MOTORING

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22110, 4 June 1937, Page 18

MOTORING

THE THIRD PAKTY Annual Insurance Compulsory MOTORISTS IGNORANT OF PROVISIONS For the last month owners of motor vehicles have been paying premiums which they know are for third-party insurance. That is all that many of them know about it. Early in the three motorists, who had just paid their premiums and were carrying their new number plates, were chosen at random from 100 of their kind and were asked: "Who is the third party covered by the insurance for which you have just paid?" One replied: "Everyone who is injured if I have an accident, I supP °"ft covers me and the driver of the other car," was the confident answer of the second. . , The third confessed that he simply did not know, but the insurance was compulsory so it did not matter a great deal. . .. The driver of and passengers in the vehicle, the owner of which has taken

the insurance cover, are not covered. If it is desired that they should be a special policy must be taken out This is a point that few know. . It is also fact that there is no thirdparty insurance on a vehicle which is on the road after May 31 without having been registered. Thus, for a day or two this week many owners were without the protection of the insurance as they had not registered their cars before June 1. Liability for Accident It is probably safe to say that very few motorists have a clear understanding of who is protected by this piece of legislation. It is set out in the Motor Vehicles Insurance (ThirdParty Risks) Act, 1928, and, although it is bound up in legislative phraseology, motorists should make a point of learning something of it. Few admit responsibility for an accident but fewer still know that it is a breach of the act to make any admission of liability without the written consent of the insurance company. More important than that is a definition of the third party. It can be said that those protected are generally those injured in an accident, but the insurance company is exonerated from liability for many claims which might be brought against the owner of the motor vehicle. The insurance company does not indemnify the owner against claims by any person living with the owner as a member of his family or any relative whose relationship is not more remote than fourth. These might be pedestrians or passengers in another vehicle and they might be killed or injured, but the insurance is not liable for any claim. The same-provision applies to any employee of the owner. Not a few motorists have a little notice fixed in front of the passengers as a form of protection for himself, and the riote carries words something like these: "Passengers ride in this vehicle absolutely at their own risk." This self-protection is because of an exemption clause in the act, for no claim stands against the company if it concerns the death of or injury to any-person who, at the time of the accident, was being conveyed in the vehicle, either as passenger or driver, or was alighting from or entering or about to alight from or enter the vehicle. There is a special provision for hired motor vehicles, all claims, except those by passengers for hire, being exempted, and the insurance company not being regarded as liable. Thus the third party is any person who is killed or injured and who is not a passenger or the driver or a near relation, employee or member of the family of the owner. Passenger in this paragraph is intended to cover those who are alighting from or entering the vehicle. Other provisions of the act cover the duties of the owner after an accident. He must notify the nominated insurance company immediately, even if there is. likely to be no claim; he must make no offer, payment or settlement; and he must make no admission of liability without the written consent of the company. The limit of liability is £2OOO for any one claim and £20,000 for all the claims against the one owner arising from the one accident.

jDIfIKQ

NEW CARS WILLYS FOR 1937 STURDY FOUR-CYLINDER ENGINE GOOD RIDING ON ROUGH ROADS The 1937 model of the Willys is not claimed to be either a big car or a powerful one. It is therefore surprising to find in it several of the features of much more expensive cars. The first impression of the Willys is one that remains. It is an amazingly roomy car, and its four-cylinder engine is a very sturdy unit. During a test a couple of days ago the car proved most of the claims of the manufacturers, for the course over which it was driven was not one of solely level tar-sealed roads. More than the performance of this car is attractive. It introduces to New Zealand something new m streamlining, and the design .adopted suggests that the motorist is being

prepared for the advent of the rearengine vehicle. The pleasing lines which start at the ver- nose are less accentuated as they progress towards the rear, but the whole appearance gives an impression of comfort and spocd Arr advance which is in harmony with the streamlining of the bonnet is the setting of the headlights in the guards giving a much greater initial width to the beam. If this is valuable on the highway at night because it gives the impression of belonging to a big car, it is just as valuable m the city traffic where many scratches are attributable to dark patches beside the closely-set lamps. The smooth contour of the front guards isnotrun into the running board, and the oacK guards sweep over to the tail in a line which is not too accentuated. Generally, the exterior of the car, with its disc wheels, is very pleasing, but the interior of the steel body provides one of the major surprises. The movable seat is one of the few in modern small cars which will accommodate three persons comfortamy and without interfering with the driver's freedom of movement. in any case, he has only the gear lever in the central position, for the handbrake is operated by a pistol-gnp under the instrument panel on the right of the wheel. All the upholstery is made in the South Island, most of it in Christchurch, and is an excellent advertisement for New Zealand manufacturers. . There are more surprises m tne front seat, however. From the normal driving position of a driver of normal size the visibility is nothing short of remarkable. There is. no sitting with the nose against the windscreen; yet from the comfortable position the surface of the road can be seen a few inches more than eight feet in front of the bumper. This is a claim which can be made for very few other modern cars, and it is a feature which is most appreciated in traffic and in manoeuvring in restricted The instrument panel itself has been simplified almost to the extreme of reason. Between the two composite dials are the four required buttons, including the starter button, which is quite dead until the key is turned. On either side is a' very large glove compartment. At first glance the rear seat seems very close to the front squab, and by actual measurement it is, but the comfort is retained by the depth the seat and the elimination of the shaft for the driving tunnel. In the tail of the body is a luggage boot as large as the average traveller could As'the child at the party saves the best part of the cake till the end, so has any discussion of the engine been delayed. It is a remarkable unit, for although it is rated at only 15.63 horse-power, it pulled two persons of average size up Dyer's Pass in top gear with the exception of about 50 yards at the steepest part. For those 50 yards it was necessary to travel in second gear, and there lay another surprise. That gear was almost as silent as the top, and did away with the impression that it was hard work for the engine. In an acceleration test the car went from a standing start through three forward gears to 40 miles an hour in slightly less than 80 yards. The gears are synchromesh and changing down is as simple at 40 miles an hour as it is at 15. Coming down the same hill the compression in second gear was too strong; the car had to be driven. The engine is entirely mounted on rubber, and this with the excellent springing has eliminated all backlash, so tiring on a rough road. The Willys was driven over the roughest metal surface about Christchurch and over two bumps which are recognised as being very bad. There was no violent swinging or vibration on the level road, and although the bumps were taken at speed, there was no mad leap to the other side with the tossing about generally consequent. , The new Willys may be summed un as having a pleasing exterior, a roomy interior, excellent visibility, a sturdy motor, good springing, and general comfort of high quality. Furthermore, it is claimed that its average petrol consumption is about 35 miles to the gallon. This was not tested, but on the course over which it was taken it used very little. The principal specifications are set out here:—Engine, four-cylinder Lhead type; bore, 3J inches; horsepower, 15.63 developing 48 at S2OO revolutions; brakes, four-wheel Bendix duo-servo; tank capacity, 6.6 gallons; steering, worm and sector kjear titm*. IS**- .££&=. JffijSfc,

PEDESTRIANS ON CROSSINGS MOTORISTS' DUTY DEFINED OBSERVANCE OF REGULATIONS URGED "Obviously It is too early yet to expect the fullest and most effective application of the regulation dealing with the rights of pedestrians who are crossing a thoroughfare on an authorised crossing, and it has been noted that many motorists are not aware of their duties, and that many pedestrians are not certain of the rights which they have when they are on pedestrian crosisngs," says the latest safety message of the Automobile Association, Canterbury (Incorporated). "Motorists should know that every driver of a motor vehicle must yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian in any authorised pedestrian crossing upon the half of the roadway over which such vehicle is lawfully entitled to travel, and when approaching the crossing, the driver must reduce his speed sufficiently to be able to stop before reaching the crossing if necessary. "Whenever a motor vehicle has been stopped or slowed down to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian on an authorised crossing place, it is unlawful for the driver of any other motor vehicle approaching from the rear to overtake and pass it. "These provisions, of course, do not apply at an authorised pedestrian crossing where traffic is being con-

trolled by a police officer, traffic inspector, or traffic-control lights. "When there is an authorised pedestrian crossing which is reasonably available to any pedestrian who is crossing a roadway, and the pedestrian does not use such crossing, he must yield the right-of-way to motor vehicles on the roadway. "These simple regulations are not yet perfectly understood by motorists or pedestrians, and the sooner both sections of the road-using public become familiar with what is required of them, the sooner will the needs of safety be served. "It should be understood by motorists and pedestrians that no matter what the law says on the subject, there is always room for the application of that courtesy which should be in evidence at all times by all who use the roads, whether awheel or afoot."

MOTOR-CYCLING CANTERBURY AUTO-CYCLE CLUB Arrangements for the half-mile South Island track championships, to be held on the King's Birthday, have now been completed, and prospects for a good day's racing look particularly bright. The Sefton track, which was so popular on January 2, has been decided upon, and a working bee is being organised to make preparations. The championship classes will be for 250 c.c, 350 c.c, 500 c.c, and open, with a special class for dirt-track machines. These machines will not be eligible to race in the 500 c.c. championship. In addition to these events, handicap and match races will be held. The first event will begin at 10.30 a.m. An entry fee of 2s 6d for the day will be charged, and will include admission to the grounds. Hot water will be available on the grounds at a small charge. WARRANTS AND DRIVING LICENCES RAID PLANNED FOR NEXT WEEK The traffic officers of the Christchurch City Council are planning a concerted raid on motorists next week for warrants of fitness and driving licences. Mr J. Bruorton, Chief Traffic Inspector, said yesterday that owners of motorcars had been given much latitude and very few could now have good reasons for not having either warrants or licences. Already action had been taken in other centres where owners had been fined for not having warrants of fitness and it was felt that the requirements of the regulations should now be enforced. It was not his wish, he said, to make prosecutions, and he therefore gave warning that a raid was being planned. In spite of the serious "sit-down" strikes which have occurred since the beginning of this year, the American automobile industry is rapidly recovering. The combined output of the industry during the first three months of 1937 totalled 1,298,063 new vehicles, compared with 1,117,172 in the corresponding quarter of 1936. The production schedule for April, 1937, was 550,000 units, the highest since the "boom" year of 1929. Provided no further serious interruptions to industry occur, it is probable that the American automobile industry will reach its objective for 1937 of 5,000,000 units. In view of the importance of closing the choke as soon as possible after starting up from cold, the radiator heat indicator on the instrument panel, used intelligently, can be an exceedingly useful and protective device. The owner should watch this gauge, and as soon as the pointer approaches the figure for normal heat he should push the choke button right home. "A cyclist on the wrong side of the road is as dangerous as a motor-car," , said a Scottish sheriff recently, when I he fined a cyclist £2 for causing an accident on the Spittalfledd-Dunk,eld