TRAFFIC DOMES. SPEED RECORDS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19545, 15 February 1929, Page 4

TRAFFIC DOMES.

SPEED RECORDS.

! NO DIFFICULTY ABOUT j THEM. "KEEP TO THE LEF« ' 18 CARDINAL RULE. .~o much has been said about traffic domes in C'hristchurch that the position has been talked all round without, being made one whit clearer to the motorist. who is anxious to know where lie stands in relation to the law. The by-law is quite explicit and in the main quite reasonable, for it takt« as its guiding principle all throuch the one big law of the road in New Zealand —''Keep to the left." Just n* this h>>lds true on the mam highway so it is true at intersections. Here the by-law says that "when a driver of a vehicle wishes to turn to the right from one street into another, the law requires that he shall keep to the left of the centre line of tl»e road and maintain his position until he has passed the centre line of the road into which he is turning before he makes the turn. Nothing could be plainer than that; all it means is, "'keep to your left at the intersection." This rule applies whether a traffic dome is there or not. for the dome is merely a sign to help the irotorist. and any sane driver would follow exactly the same course round the intersection whether the dome was- tiiere or not. Thus the purpose of another clause in the bv-laws: ''Every driver of a motor vehicfe shall at all times keep to the left of any traffic dome or other indicator placed at intersections by local authorities for the direction of traffic.'* The route to be taken by the motorist when turning at an ordinary fourcornered intersection is quite plain and it is only at irregular intersections where difficulties mav arise, hut the*« will all fall away if tlie driver will only realise why the traffic domes are there and keen to his left. The Bank Corner is a concrete exstance. Probably the most exaggerated position where a motorist might think himself justified in cutting across would be in turning from High street to the east portion of Hereford streetBut let him consider. He is travelling down Hieh street on his left side (we hope). What more reasonable than to continue on his left-hand side round the traffic dome or inspector and continue. still on his left-hand side, tip Hereford street, nast the Bank? Then consider the four-cornered intersection, which is not square, such as that at the town end of the Bridge of Remembrance. Here the driver must remember what constitutes the intersection. AII he is concerned with is turning from the left of the street he is into the left of the street whither j he wishes to go. It ran then be Been that on certain occasions the dome at that «pot does not concern him and that the by-law concerning it does not apply One instance will suffice. TTie motorist turning from Cashel street South into Oxford terrace comes uo Pashel street—on his left —to the intersection. The dome is not meant for him. because it is not at his intersection. It could be a mile away for all it concerns him. He simply comes up and tarns into the left side of Oxford terrace with a wide sweep. It w;ould help all motorists to remember that for them an intersection means simply two streets: that from which they turn and that into which they turn.

BY LAND, SEA, AND AIR. SEAPLANE MAKES 318 M.P.H. "Comparative speeds always form a rather fascinating subject, particularly if the figures are recorded officially beyond shadow of doubt, and represent the highest average attained over a set distance by any machine or, for the matter of that, by any man,'' says u writer in the "Autocar" (England). "Unfortunately, it is extraordinarily difficult to reduce all the results to a common formula. The methods of tim- ! ing and the means of ensuring accuracy ! in some sections of sport seem to be i very much stricter than in others, and j there is no central body to- collect and j classify the various times and speeds. 1 At the moment, the aeroplane holds pride of place as regards maximum mechanical speed, which, taking into consideration* the fact that an air course ran be found anywhere—an unhindered course at that—is enly to be ' expected. * ! "The recorded speed most accurately j measured over a stretch traversed a number of times by the aeroplane, in order to obtain the true average, is 1 318.18 m.p.h., credited to Major Ber- J I'ordi with a Fiat-engined seaplane, buiit for the Schneider Cup. He was j said to have attained U42 m.p.h. on one run. This record will, probably be beaten before long by a British sea? lane, and undoubtedly 400 m.p.h. will be reached in the course of the next few ; ,*.r. rs. » j •'On land a series of exciting con- | tests has brought the speed up to 207,->j m.p.h.. a very notable perform- j ance, considering that this uas an j average of runs fir-.t in one direction I and then in the other, along the mile ) course on Day ton a Beach, by. Hoy j Keech, with a chassis having three I twelve-cylinder Liberty engines, developing 1.500 h.p.—considerably greater | horse-power than the seaplane just mentioned. The great trouble facing drivers who attempt this record is that no really suitable course is available. "In the case both of the seaplane and r>f the land machine the line marking the t>eginning of the measured distance was crossed at full speed. With the aeroplane a certain height hns to

be maintained during the record attempt, an instrument heing tarried to enftirc that thii regulation i«s enforced. *'o. M. Baldwin, on a two-cylinder JJcr.ith-.Tap, of 99C c.c.. holds tin* motor-cycle record with a speed of 124.62 m.p.h., which is the average of rtiii.j in two directions over a kilometre, mid is a really nitonnding performance in view of the *i7<? of tlvo engine. Two Australian words worthy of ""mention aro those of J. Booth on J a 7 h.p. Indian motor-cycle, who covered f mile in 35 seconds, averaging I 102 4-o m.p.h.. and G. McCarcy who. on a Dun lop-shod Minerra car, covered naif a mile in 17 averaging 103 m.p.h. Both of these records were ni.'de on onr ordinary road*. 'ln motor-boating. Miss America VII.. with two 1100 h.p. Packard entities, averaged 92.83 m.p.h. in «ix r U n« over a nautical mile. The Great Western railway eneine. No. 'So<v>, on tj,e route. Endand I attained a maximum speed of 91.8 m.p.h. «n ordinary service; and the same company's locomotive, City of Trnro, went up to 102.3 m.p.h. on a shcht" down-grade. <.j t ; s when one comes to bH-yclas pronclled by human beings that the record® become extraordinarily interesting for. incredible a* tt may «*em. A. J ] covered 76 miles .">OS j yards in o°® on Montlbeiy track,

Paris, being. hoaerer, paced by a tar in such fashion thsi the performance. Ktrktly speaking. it artificial, the cyclist being "Miwi" by the back-wash of the car.

'"Man alone. *it bout a machine, ha* I coreiY-d 100 yard* in 9 1-Awc. m 1 America, which eqnal* 21.33 m.p.h.. and in the water J. WeUmuUer swam 100 yards in 51 1-smw, approximately at 4 m.p.h. In horse racing even J champion horses ».•!.!• m <-qual %"• j m.p.h. The be*i r< "ord for one and j u half mit~s for r n Fn glial. Derby win- j j iter stands at 34.9". m.p.h. Grc» • ( hounds hare be*>n known to average J 35.63 m.p.h. after an electric hare. j "Quite ihe hardest of all creature* J to time i« a bird. Gatke. * birdwatcher of Heligoland. a»«*crt«-d tome j time ago that a « row ba«l covered 300 J miles at 120 m.i> h and ♦ K "t a hf-rom-r pigeon can average over 30 m.p.h. fur long diM*!***, and mam.a n a matter of &*> m.p.h. for a few hoars. If a hind be difficult to tine, bow much man so

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