CONTROL OF BUSES

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 60, 8 September 1934, Page 28

CONTROL OF BUSES

NEED FOR INSPECTION / A STATE RESPONSIBILITY A bad crash has brought prominentlybefore the New York State 'authorities the situation regarding the condition of the 4000 buses ifsed on passenger transportation in tliat State. In general there are systems of inspection that ensure most, of these vehicles being in a lit condition for road safety, but_ there is an absence of uniformity within the State itself as between State and local conditions, and still more as between the-State and the other States contiguous that provide loopholes for buses in a dangerous mechanical condition to be on the roads. ' ' : The State Motor Vehicle Bureau docs not inspect motor'vehicles either before or after licensing,-though the Commissioner has for years advocated regular inspection of vehicles. A measure which would have provided for annual' inspection was vetoed, by' the Governor last May. In vetoing the Bill he said:. "I have every impulse to approve any measure intended to promote, safety on our highways. An annual inspection of every motor vehicle'by responsible and ' adequately- controlled agencies would undoubtedly: establish safer con-, ditions. I have, however, a- fundamental objection to the Bill, in that th 6 inspection of the cars and the issuance of certificates would be in the hands of privately-operated garages which might have a direct interest in the making of repairs prior to the" issuance of' certificates." He favoured, he said,, inspections by public officials, under direct supervision of the State. The Governor has ordered a sweeping investigation.of the accident, and made it clear that he_will-press for immediate legislation for- closer 'control'by ' the. State of all types'of-buses. • ■-■ ' ; AVENGING EYE ' ' .'('■' ' ' ","■ '-:' -, ,'<\ '- r ' Some time in-.the future' hiti-and-run drivers may find : an "avenging hand stretched from the gravepif "thß experiments of a German..seientist,,as related in an issue of the "Popular Mechanics," become of practical-use.' -,.;: : In his experiments the scientist-has-developed a method of photographing the retina of the eye. One of the' pictures made by this process showed what was last seen by, a woman killed in a motor accident. The photograph aided police who were working on the case. These facts indicate that at some future time this type of photography may he used by the police to find drivers who leave their victims dead or dying on the roaii. ' While the photograph of the victim's eyes may not-in every case show the of the slayer, they may show the licence number, the type of vehicle, or other evidence.

A simple method of gauging the compression ratio'of an-engine is to turn it by Wi-- until the piston of No. 1 cylinder is to top, .dead centre. Fill the combustion , space , with"; dil,\ having removed the sparking plug for. this purpose, measuring carefully the" quantity used. Then turn the'engine until the same piston is at bottom dead centre, and fill the space, thus left, with oil again. Measure .this, .quantity .also. The ratio of one to the other gives the compression figure. .This is a rather messy., way of doing it, when it -comes to exhausting ' the' oil; but- is one. of the'few. practical systems Available. ■'■ '