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Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19669, 12 July 1929, Page 7

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MOTOR-CYCLES' HEAVY TOLL. fffOBE DANGEROUS THAN CARS. Judged by the record oi street accidents, the motor-cycle is the most dangerous vehicle on the road in England and Wales to-dav. says the "Evening News" of London in a special article. The 1418 street deaths tor which motor-cycles were responsible last year were only 288 fewer than the total for omnibuses, motor-coaches, trams, vans, and lorries put together. And tiie figures of the injured were still more impressive:— u Motor-cycles ••• 40,05e Omnibuses, coaches, trams motor-vans, and lorries ••• , >t. The reckless motor-cyclist probably causes more gre-v hairs to traffic point duty men and the more sober drivers than all the other anxieties on the road put together Self-Preservation. ¥ha frequency with which the charge of carelessness is brought against motor-cyclists is remarkable wheii it is considered that the motorcyclist. even if onlv on the principle of self-preservation. should be the Bipet careful driver in the streets. While ill most motor-car accidents the motorist kills or maims other people, the motor-cvclißt himself is very often the victim when he has an accident. , ... In fact, out of 832 people killed in HlotoTrcycle accidents 535 were actually riding on the machine. A very large proportion of the iniured were either on the machine or the pillion or in * side-car. No one under 17 is allowed to hold a motor-car license, but licenses to drive motor-cycles are issued to boys of 14. A "Black" Case, Unless the record of motor-cycles improves the raising of this age and a stiffening of the regulations under which tho licenses are issued is almost certain. "One is bound to admit that the case made out by the figures looks very black," said the secretary of the AutoCycle Union. "But it is not at alt certain that a raising of the age for licenses would effect any improvement, and we should be sorry to see that course adopted. "My experience is that boys who have just/ ieft school are among the most careful drivers. The danger age, if any, comes with young men round about 19 or 20 who have had a few years' experience, think they kno*.. everything about motors, and try to show off.' "There is a considerable educational value in'a motor-cycle for a boy of 14 or 15, at which age he should be getting a road sense

Driving Tests. "The black sheep among motorcyclists are bound to be noticeable, for a reckless motor-oyclist is so conspicuous m the traffic. "But I believe the percentage or reckless ones is small. After nil, a man who is riding a motor-cycle has to think of his own skin. "We are not in fr.vour of medical examinations or driving tests. The driving tests in Prance are often farcical. . "We agree, however, with the raeommendation of the Departmental Committee on the Taxation and Regulation of Road Vehicles that an applicant for a license should make a declaration that he has no physical disah'^'tv." The National Safety First Association is suggesting thnt. the applicants' for a license should have to declare also a knowledge of mo+ors and the ri<rli+.n and courtesies of the road. "We have no fnct« to show thnt ag° 'ii* anv on soul Colonel J. A. A. Pickard. the secretary of the Association "Vnr do we fflvooatft ir>p«i*rire«s of n ,i ri* t '^"i"n+ —vch fines for careless walking-—as a way of putting down p*rifl°nts. Pedestrians have already t*"» penalty 1 ESucwtion. "We believe that the best means of reducing traffic accidents is education. , , . "It is an interesting fact tnat. since 1921, the first year of which the actual number of motor vehicles was known, there has been an increase 01 134 per cent, in the number of motor vehicles and of 135 per cent in the victims of street accidents. The percentages have kept nearly parallel "But when you come to the number of children kiiled the increase is omy 40 oer cent. "That is nositive proof of the value of Safety First in tne schools. The increase for the whole country in street accidents over !»■«' ig 10 per cent., but in place# where there is no Safetv First Council it is m"ch biphcr—at B-th 42 per cent, and Bristol 20 per cent «Of all accidentia about 80 per cent., are due to the human element and no B f, *ll ran be tr» the vehicle, the weather, or the state of *he road. Tt is therefore with the human element we must deal by en ~ oouraging safety first work." STEEL TYRES. FOR SUPER-SPEED RACING. Steel automobile tyres may be the next major development in super-speed racing, believes Capt. J. S. Irving, British automobile expert who designed Sir Henry- Segrave's Golden Arrow. Captain Irving is of the opinion that the present-day rubber and fabric racing tyre has about reached its limit, as far as withstanding terrific force is concerned. If the speed record goes much higher, he says, steel tyres may have to be put into use. The tyres on Sir Henry Segrave's ear, built at a cost of about £SOO each, were designed to withstand a speed of 240 to 260 miles an hour for cue minute. Sir Henry set the new record at 231 miles an hour, abandoning farther attempts after Lee Bible, Daytona mechanic, was killed in an attempt to break that record. "One of the greatest hazards _of high-speed racing," Captain Irving says, "is the tyres. I have been considering using steel tyres for some time, but I'm not ready yet to let a man risk his life with them." The British motor expert believes there is no calculable limit to at which a man can travel in an automobile as long as he is protected from the wind by an enclosure and moves in a straight line. If the limit ever is reached, he believes it will be in the neighbourhood of 350 miles an hour for two-wheel drive ears and 400 miles an hour for cars with four-wheel drive.

Passengers to the number of 50,000,000 a year can be handled at the newly rebuilt Charing Cross Station on London's Underground Bailway. It ku a booking hall 10,000 square feet in area.