Auto Gossip

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31166, 16 September 1966, Page 11

Auto Gossip

On And Off Brightly-lit city streets often make it difficult for drivers to see whether their headlights are on, which is one reason w'hy one often sees people driving around the city at night with no lights at all. Also, it is easy to overlook switching off the lights when leaving the car, and this is particularly evident in the city’s car parks. Nearly every night cinema patrons park their cars and forget to turn off the headlights. The batteries must be nearly flat by the time the owners return. Same Family It is often easy to recognise the make of a car by its similarity to others produced by the same organisation. I saw an excellent example of this the other day when I was driving behind a United States model, a Chevrolet Nova, which, in turn, was behind a 1965 Vauxhall Velox. The similarities between the Vauxhall and the Chevrolet, both General Motors cars and similar in size, were very marked. There must be some very close liaison between Luton and Detroit.

by

A.J.P.

Careless Parking

It is surprising how many Christchurch drivers park carelessly, so their cars create a hazard or obstruction, or unnecessarily use part of another parking space. I have just seen a car parked a good six feet from the kerb in Colombo street, projecting well into the traffic at a busyintersection. There was ample space to park close to the kerb. A traffic officer arrived, and a few minutes later a young woman emerged from a nearby shop. She was spoken to firmly, and rightly so, for her thoughtless behaviour had caused considerable difficulty to other traffic. Careless parkers deserve more of this sort of attention. Christchurch boasts two specialties the truck double-parked unnecessarily, often at a pedestrian crossing or at a bad corner; and the car parked in a lane at an intersection in spite of the prominent “no stopping”

sign. Neither receives much attention. Cutting Corners Cutting comers is becoming a habit in Christchurch, particularly in the suburbs, where many drivers seem to think that they have the road to themselves. Bus drivers are bad offenders, because the great length of buses means that their rear wheels tend to “track in." It is most unpleasant to be stopped at an intersection and see the side of a bus getting nearer and nearer. Top Of The Pops? A North Island recording firm has produced a set of extended-play records for learner drivers—they present all the questions and answers for the standard driving test. The set costs 275, and is said to make learning the necessary answers much faster and easier. The Automobile Association (Auckland) and the Transport Department have co-operated in the production of the records. Quote Of The Week “Dip your lights, even when crossing a pedestrian.”— Swiss national tourist office advice to British motorists, quoted in the “Motor.”