Auto Gossip

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32588, 23 April 1971, Page 7

Auto Gossip

by

A. J. P.

Outasight Generally the traffic-lights around Christchurch are pretty easy to follow, but I have finally found a set I can criticise. They illustrate the importance of making sure signals can actually be seen by those meant to see them. The set of lights in question occur at “Hospital Corner,” where Oxford Terrace, Tuam Street, Riccarton Avenue and Hagley Avenue meet If you are approaching the intersection from Tuam Street the theory is that all Tuam Street (one way) traffic gets a green light to enter the intersection for the appropriate period, then the amber comes up. As the amber changes to red, a green arrow comes up to let Tuam Sti t traffic continue to make left turns. The only lantern with the green arrow is on the signal stand on the Tuam Street comer. There is no "repeater” lantern across the intersection, so if you stop on the amber, like a law-abiding fellow, you haven’t got a chance of seeing the green arrow, because you are right

under the lanterns, and the car roof is in the way. So you sit there like a twit while those behind who can see the arrow wonder what the blazes you are doing. High and low This sort of thing is a particular problem with low cars, and in some overseas countries, notably France, the authorities put small “repeater” lights well below the main lights on signal standards so they will be visible to anyone in a low car stopped on the front of the grid, as it were. Low cars have other disadvantages, too: it is hard to see past other cars at intersections, for instance, particularly when you are trying to pass someone who is waiting to turn right It has been said that on some roads a Land-Rover is a quicker vehicle than a low-

slung 150 m.p.h. sports-car, because the Land-Rover pilot can see over the top of all the hedges and around the comers, where the sports-car driver cannot. In the same way, a busdriver can see much more of the traffic situation from his comparatively lofty perch than you can from, your family car, where your point of view is only three or four feet above the road’s surface. The trouble is height and stability do not really go together. And if everyone had high vehicles, then . a lot of the advantage would be lost, because no-one would then be able to see over the top of anyone. Obstruction The Sunday driver is an incredible fellow. You know if I looked in my mirror and found I was holding up a line of traffic hundreds of yards long I’d be embar-

rassed and ashamed beyond measure. Not least of all because if I had been driving properly and watching my mirror like I should, 1 would have seen I was holding up the first car when he arrived behind me, let alone the others. But not the gentleman in the red 1800 who proceeded along the 55 m.p.h. stretch of Marshland Road last Sunday at a steady 22 m.p.h., one elbow out the window, and eyes wandering round the countryside. I watched the drivers between me and the line-hugging 1800 become steadily more frustrated as time passed Eventually they all passed, several where they should not, and probably would not in a normal frame of mind I have no hesitation in admitting that when I arrived behind this fellow I had no compunction in leaning! heavily on the horn until! he moved over. Clear off Drive as slowly as you like, but not if you hold up other people. If that fellow on Marshland Road had been doing 40 m.p.h. I would have thought him rather slow in the conditions prevailing, but would have been content to remain behind him and wait my turn—as, I guess, would have most of the other drivers. But not at 22 m.p.h If you are not going to do a reasonable speed on a busy major road, then get off it. Nor should you forget that week-ends may be holidays to you, but others have to work or may have other appointments to keep, and therefore are more interested in getting safely and swiftly to their destination rather than gazing at the scenery.