A MOTORING CAUSERIE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18837, 11 October 1924, Page 12 (Supplement)

A MOTORING CAUSERIE.

[by otm bbitish cobbespondent.] One-Way Traffic After much cerebration the Traffic Commissioner for London has made his first timid essay with the experiment of one-way traffic, having selected Longacre for this purpose. Without malicious intent to wreck the experiment—but with that result—the Covent Garden Porten;' Union synchronised their atrike for more money to the same date and, as the market traffic is the principal cause of congesting Longacre, itu temporary absence prevents any useful observation as to thd effect of the one-way schema. We must, therefore, wait and see. No one is very enthusiastic about oneway traffio routes for London. At best this is a niggling way of handling a colossal problem, dt worst—and it is gi its worst, in crooked-wayed London-—it creates unforeseen traffio blocks elsewhere. If one may enter a certain street only from a certain direction, one must travel a greater distance than wonld otherwise be the cats. Multiply this individual experience and it is probably true that the increased mileage vehicles have to travel createa more traffic. However, the best thing to do is to put this thooretical argument to the proof *>f experiment and examine the results. If thaso are convincing the overseas visitor to London next year may find the new plan in operation along many routes. Incidentally he will also find the recently enacted Traffic Act being administered, and this instrument will certainly work great changes. No longer will the gas, water, electricity, telephone, telegraph and other road-working " authorities " be permitted to trench the streets at their sweet unreasonable will. No longer, in fact, will one of the greatest scandals exist to vex the road-users. How easy it is—or was—to dig up London is illustrated by the fact that, in his hot rebellious youth, Lord Montagu (as he related recently in the House of Lords) and some kindred college spirits once disjruised themselves as navvies and, armed with pick, shovel and other impediments, proceeded to excavate a trench in the Strand. They knocked off at lunch and departed as mysteriously i,- they came. It was some time before *ny one perceived that a practical joke had come off according to plan 1

Shock " Drunkenness." At a London Police Court recently a doctor gave evidence to the effect that a collision might bring about a condition of drunkenness with an otherwise sober man. It was stated that defendant's taxicab collided with a bus. The police surgeon certified the man to be drunk, but under cross-examination stated that he ■was " physiologically drunk," and informed tha magistrate that the effect of a collision upon a person who is not drunk might be to make him drunk. On this evidence the man was discharged. Let us present this us a new problem for the Prohibitionists to vrreatla 'with.