FOR THE MOTORIST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 221, 19 September 1938, Page 8

FOR THE MOTORIST.

NEW AMERICAN AMENITIES.

The average American not only spends a I large proportion of his waking hours in his motor car; he shows an increasing reluctance to leave it for any purpose. Tradespeople, eager to please their customers, have responded by creating a surprising number of cervices brought to the motor car driver while he waits (says the Xew York correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian").

First of these, of course, is food and drink. In the South and West, particularly, the • restaurant is a rare exception that doe 9 not provide "kerb service." The driver halts by the side of the highway or goes a few yards into a private car park. At once a uniformed waitress is at his elbow with a menu. The order is given, and a few minutes later it is served on a series of trays, one for each member of the party. These trays are clamped ingeniously to the doors of the car, so that its occupants need not move an inch. When the meal is ended the driver signifies this fact by sounding his horn, the trays are removed, the bill is paid, and the car is off. Even Banks. Many other commodities are sold to the motorist while he sits at the wheel. In California, in particular, there are large establishments selling groceries, vegetables and fruits to patrons who drive in, make thei" purchases and drive out again. Banks have lately begun to accept deposits in this fashion, keeping a clerk standing outside the door, and prohibiting motor cars from sotpping for any other purpose. Traffic congestion and the great difficulty patrons find in parking their motor cars while visiting the banks are the reasons given for this custom. More startling are the grocery stores where the customer actually drives his car into the establishment and serves himself. A store of this type is arranged in the form of a large "TJ" with its open end towards the street. Motor cars enter at one side, go round the loop, and leave by the other. There are slots in the pavement designed to engage the tyres, ■ and every sort of merchandise, in packages, ! is on shelves within easy rea«h on the right or left. Once the motorist has put the wheels of the car into the slots he does not need to steer. With the ear in first gear he can move forward, clutching goods from the shelves with both hands as he goes. Just before he leaves he passes a cashier, who adds up his purchases and takes payment. He saves all the time usually lost in finding a place to park, walking to the shop, and walking back. Car-Park ProM~in. The problem of parking has become an extremely serious matter to shopkeepers, who are using various devices to overcome it. Some of them maintain private car-parks. Others have a staff of uniformed chauffeurs waiting at the main entrance; the patron surrenders' his car on arrival and the chauffeur drives it to a garage until the owner is ready to leave. In the far West shops are now being built only two storeys in height. ' The entire roof is used as a private car-park, with ramps leading to and from the street. Customers drive to the roof and go down in a lift.