MOTOR-CYCLE ACCIDENTS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26397, 16 April 1951, Page 2

MOTOR-CYCLE ACCIDENTS

Sir, —From the text of the letters written by “Be Watchful” and “Safety' First” and the editorial of “The Press” published on April 9, it is plainly evident that the writers concerned have not at any time been serious riders of motor-cycles. The suggestion compulsorily to cut down the power of a motor-cycle (or any vehicle) can only lead to dangerous accidents that could otherwise be avoided. As every experienced motor-cyclist knows, the procedure to adopt when the motorcycle tends to skid on a shingle or slippery Surface is to apply more power to the back wheel and drive but of the skid. Without tfiis extra bit of power to apply when necessary the motor-cycle can only continue wobbling or skidding. The same applied power will often extricate riders from dangerous tangles at intersections when several vehicles are endeavouring to claim the right of way.—Yours, SAFETY THROUGH KNOWLEDGE. April 14, 1951. [We cannot answer for our correspondents, but we can for the man responsible for the leading article, who rode a motor-cycle for many years without accident in days when sealed roads were very much the exception. Power is certainly needed in the circumstances described by the correspondent, but not excessive power. Over-power-ed motor-cycles are dangerous; motor-cyclists’ death statistics are proof enough of that.—Ed., “The FTess.”] /