
“We are aiming at reducing the conference will be held next week number of signals and achieving at which we shall have the assis-complete standardisation, and we tance of the British Medical Asso hope to get the provisions of the ciation and others in reaching a Code agreed' by representatives of conclusion..
the motoring world, the police (the "The physical, standard required Home Office has already communi- of the motorist will also include eated with the chief constables on freedom from liability to fits or the subject of signals), cyclists, other afflictions that would render pedestrians, the trade unions in motor-driving unsafe. We are fact, everybody concerned. alming, of course, at conditions which will make for public
safety."
Failure to reach the eyesight standard is to be an absolute bar to
the issue of a motor-licence. The onus of proof will be on the motor ist, and there is limited machinery for appeal in cases where licences are refused on physical grounds.
"The final draft will have to be approved by both Houses of Parlia ment before it is issued to the pub. |lic."
Motorists who find the present signposts difficult to read will be interested to learn that that is one of the multifarious questions under consideration by the Department.
Another considerable task is that
forty-into one order.
over
The man who has lost a leg or an of condensing present regulations arm will not be debarred from driv-on the construction and use of mo- ing a private vehicle if he can show tor vehicles-they number that he is able to maintain efficient control, and even where a new ap plicant in this class fails to obtain a full licence he may obtain a pro- visional licence which will enable him to learn to drive.
Motor Coaches.
Turning to the new provisions in regard to motorcoaches and omni- buses, Mr. Morrison pointed out. that the new Act would evolve or- der out of present chaos.
Local Speed Limits. On the subject of speed limits.
"So far as these vehicles are Mr. Morrison stated that the uni- versal 20-miles per hour speed limit concerned," said the Minister, we begin by substituting twelve area would probably disappear on Janu-licensing authorities, for the 1300
ary 1 next.
which exist at present. It will no
It should be pointed out." he longer be possible to say, as can be went on. "that there is a provisionaid at present, that there are areas in the new Act under which exist-of the country without any licen ing local speed limits will remain sing authority at all.
in force for one year longer. That
"The area Commissioners will be gives time for local and other au- thorities to consult the Ministry appointed by the beginning of next of Transport as to the necessity year, with some of their officers, and they will then receive ap for the continuance of these con-plications for the new road service trola in individual cases.”
which will be required. Third-party risk insurance will licences become compulsory on January 1In future we shall see motor-coach- next. That date, the Minister ex-es running to schedule, and in a co- plained, was chosen because the ordinated system linking up the bulk of the motor-vehicle licences road and rail facilities of, the coun are taken out in the first part of try. High speeds must be check-
the year.
1 invited Mr. Morrison to ex- plain the position of a motorist who was refused third-party insurance by a company.
ed, and the very long hours of some of the present drivers will be reduced, in the interests of public safety.
"At present London has no con- trol over the motor-coach services. Next year that condition will be al tered, and I can see that the control
"There will be very few such cases," was the reply. "The com- panies know that their position, in cases where they refuse the in- is necessary. surance and thus put a man off the "Applications for service licences road, is very serious.
ought to be so arranged, by April. "They know, too, that any awk-1 next so as to give us a system wardress on their part-mind you, that will destroy congestion caused I have no reason to fear it; they by senseless competition, will sup have been extremely, helpful, al-ply areas at present neglected with though they were not in favour of guaranteed services, will give the the compulsory plan-would be public safety, and will ensure followed by a public outery that drivers decent wages and decent would mean that the State would hours. be forced to intervene.
"High motor-coach speed on the "Besides, you have to remember road is unnecessary and unsafe. that an undewriters' policy can be The public must not expect to go secured, and that a security bond as fast by road as they can by rail; is also sufficient,
the services must be correlated."
'WORLD'S HIGHWAYS.
SHALL NOT PASS. :
There are 7,800,000 miles of Thirty-three-states and the Dis highway in the world, of which trict of Columbia specify in their 3,016,281 miles are in the United traffic laws that overtaking auto- States. Russia is second in road mobiles on hills or curves where mileage, with 776,172 miles. Iview is obstructed is unlawful.
The Motoring Sensations
of the year
FIAT 514
!
THE NEW FOUR-CYLINDER MODELS
and
the-
FIRTS24E
SIX CYLINDER MODELS.
Arrange for an early Demonstration.
A. GOEKE & COMPANY,
China Buliding, 4th Floor. Tel. 22221.
FIAT GARAGE,
Des Vœux Road Central.. Tel. 24821.
LANCIA GARAGE,
151, Praya East, Tel, 23557.
TRUST A THORNYCROFT With Your TranSPORT
DEAL DIRECT.
THORNYCROFT
SIX-CYLINDERED
COACHES & OMNIBUSES
MOTOR VEHICLES
Pioneer Manufacturers' of Commercial Motor Vehicles
4 or 6 Wheels
4 or 6 Cylinders
30 Cwt, to 10 Ton Loads 20 to 70 Passengers
JOHN I. THORNYCROFT & CO., LIMITED
UNION BUILDING..
.HONGKONG
FIFTH FLOOR.
Write us and our representative will call:
Telephone 24831,
TRUST A THORNYCROFT WITH Your TransPORT