1927-06-04 — Page 9

MOTORING

SUPPLEMENT

OF

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.

SATURDAY, 4th JUNE, 1927.

Being The Official Organ of

THE HONGKONG AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION.

Vehicular Ferries.

CURRENT

COMMENT

Rickshas.

It often appears that the num- The announcement that a new. ferry service is contemplated,ber of rickshas plying for hire is principally for the conveyance greatly in excess of the demand,

motor across the harbour of vehicles, must have been rend by and taking into consideration the all motorists with the greatest of obstruction they cause, we think interest. For some time past, the the matter might well be careful Government has been consideringly investigated. In several cities the question, and although there can be no two opinions concerning in the East, it has been seriously the advisability of providing such suggested that these vehicles bu a service, there has been some dis-totally abolished, and while we cussion regarding the location of do not advocate this for Hong- "the piers, especially on the Hongkong, we do object to a number

kong side. It has apparently been decided that a pier in the vicinity of private rickshas being used of the Victoria Recreation Club for public hire. Several instances would proye satisfactory, and we of this practice have been brought Imagine such a situation would to our notice recently, and they, prove convenient to all classes of trafle. The Prayn is quite wide at least, should be prohibited from enough for cars to line up for a acting as public vehicles. ferry, and there is never any traffic number of ordinary public rick- congestion such as is frequently shas might be combed out as des met with opposite the Central

mand decreases. Market, where it was first suggest- ed the pier should be situated. Beneflcial Results.

It is safe to predict that the new ierrics will prove most popular

Repulse Bay.

The

We have been asked to draw attention to the excessive speed which some motorists travel.nt

among motorists who drive for on the lower beach road at Re-

оп to

MORRIS BUSES FOR CASTLE PEAK.

One of the new Morris buses put into operation by the Chung Mai Company for service between Mongkok and Castle Peak.

HORSES AGAIN?

Effect of High Insurance..

Boston, Mass., April 14-One of

horse!

the horse.

months it has been in operation, Recklessness hasn't increased, as might have been predicted, because the motorists realize that carelessness would cost them their insurance policies and that they can't operate their cars without them.

UNIFORM SIGNS.

Solving Traffic Congestion.

[By Roy J. Gibbons.)

'.

Chicago, April 23-Automobile manufacturers are taking official. cognizance of traffle conditions which their product has brought' about.

Up to the present the manufac turers have been interested solely in production.

Now they have become perforce altruistic. Their horseless car- riage grown "universally popular has turned Frankenstein upon its creators.

It has brought about traffic pro- blems and a threatened saturation point.

So the manufacturers have set themselves the task of unravelling the scramble at the crossroads as a measure both of good business acu- men and responsibility.

Standard Road Signs.

The first expression of this new spirit was manifest the other day in Chicago when the National Auto- mobile Chamber of Commerce got together the official and unofficial representatives of 57 American

cities.

The whole gamut of the traffic problem was taken for discussion. Delegates went on record as un- animously favouring a national movement to standardize road signs into five different shapes each to have but one meaning.

Robert Kingery, manager of the Chicago, introduced this idea pat- direction by C. M. Babcock and, J.- terned on work already done in this M. Mullin, Minnesota atate high- way officials, both of Minneapolis.

Uniform signs would do. away. with much of the present perplex- ity which arises from the multitude of indicators now in use, Kingery advocated.

Progressive traffic lights were re- commended sa more efficient in large cities than the present wave lights which hold up traffic lanes

Car sales have been lower pleasure. At the present time, the pulse Bay. As a matter of fact, the effects of the new compulsory during the first two months of this majority of people who own cars on Tuesday afternoon last, two automobile Insurance law, at least year than the same period last only enjoy driving on which partl

or seven in this city, is the return of the year. The reason, say dealers and cular side of the harbour they children of some six

insurance men," is prospects are reside, for the simple reason that years of age, narrowly escaped

waiting for the first of April, thus the system of transporting being run over by a car leaving!

Increasing traffic congestion in starting their new care when vehicles across the harbour is so the beach road with a party of the larger cities has made it weather permits and at the same Regional Planning Association af

Those who em- unsatisfactory.

bathers. There should be no cheaper and just as easy for the time cutting down their insurance ploy chauffeurs are perhaps not so handicapped as the owner-driver, need to ask drivers to drive slow-horse-drawn truck to make de- premiums to cover only the rest

But it wasn't until of the year. who objects to the irksome methodly on this particular roadway, liveries.

May Lower Rates. whereby his car is hauled up by because, not only is it narrow, insurance rutes were practically crane, and lowered on a lighter. but pedestrians are likely to step doubled on truck fleets by the

application of the new code that About $20,000,000 will be paid When it is possible to drive direct out on to the road when leaving owners decided again to rely on Insurance companies as liability

the ferry, many more

The traffe is excep-

premiums this year. But next motorists will accept the oppor-matsheds. tunity of a drive on the opposite tionally heavy during the summar

By doing so, they are economiz-year's rates are expected to be side of the harbour to which they months, and it would be quite a ing not only in the maintenance of reduced as more authentic figures live, and we imagine that the in-good laen if a traffic "constable the truck, as against the cheaper will be available on which the creased mileage thus opened up will further assist towards popu were stationed on the road with cost of the horse, but they have state insurance commission may

the expres3 purpose of taking succeeded in eliminating the item determine rates. larising motoring in the Colony,

numbers of cars which exceed of insurance premiums to a great

Counteracting the insurance law is the lack of a gasoline tax in Summonses.

speed of twelve miles per hour. extent. This limit would not entail any

Heretofore, truck fleet owners Massachusetts, one of the four Now, In the annual report of the Chief hardship, because there cannot be

were able to get lower rates on states still holding out. Constable of Liverpool, it is sug- much more than half a mile of their feets as against the rates for however, it is proposed to cut the a uniform gested that the manner in which the road, and when a speed limit individual trucks. Now they must registration fee to minor trae offences were dealt is clearly necessary in the inter- with might be simplified.

us the man who insures only one and institute a gasoline tax. opinion is expressed that. attendest of public safety, there should pay just as much for each vehicle figure of $3 or $4 for each vehicle

truck. ance at Court by motorists sum-be no hesitation in applying it. moned for minor offences, and by A New Ford. the police supporting the charge

The recent announcement that causes a great deal of unnecessary

The procedure the Ford organisation has decided waste of time. proposed is in the nature of a to build a new type of Ford car, "compromise fine" which could be will have been received with in- adapted to cover minor motoring terest throughout the world. To The idea is that Henry Ford belongs the credit for offences. offenders should be communicated having brought motoring within whether the the reach of the masses, and for enquiring with, alleged offence is disputed, and if the last twenty years, with the not, a small fire would be levied exception of the first quarter of and notice given to the clerk of the 1926, Ford cars led all other makes The justices and the matter thus end-in production and sales.

11

The

ed. If however, the offender pre- decision to build an entirely dif ferred to plead "not guilty" the ferent type is without doubt due ense would be heard in the to the challenge which other fat- ordinary way. The suggestion istories have made in low priced certainly a practical one which cars. Today, it is possible to certain select a vehicle from among a could be adopted to extent locally. It should be pos- number of makes at a price some- sible to notify the amount of the where in the region of that fine on the summons, and in the charged for the Ford, and further- event of no protest, the fine could more, it has to be admitted that be paid to the Magistracy.

Thefts.

for a slightly higher figure, many cars are available which offer a attractive finish and more Several thefts from motor vehi-smoother running, then does the As an example cles have been reported lately. One famous "Flivver." motorist who left his car outside of what mass production can his office for a short while, discover-accomplish, the Ford stood alone ed on his return that the tool kit for many years; but in order to had been stolen. Apparently the maintain that production and low thieves are very cunning and not price, the matter of keeping up often detected, although it sounds with development in design has Now inereditable that a coolie can ap-necessarily been sacrificed. proach a motor car and unserow however, it is expected that tho. the horn without his act being new car, will challenge the modern witnessed. It is quite cortain low priced vehicle in design, that a spanner must be employed although unless there is propor- in the work which cannot be done tionate drop in price as that which in a second. We are aware that previously ruled in comparison to similar petty thieving is recorded 'other cars, the new Ford will find In many cities, but as far na tha standing of such excellent cars Hongkong la concerned, we should ng Studebaker, Essex, Dodge, like to see more culprits caught Morris, tough propositions against and dealt with as they deserve."

which to compete..

Fifty per cent of the cars in No More Recklessness, this state during summer months carry licenses from other states, Outside of this change, the new it is said. By enactment of a law has apparently made

no gasoline tax, out-of-state visitors impression on the motoring public would help pay for the roads they of Massachusetts for the few use:

TRAFFIC ENGINEERS CONVENE.

Chicago and Kansas City have entertained engineers and officials who have been trying to discover means for solving the traffic problem. Here is a group In Chicago. Left to right, they are: Edward S. Jordan, chairman of the traffic and safety committee of the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce; P. L. Emerson, chairman of the N. A. C. C. motor truck committee; Miller. McClintock, director of the Albert Russell Erskine Eurenu for Traffic Research and E., J. Meliraith, stuff engineer of the Chicago surface Inca.

for blocks at a time.

"No Parking" Hurts: One Detroit manager of a chain garage system, went on record as abolition of congested district park- ing. favouring limitation but not total

"If no parking at all la permitted car owners won't bring their That will hurt all cars to town. business in general as well as the garage business in particular," he

Bald.

The conference agreed that stan dard ordinances must be legislated in all cities to agree with the basic problems of transportation and be individual only to fit the city's particular needs.

It was also conceded that no great" apprehension need he felt over what might happen in the future in al- ready congested districts where buildings are being crected to even greater heights and drawing more traffic into the district.

When congestion becomes too bad there is a migration from the focus- ing point into outlaying districts, a fact attested by the recent rise of neighbourhood department stores..

KUALA LUMPUR TRIALS.

Hill Climb Organised.

A hill climb is being organized by the Selangor Automobile Asso- clation to take place in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, June 12. Sixteen events are scheduled, covering all classes of cars and motor-cycles. A novel event is one for cara listed at a price not exceeding $1,000. Entries open to both members and non- membera of the Association. Official announcements will short ly be in print.

are

We are pleased to announce that we are receiving another shipment of Harley-Davidson motor cycles

by the 8.8. "Empress of Russia" due on June 6th.

The shipment comprises-

COMBINATIONS

BIG TWIN SOLOS

and the famous-

HARLEY SINGLES.

Side by side and overhead valve models...

BOOK YOUR MOUNT NOW.

THE GASCON MOTOR CO.,

2, Kwong Wah Road (Opposite The Steam Laundry) Telephone K1242.

"

REPAIRS UNDERTAKEN ON ALL MAKES OF MACHINES.

Mobiloil

Habe the chart your guilt

Are You lubricating your car

with oleomargaine ?

You can spread oleomargarine on your bread but you won't taste the flavour of butter. Powdered eggs can be used in malding cakes, but powdered eggs never will make an omelet for your break- fast.

You can substitute any cheap oil for Gargoyle Mobiloil--but you won't get" Mobiloil economy or satisfactory results...Lubrication has its laws just like any other science, and you pay, the price f you disregard them.

No automotive engine will run as well on cheap or incorrect off as it will with Gargoyle Mobilol). Oll chosen because of price or by guess, always leads to excessive carbon and premature deprecia tion.

Fortunately, there is no need to use a cheap oilno need to guess. Mobiloll engineers havo found Exactly the right oil for your parti- cular car by scientific study and actual experiment... The grade, Is on the Mobiloil Chart at nearest Mobiloil dealer's.

VACUUM OIL COMPANY, HONGKONG.