MOTORING WORLD

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 176, 26 June 1926, Page 14

MOTORING WORLD

About 40 per cent, of New Zealand’s roads are surfaced with some binding material. In spite of its total of 32,000 miles of concrete roads, the United States has only 13 per cent..' of surfaced roads.

During 1925 the British motorist paid an average of over £l2 in horse-power taxes. On the other hand the contribution' per head by non-motorists .to road funds was only fourteen shillings. The American motor tax last year averaged £5 per vehicle, and the road expenditure was £2 per head of population.

Isaacstein : “Look here, Mosenheimer, I vant my money back for that car you sold me.” . Mosenheimer: “Vot’s wrong with it?”

/ Isaacstein: “It’s no good. Vy. the back vecls drop off on the road.” Mosenheimer: “My friend, you vos very hard to please. Didn’t you say I vos to be sure that tho car I sold you had veels that come ofr easy, like tho latest fashion, eh?” Anzani, the famous Franco-Italian rider of two decades ago, has once more set about designing motor-cycle engines. He forsook the movement for aviation in 1908, and built the aero engine which propelled M. Bleriot’s aeroplane across tho channel in 1909; but he has now re-entered tho industry and has designed three engines in the 250 c.c. class, one with side valves, another an overhead camshaft, and a third with pushrod operated overhead valves. He is also busy with 300 and 500 c.c. engines. Somo of the pacing monsters of twenty years ago, driven by French Anzani engines, are still in uso on French cycle tracks. No less than 213 side-car outfits are now in uso in Sweden in connection with the telegraph service. The state of Victoria, Australia, now possesses no less than 22,000 motorcycles. In 1917 they numbered less than 9000; in 1920, 12,000; in 1923, 15,000; in 1924, 19,500. These figures show a very rirrid increase, which augurs well for tho future of the, motor-cycle trade. THRILLING RACE. JOHNSTON WINS TOURIST TROPHY. MANY CASUALTIES. LONDON, June 16. There were 21 starters in the Isle of Man lightweight tourist trophy motor cycling contest to-day. ihc event was for 250 c.c. machines over a distance of 264 J miles. The result was:— ■ _ C. W. Johnston (England) 1 Pietro Ghersi (Italy) 2 F. W. Morgan (England) 3 Pietro Ghersi, the Italian, was a hot favourite. He once ovdrsliot she corner at Ramsey Hairpin, circled speedily round, ar.d startled a policeman, then continued and completed the first lap of 37 miles in 25min 49see (nearly 63 m.p.h.). a record for the course. He held a big lead. C. W. Johnston, an Englishman, despite a spill by which his face was injured, caught Ghersi in the fifth lap. They passed the grandstand neck and neck. .Ghersi shot ahead, but after leading in the sixth lap Johnston won amid excitement. Ghersi, was seven seconds behind, with Morgan third. GRIM AND EXCITING. The/ race was the grimmest and most exciting in the history of motor cycling. When the signal was given for Ghersi to start the band played tho Italian Anthem. Ghersi, a crack rider, looking most determined and wearing a white crash helmet, knee protectors, and a stomach cushion, blew .a kiss to the crowd and roared away. He rode throughout the race like a hurricane, despite the profuse bleeding of a thumb which he had cut on the edge of his throttlecontrol. He led for three and a-half miles in the second lap, owing to numerous British casualties due to the greasy roads, Handley, the British fav-. ourite, dropped back owing to his machine being damaged. Johnston, despite the fact that Ghersi was five miles ahead, .crept up and gained 50 seconds in the fourth lap. He passed Ghersi on the Snaefell hill with a terrific burst of- speed. After that they rode wheel and wheel. Johnston was forced to change gears with the stump of his gear lever, which was smashed in a skid. He finished with his chin covered with blood. The stewards are considering an objection to Ghersi owing to his use of a different sparking-plug from that intended in the specification of his machine. Morgan has three skids. GHERSI’S FIRST RIDE. Like the other events, tho Lightweight tourisif trophy this year was extended to seven laps of the circuit, 264 miles 300 yards. Johnston, the winner, came second in both the lightweight and ultralightweight races in 1925, was ninth in the lightweight in 1924, and, unplaced in two other races previously. Ghersi had not previously appeared on the Isle of Man. He has achieved a big reputation as a speedster in Italy, and evidently deserved it, for the tourist trophy route is hard and tricky. The third man, Morgan, was second in tho ultra-lightweighf in 1924, seventh in the junior in 1923, and fifteenth in the junior in 1922. * MOTOR INDUSTRY. t, DEVELOPEMENT IN AMERICA. “Facts and figures of the automobile industry in America,” just jJiiblisked by the United States National Automobile Chamber of Commerce for the year 1925, gives most interesting figures regarding the wonderful development of the automobile industry in that country. In addition to owning 81 per cent, of the world’s motor vehicles, the United States in 1925 furnished 536,741 cars and trucks to foreign countries. Among other interesting facts related is tho statement that automotive exports now stands third on the list of all American exports. The figures clearly show the increasing importance of exports in the motor business. During 1925 12 per cent, of all vehicles made in America were shiped abroad, and the total value of all automotive exports was £82,286,800. Other statistics show the amazing proportions to which- the industry has grown. The motor business now employs 3,445,642 persons, and in 1925 furnished 3,040,000 carloads of freight to the railroads of the country. Taxes paid by the motor vehicle during the vear amounted to £137.230.450. Production for 1925 was 4,336,754 vehicles, and the wholesale value of vehicles and parts manufactured was £860,291,100. Capital invested in motor vehicle companies in the United States now amounts to “‘■“*'483,300. The potential market

arising from the replacement of cars gone out of use is indicated by the figures for cars scrapped. During 1925 the number of cars so scrapped, was 1.503,127, . showing that about 35 per cent, of the.year’s output went to replace cars gone out of use, and did not represent an actual extension on tho market. The 1914 automobile dollar is to-day worth one dollar and sixteen cents, while the 1914 cost-of-living dollar, has shrunk to 59 cents. The purchasing power of wages paid in automobile factories, however, has increased 150 per, cent, since 1914. It also is shown that in. 1913 it took 1482 bushels of wheat to buy the average motor car, while to-day the cost is only 552 bushels. The inroads of the motor vehicle in the common carrier field are shown by figures which indicate that there are now 14,000 miles of bus route operated by electric railway companies, and that thirty-one steam railroads are now using bus equipment. That the development has brought additional service rather than more competition with railroads is proved by the fact that, in a survey of eight States made by the Bureau of Public Roads, 31 per cent, of the bus routes were found to be neither directly or indirectly in competition with the railroads. Thirty-seven railroads were found to be using trucks to facilitate the handling of goods at terminals. Other interesting facts were that 56 per cent, of the year’s production consisted of closed cars, the highest percentage ever attained, and that during the last year _ 14,041,000 motorists visited the national forests, a gain of 36 per cent, over the preceding year. HEADLIGHTS PROBLEM. IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR MOTORISTS. Courtesy among motorists has often been stressed and in every instance driving formula which keeps us within certain safety bounds is well observed, but there is an occasion when we exceed ourselves and apply an unwritten law which does not altogether seem necessary (writes Charles S. Clancy in the Sydney Sun). Take, for instance, the popular practice of dimming headlights. Some time ago discussion raged around this practice, and motoring authorities agreed that it would be better not to dim, and would be far safer to face severe headlights than attempt to dim while approaching a car. No doubt there is a lot to be said in both directions, but, after all, only experience will give you an idea of which practice is the safer. There have certainly been accidents caused by peoplo passing behind a car which temporarily blinded the driver coming in the opposite direction, and earned him to run down the pedestrian before he could properly regain his normal vision. No doubt many accidents to pedestrians could be attributed to this but hi other States where there is no dimming, you seldom hear of an accident tom this source. To have driven where there is no dimming will give you quite a different outlook on the subject, and you will find that the non-dimming practice is easily the best. There are equally as many dangers in dimming, as there are to bo encountered when passing cars with glaring headlights. Two cars suddenly approaching, both temporarily losing their lights, .may collide, run off tho road, or fail to see another vehicle. With headlights on all the time, a driver can see even if headlights are severe. The great mistake made by many drivers is that they look at the headlights of the car approaching, and are temporarily blinded. .V good driver will never look at the headlights of the other car. He keeps liis vision within the rays of light, on the edge of it, and has no trouble in passing the other car within a safe distance. In other States there are penalties for dimming, and to many motorists the practice is unknown. This in itself is a good argument, showing that dimming is not altogether necessary. Many motorists will tell you that they are opposed to dimming, but do so as a token of courtesy for the driver who dims first. You will often see two cars pass without dimming, and apparently both drivers are satisfied that there is no necessity for the practice. Often when dimming at, say, a distance of 40 yards, one has to pass over the road without the necessary flood of light Which will show up dangerous holes in the road. Both cars have the same experience, and if travelling at all fast the bumps that are encountered in the dark make the passing of the cars particularly hazardous. ■ , . . Courtesy on the road is a good tiling, and it is pleasing to note that our motorists are becoming accustomed to giving signals and allowing for their fellow-drivers. . It is really courtesy and force ot habit, which 'causes motorists to dim so frequently, and it remains for everybody. wherever possible, to try driving without dimming. Even in instances where there are severe headlights, in your opinion, vour own lights, if full on, are just as severe when looked into, and have t-ic same effect on the other driver. It is all a matter of judgment in passing cars in the night. The main thing is to ignore the severity ot headlights,.only looking on the edge of the flood of light. By doing this you will have no difficulty in passing any car, ancl alter getting out of the habit of dimming you will readily appreciate the differIt is not intended to suggest that motorists should not dim. There is no law one way or the other on the subject, and it remains for the motorist to arrive at his own conclusion: and, where courtesy is not involved, lie Has a chance of learning that there is really no necessity for dimming. THE AUTOMOBILE AGE. Rapid movement is. unquestionably good for trade; from the standpoint of economics, perhaps, that is the reason why the much-feared saturation point for automobiles has_ never been reached, says the Independent. But trado and life are not quite the same thing and there is no way of determining, except by trial, whether rapid movement is as good for man as it is for trade. Man, presumably, has a soul; and from time immemorial the wise have agreed that the soul of mail needs the benign dews of quiet contemplation'. Il : they are right, then the automobile age is likely to bo a sterile one in things of the spirit. We are too much in tho modern swim to pass judgment in so fundamental a debate; but some Gibbon of the future no doubt will be able to see reactions between speed and palitics, to which .we are at present blinded. Possibly he will speak, of this century as one in which | small men bowed down before great inventions and ponderous statisr tics drew more praise than “the light that never was, on sea -or land; the concentration, the noet’s dream.”