1928-10-27 — Page 17

THE HONGKONG' TELEGRAPH, MOTORING SUPPLEMENT.

TRAFFIC PROBLEM WORRIES PARIS.

Underground Boulevards Suggested.

[By Helen Dare.]

Traffic.

-Paris, now in the throes 3-How to protect the health of of solving at least three the entire population against the of the pressing problems poisonous dust the enormous traf that modern progress basic raines and keeps suspended in' thrust upon her, is even without the air, and the poisonous gases a defenseless finding any practical, immediately turned loose on applicable solutions-stirring up a world by the constant circulation lively interest in what scientific of thousands of motor vehicles. discoveries, the human genius for Pedestrians Hold Up Veblcular Invention, the mechanization, of everyone's everyday life and the importance of big business are do- "ing to the population; especially the swarming populations of big cities. For the problems of Paris are the common problems of all big elties that are trying to keep pace with world progress-if you call it progress and not modern mania,

No Need for Them to Walt

One Hundred Years,

buyers. Also, he settles himself shop windows to divort the under- on the little chairs at the little round pedestrian and give him an tables of the sidewalk cafes and equal opportunity with the open- whiles away an hour over one air window shopper to spend his Theni Paris under- small drink waiting for the rush money period to pass, thus reducing the ground still is Paris-enterprising number of patrons and the profit cafe owners might be expected in of the cafe while more lucrative time to set up branch cafes on! trades goes alsowhere. Decidedly the underground boulevards to the pedestrian, negligible as he is, break the monotony of the long must be taken account of; some trek home and supply the morn thing must be done: for him.ing cafe-au-lait to those who over- Some room on the sidewalks must sleep and have to jump out with- be made for the hordes of tourista out the early pick-me-up to get to who are good for trade and love to the job on time. spend their money in the shopa as well as feast their eyes on the al- ways tempting shop windows.

Underground Boulevards With

Moving Sidewalks.

Having gone so far, why nat have jazz bands, and cabarets and tance floors for the late prowlers, and here and there a little hotel for those who shrink from trying to wake the grumbling conciergol These boulevards naturally would So among the plans that have bo well lighted, and with their been considered to relieve the con-long stretches of new walls have a gestion there is one that the elty lot of space to rent for advertising | fathers have been looking into of all the things that everyone should This Inst problem is a job for putting him underground. Archi-have in order to be like everyone the scientists. The second is a

tects have been submitting plans else; thus furnishing needed cashi matter to be dealt with by new re-for underground boulevards that to the city to defray the cost of gulations. The first-what to do will run in all directions from the building them. with the negligible pedestrian-is centre of the city to the outskirts,

One advantage they would have: a puzzle. There really isn't like the spekes of a wheel. But for the Partalenne, who, above all enough room for the poor thing in like the road "from Schenectady to things, hates to carry an umbrella the streets, even on the sidewalks Troy" that Eddie Foy used to alng no matter how hard it rains, and where the cafe tables and chairs about, that was only a preliminary never wears rubbers over her occupy so much space; and he oer-to the "long, long walk to the gay little, high-heeled pumps: Lhe ainly Interferes with the progress Rialto of New York," they are weather above ground would mean of the vehicular traffic, cluttering taking thought of the weary legs nothing to her.

It even has been suggested by world-to obscure the shop fronts

It is only a little while ago-up the crossings where traffic is of the negligible pedestrian, and Paris has considered and re- and one doesn't have to be an halted to let him skilter across, considering the adoption of ajected the elevated railways. oldest inhabitant to remember this That he holds up traffic, espect-mechanical device that was in-Never for a moment would she that mildly meditative, gently ally the speeding taxi, was proved vented for weary walkers plodding think of disfiguring her beautiful philosophical persons with apare by twa Parisian blades, who made their way through exposition venues and boulevardo with such time for such maunderings used bet on the outcome of a point halls, I think; and afterward monstrosity; and her streets aro to sit fu wicker chairs un verandusto-point race they engaged in. adopted by some of the colossal too narrow and winding to plant or winged easy chairs before plea-One, who belonged to the negl-department stores in big cities. them there. Business is too Im- santly glowing, grate fires and gible pedestrian class held that he That is to put in moving sidewalka

portant-and all Paris is honey- wish that they could come back could cover the distance in less for him on these underground combed with shops filled with in a hundred years or so to see time than his opponent who pin-boulevards,

things to sell to the rest of the what the world would be like then, ned his faith and risked his money. when all the budding ideas would on the daring resourcefulness of be in full bloom; a little skeptical-the typical Paris taxi driver. The some designers that puch under-on which so much thought and

them interesting negligible pedestrian won, but round boulevards might be made money have been expended to and ly, too.

wide enough to admit of divorting make Now they find that they need not only by his recklessness and some of the vehicular traffic to enticing.

making wait the hundred years or so, nor agility in

The motor traße, has come lo serpentine them, with each class of traffic on make the coveted return trip. dashes through triple moving lines

A division of its own. In this case stay, of course-until some Inven- They can see for themselves, here of hurrying motor vehicles. In the heavy, Treight-carrying cam-tive genius thinka up something to and now, what such a scientific-cluding the monstrous autobuses mions going out of the city would replace it. With the arrangement ally, mechanically changed world and juggernaut sight-seeing car have a road of their own; the of the streets and the distances Ja like; what with automobiles, while the taxi addiet laid his de- light pushearts for delivering to be travelled in this hurrying retail customers age it is an absolule necessity. flying machines, submarines, wire-feat to the long queue of French

purchases to less, telephones (which already sprinters hurrying en masse over would have a runway of their own, The taxi is an economy-of time. are so oldfabioned that they are a crossing to be exactly on time making it safer for the men, at least-and used as a matter of nearing the discard), movies turn-for the midday meal, which held women and children who push course by the oniall wage earner Ing into talkies, television andjup the vehicular lines a moment them than mingling with the as well as by those who are mere- what not. And they never kad for so longer than the usual ten street vehicular traffle as they doly self-indulgent or affluent. The imagination so far-flung as to pre-reconds for the crowd to fool it

sidewalk on one side of this the midinetle in'n taxi; the dress- vision presidential nominees' muk-across. The loser had not count-ow. The pedestrians would have miller sends your hat home by ed on the determined collective vehicular traffic for going from maker your dress. The taxi fare ing radio campaigns. Transportation Problem Worries French dash for dejeuner when the centre of the city and another very likely is in your bill, but not his wily opponent chose the noon-afdewalk on the other side for where you can find it. A cook or Official Paris,

coming in to the centre. However, to stick to the worries time for the race. of the Paris offietals who have lo figure out some way of distribut-

Sidewalks Overflow With

Parisinna on Foot.

ing the Parls millions so the ma- The negligible pedestrian has loring population will not succeed the odds against him. He is fore-

Underground City Would Be Evolved.

a maid on her day out lakes a taxi

to her station or the movie. Cheap taxis have something to do with this, but habit and, custom Nor are the interests of big have more. Anyhow, mator traffic in exterminating the pedestrian fed to impede trafic and also be-business forgotten, for in the has so taken possession of Paris, for both the simple leven to crowding the pedestrian to populution, both massive groups come a problem to the rity fathers being necessary to big business, by the fact that, not being rich pedestrian boulevards and the the wall and eventually, perhaps, the three pressing problems that enough to acquire a car, and by more ambitious vehicular ander-underground, that the only ques- the harassed officials are strug-the crowded conditions of Paris ground shops are included, en-tion is what is the most practical being obliged to live on the out-trances to the big department way of disposing of surplus gling with are:,

1-What to do with the pedes-skirts, or'in districts remote from stores, und, of course, attractive pedestrians.

trians to get them out of the way of the motor traffic.

2-Haw to procure and insure

his job, he has to ride back 'and forth in the underground railway, which now is crowded to suffoen- There . enough quiet dering the night for tion iluring rush hours.

the population to get enough sleep are too many of him even for the into to be fit for the next day'a job; sidewalks, where he clots and this includes not only the crowds to lonk, into shop windows pedestrians, those who ride in bus or read the political posters on the ses, trams and the underground | boardings or admire the cavort- railways, but as many of the mo-ings of the mechanical toys the torista as do not motor and Loot street hawkera act to performing for the beguilement of prospective their horns through the night.

THE

MOTOR UNION

INSURANCE Co 17o

Incorporated in England

(Under the auspices of the Automobile Association)

SPECIALISES IN MOTOR INSURANCE

LOCAL AGENTS,

THE UNION TRADING Co., Ltd.

Phone C. 578. Yark Building.

SUCCESS FOLLOWS - SUCCESS !

A

BY THE WAY

FTER mounting a tyre on yourtain does not exceed four months.

Italy has for several years grant- car it is a good plan to place

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a block of wood alongside the ed exemption for three months. In wheel. Turn the wheel slowly, Great Britain and Italy the exemp aging a screw driver with point lion is not based on reciprocity. against tyre rim. If it is not true, adjust by loosening lug nuta and tightening at opposite points until tyre runs true.

M

TORE than one-third of the. 360,000 cars in Germany, or about 125,000, are small cars of less than 16 horsepower. The TE learn (says the Morris tiniest of all is one nicknamed "The

Wowher, that the owner or a Rolling Soldier's Lonf. It is low

Morris-Cowley saloon was per- and has blunt ends, so that it is suaded to call at the fishmonger'a imposable to distinguish the front for the raw material of the fish from the rear. It has an engine course, which was in dire hazard of with only one cylinder bohind the being too late for dinner that even-driver, and the two passengers sit ing. On the way back he also put in practically on the floor. another call and left the rear door open. A cal discounted his good intentions by dining on the fish first,

trouble is that they do not go and was trapped when he slammed the door and drove off, all unwit far enough. tingly. The motion of the car

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NOME second-hand cars are all

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drove pussy frantie, and she regis-TF GASOLINE line, vacuum tank tered her disapproval by spring.ag or gasoline tank should spring on to the driver's uncovered heut a leak, temporary repairs can be and digging in her claws, much to made with a bar of soap, A plece his annoyance, not to say dismay.

of chewing gum will stop a small leak around vacuum tank or gus

MONET-GOYON CHAMPION OF FRANCE (Tourist)||A

1928

FRENCH CUP

Machines up to 250 c. c. 1st HOMMAIRE on M.G. CHAMPIONSHIP OF FRANCE

Won four years in succession, 1924, 1925, 1926 and 1927

on M.G. Machines.

The Latest 1929 Models are due

per

8.5. City of Mobila

and

8.3. City of Perth,

For Particulars: The French Motor Cycle ('o. 46, NATHAN ROAD, KOWLOON.

IL that glittera does not shine line.

-on hills.

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Automobile Association

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X7INDOW glass in a closed car. may start rattling after the

W

Tulates that British tourists car has been in use for some

arc

visiting Sweden

now time. This can be remedied by re. exempt from payment of the motor-placing the falt channels which Car Laxes for a period of four become worn by use. months.

Owing to the Initiative of the TV the front axlo is removed from I the front axle is removed from A.A. and the various national clubs,

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I

ין

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the principle of allowing four and back to avoid installing months' exemption to British motor wrong and thereby causing diff- fats has now been adopted by the cult steering. Governments of Spain, Holland, Belgium, Norway, Sweden and Den- mark. In several of these countries the concession is already in force; in others 'the necessary arrange ments are being mado for its in- troduction.

In all the above countries the concession is of a reciprocal naturo,

TOSPITALS are places where people who are run down wind up. THEN stalled in mud, or sand,

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J

W do not spin wheels by allow

ing motor to race. This

so that British motorists are allow cause the wheels to bury deoper. ed the benefit of it because the Bri- Remove all obstacles from Imme- tish Government has for many diately, in front of all four wheels, yours granted exemption from the use low gear, and apply foot brake motor vehicle tax to all visiting if necessary to keep wheels turn- motorists whose stay in Great Bring 'slowly.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1928.

JOHN I.

THORNYCROFT

THE LEADING EXPONENTS

of

& CO LIMITÉD.

ECONOMICAL ROAD TRANSPORT

HONGKONG OFFICE,

UNION BUILDING, 5th. Floor.

THORNYCROFT

PASSENGER OMNIBUSES

AND

MOTOR FREIGHT VEHICLES

Write us and our representative will call. Telephone Central 4831.

DEAL DIRECT.

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The sky is the limit at the great Proving Ground of General Motors, near Milford, Michigan. Every phase of a car's performance is tested to: the limit of its ability.

The new Oldsmobile went through 1,177,000 miles of testing at the Proving Ground before.it was ever offered to the public-tests far more severe than any owner could ever givė, And thousands of Oldsmobile buyers throughout America have added further proof in the form of millions of miles of actual driving.

But don't accept even this proof as final. Come drive the Fine Car of Low Price yourself and make your own comparisons.

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Touring Bedan (2-door)

Bedan (4-door)

M$2,500.00

M$2,500.00

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The Dragon Motor Car Co., Ltd.

TH

Telephone Central 1246 or 1247.

33, Wong Nei Chung Road, Happy Valley.

OLDSMOBILE

PRODUCT OF GENERAL MOTOKS

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