RIGHT WRONG

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31321, 17 March 1967, Page 9

RIGHT WRONG

Interference Have you ever noticed that the neon signs outside some city shops almost completely blot out the car radio through interference? I have found several shops that reduce the set to hysterical crackling whenever I pass them. Some brands of motor-scooter, too, always give warning of their approach over the radio, and if they stop beside you at the traffic lights that’s the end of easy listening until they move off. Radio Danger? Driving demands full concentration, and some say a car radio is a danger because it distracts the driver. I think this may be true if the driver is trying to listen to an absorbing serial, but I doubt very much if light music is a serious distraction. I always enjoy a little music on a long trip, and I think it can help keep a driver fully awake, and stop him from going into a day-dream. Of course the radio is also useful for letting motorists know about road conditions and so on, and I think the benefits largely outweigh the dangers. Switch Off If I am driving in difficult traffic or weather conditions I am often happier if I turn the radio off, although it seems to irritate more than distract. Some overseas researchers claim soothing