THE MOTOR WORLD

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 December 1924, Page 14

THE MOTOR WORLD

NOTES. The experiment of painting white stripes on road bends to indicate the “corner-cutting’’ safety limits is how being tried in Worcestershire, with •*atisfactorv results. The world’s record for long distance coasting is claimed by Walter Locke and Co., of Lahore, India, for a pair of local riders. On a recent trip, one riding a Scout solo and the other a sidecar, they coasted 20 miles without onc-e starting the motors. This long descent brought them from an elevation of 10,000* feet to practically sea level, and the few up grades and level stretches which were encountered en route were negotiated on momentum alone.

UNUSUAL PR OSECJUTIONS.

MOTORISTS CONVICTED

ALL DRIVERS WARNED

Unusual prosecutions were brought before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court last week, when several motorists were charged with having failed to, give warning of their approach at intersections along Papanui Kb ad. His Worship’ said that as there had not been similar eawes brought into Court for some considerable time, he would order the offenders to pay costs only. The police told his Worship that, in view of so many accidents, caused in a, number of instances by the failure of motorists to sound their alarms "'lien they approached intersections, they intended to swoop down on such negligent drivers and to prosecute in every case.

His Worship agreed with the idea. Counsel for one motorist said that if the police enforced the law iu the matter the blowing of horns and sounding of gongs and various other alarms would prove to be an intolerable nuisance to the people residing in Papanui Road. He did a little quick and apparently mental calculation .and then revealed the fact that motorists would have to honk their horns, clang their gongs, ring their bells or other alarms some 49 times from the Papanui Town Hall on their way to the city. They would, also have to clang, ring, or honk their alarms another 49 times on their homeward journey, and perhaps an exi:ra. 49 times or more in their endeavour to wend their way through the traffic which would. probably he on the road.

“is that so?” asked the Magistrate. “Well, there will he some music in Papanui Road, won’t there? Ton see, counsel, if people will liavo nice ta!L ornamental hedges to keep their homes looking nice and -private, and which prevent motorists from seeing each other, or anyone else, when they approach an intersection, then, 1 am atraid, they will have to put up with the music.' If they would only follow the example set by the Americans in fencing their Homes, and thus show their pretty gardens to the public by having a very low fence around them, it would not he necessary for motorists to make such music with their alarms.’’ The Senior-Sergeant of Police said he hoped the proceedings would act as a, warning to all motorists.

A NEW ZEALAND TOUR

FOUR THOUSAND MILES AWHEEL

(Christchurch Star.)

To be in the fortunate position to .afford a. trip by motor-car through New Zealand provides an unequalled opportunity of viewing the sights of the Dominion, and three, English ladies who recently toured the two islands in this manner have nothing but. unqualified eulogy pf their experience. They travelled 40QQg niiles by car and viewed practically the scenic wonders of both islands, got an excellent knowledge of the lay of the country, and incidentally learned something of its primary industries. The three ladies, . Mesdames Miller and Hutchison and Miss Stenhouse, are all widely travelled: —in fact, are purely globe-trotters, and they regarded the journey from Taypo to Napier as the finest portion of the long run from a sight-seeing point of view. The trip was made in a. car driven by an Auckland motorist, Mr. Cyril Johnston, and occupied seven weeks. Starting off on October 24, the first stretch .was to Hamiltojn, and their Rotorua, and thus early an idea of New Zealand’s had roads was gained, states the Auckland Star. Passing through the*Mamaku Bush, two less fortunate cars were found hogged. The road, however,-is being improved, and will, it is anticipated, be in good order bv Christmas. A few days were spent in viewing Rotorua and environs, and a similar time in Wairakei. Then the party sped off to Napier, and were enthralled by the wonderful climbs over the Turangakuma and Titiokoura ranges, the first 2600 ft. above sealevel and the latter 2300 ft. Then they sat back and admired the peaceful sheep country in the Hawke’s Bay district. Returning to Palmerston and Wanganui, the former was left on November 3 for Wellington. ,At the Capital City the car was shipped to Picton, thence the route followed was to Blenheim and Nelson. Queen Charlotte Sound was enveloped in rain, which, however, did not detract from its picturesqueness, and several days, were then spent in visiting the prolific fruit and hop producing districts about Nelson and Motueiva, generally conceded the greatest orchards of the Dominion. Climbing over the Hope Saddle, 1300 ft. abovetlie sea, Murchison was readied, a town which is distinguished for its model butter factory. The old mining towns of Reefton and Greynioulh end much to interest the travellers, and on they speed to Hokitika. Here thev saw gold dredgings on a big scale at the Rirnu Dredging Co’s prooartv. The huge dredge ‘"alone cost -r'lOO.OfK)’ to itist.il, aud ill the two weeks prior to the visitor’s arrival /00oz or gold had been won.

SAFETY HINTS FOP ALT/

MOTORISTS

(Issued by the South Taraanki Auto-

mobile Association.) 1?01 ‘ some time the executive of the bontl] Taranaki Automobile Association have had under consideration a set of safety hints for drivers of motor ichicles, and these, having been finallv approved, we are pleased to give them publicity. There are six cardinal rules for safe driving, which are: 1. Always keep your eyes open and our wits alert.—The human element is to blame in the vast majority of accidents. (j n divided attention may jo. given to the task of driving a oar. Cultivate road sense. More accidents are due to carelessness and thoughtlessness than to ignorance. Use common sense to ensure safe driving.

2. Always drive as you wo-uid wish others to drive. — “Safety First” is the most important rule of the road. Drive carefully, considerately and courteously. It is dangerous and discourteous to take corners on the wrong side; to cut in or to cut too fine; to assume that the road is clear; to overtake at corners, bends, cross-roads, road junctions, just before street refuges, or anywhere without the certain knowledge of a clear road; to turn into or out of a road except dead slow; to drive so that you- cannot pull up clear of any possible danger; to assume your warning signal is heard if no notice be taken of it; to descend hills too fast; to force your way through groups of persons boarding or alighting riom tramcars; to drive too close- to, or too fast past, other road users;. to leave a vehicle on a bend, or anywhere where it may be an obstruction to other traffic; to reverse unless you know that all is clear. It is courteous and considerate to keep well to the left; to overtake only after making sure that the road is clear and after giving warning; to use your horn with discretion; to exercise special care in passing all animals. 3. Always keep yourself and your vehicle in safe driving order. —Be completely master of your vehicle; don’t drive if you are not physically fit to do so; frequently inspect your vehicle; always keep brakes and steering in faultless condition; keep all your lamps in good order; never leave a vehicle unattended unless it is fully secure. 4. Always anticipate danger. —Don’t imagine that people (especially children) or animals can always be trusted to do the sensible thing; be prepared for anyone else on the road doing the wrong thing. Beware of pedestrians stepping suddenly off the lootwav. ' Don’t drive fast past schools or through populous places. Be specially ca-retul when driving on tramlines or on greasy or cambered roads. Don’t apply brakes suddenly or violently except in cases of extreme emergency. Learn how to correct a skid. Beware of following other vehicles too- closely, especially trams. Always remember that main road traffic lias not right of way over other traffic. Beware of vehicles suddenly turning out of their line of traffic.

5. Learn, give and obey the recognised signals.—-Don’t slow down, stop, turn, or .cross to- the wrong side of the,road without endeavouring to show your intention to following traffic by giving the recognised signal. The mere giving of a signal does not entitle you to obstruct other traffic. Always look out for the signals of the driver iu front of you. look out for and promptly obey police signals. Always pay attention to road warning signs. 6. Obey the law, in letter and spirit. “Safety First.” News has been received that two motor-cyclists on a sidecar outfit hiwe broken the Sydney to Perth transAustralian record by two days six hours. The new record is .7 clays 7 hours 32 minutes. The motor is marching on, or rather speeding on, driving less efficient means of transport out of the way. Spreading far and wide over Queensland it has swept away the historic Cobb and Co,.’s Coach, .which played so fine a part in pioneer transport. Where the coach performed its regular journeys the motor-coach now runs. Where the carrier bv horse team or bullock

team was monarch of the road, frequently appears the.motor-lorry. Everywhere the motor is supplanting horse and bullock, and even in the far distant dry areas it is pushing out of the way camel transport. In 1921 there were 036 camels employed in transport in Queensland; now there are hardly 300. The motor is doing their work. Thus isolation is being destroyed. HIGHEST ROAD IN DOMINION. It was intended on reaching Queenstown to do the Skipper’s Drive, on which traffic is allowed only between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., but the road was barred to motors and the party made the forty mile (return) trip by" coach. Any discomfort created by the change of vehicle was abundantly compensated, because the" drive is claimed as one of the most wonderful in the world. There was another great climb on the next stage of the journey—to Pembroke —over the Crown range, which soars to a height of 3800 ft above sea level, the highest goad in the Dominion. At the top of these mountains commences the Corodruna River, a little creek at first, which in various stages causes endless anxiety for the motorist. It is forded and, reforded forty-one times before Pembroke is reached, and this road is passable for only six months of the year, as in winter it i s covered with five or six feet of snow. Though in ordinary times the river is seldom more than a chain wide, and can be forded 'with water often over the running beards, it offers many thrills during the almost endless occasion on which it is crossed and recrossed.

It was a thankful quartette which reached Mt. Cook, for the road to the Hermitage from Pembroke was described qs “simply awful,” and that is an admission for such and experienced motorist as Mr. Johnston is. Another great climb was experienced after passing through the dreary tussock country to the Linden Pass, which is 36C0 feeta bove sea level. This route, too, is only passable for half the rear, a service commencing in November. Two treacherous rivers were crossed before the Remitage was reached, and at one there were installed winches to haul vehicles across in bad weather. In good weather the beds are bone dry but serging tonnents' run down them when the ice melts. “It was raining when we left Mt. Cook, snowing heavily when Lake Tekapo was reached, the blowing clouds of dust when we approached Christchurch at the end of the next 220 miles (the distance from Mt. Cook to Christchurch)’’ was the summing up of that streetch. “On the line of route we passed snow ploughs used for clearing the road in bad weather.”

Christchurch was the end of the journey as far as the car was concerned, for it was reported that swollen rivers had rendered impassable a, road which the storms of last winter had made difficult by washing away the bridges. All hands took the ferry to Wellington, where the visitors joined the M alien & and sailed for Sydney. They have many parts of the world in which to revive old memories, but none, they vouched, were more dear than those of New Zealand, to which they promised to return, even if it is a matter of a decade. CONSIDER PEDESTRIANS.

A good driver is nothing more than a considerate one, and where is the motorist who would not like himself to be styled a really good driver ? The good driver considers his passengers, his car, and every one else on the road. No passing on blind corners. No dashing through hazardous openings. ~

Pedestrians are usually regarded as unmitigated nuisances from the driver’s point of view, on account of their idiosyncrasies,-and failures to see the immediate intentions of the man at tho wheel. They should not lie unnecessarily honked out of the way and made to run like startled hens. When motorists become pedestrians they confess to . the impression that every driver on the road seems to be wanting to run them down. It is only then that they get the pedestrian’s viewpoint. Perhaps the worst type of road pest apart from the reckless and drunken person is the would-be speed merchant, who endeavours to race everything on • the road. At the approach of a car lie will accelerate until lie is just keeping ahead, bis speed being varied to suit, that of the other car. In this way lie appears to glory in the sensation of having “mopped up” another car. Quite as annoying, and perhaps more dangerous, is the road hog, who shoots across your bows on corners or when you are about to swing right to pass a slower vehicle. Then there is the man who races for right-of-way' pasta horse-drawn vehicle, forcino- you to pull up to avoid a collision. ** On the other hand, there is the mid-Victorian type of driver, who firmly believes that 15 miles an hour is a san e maximum speed, and holds to it right in the middle of the road. Incidentally, one notices that inexperienced drivers resolutely claim this position, and take a surprising time, to get over to the left of the road w’hen a car essays to pass. With tho varying types of cars on the road, it is impossible to lay down hard and fast rules as to what does or does not constitute a “safe!” speed.