“SAFETY FIRST”

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12008, 10 December 1924, Page 14 (Supplement)

“SAFETY FIRST”

THE MAN IN BLUE NOVEL SUGGESTION FOR A CHANGE OF JOBS. “0.T.C.,” who has travelled ,in most of the countries of the world, writes:— “I wonder how many point/polioemen ever drove a car ? The experiment might impress the constable, for instance, with the difficulty or understanding the hand signals" delivered carelessly. It might prove to him that it isn’t so hard to misunderstand-the exact meaning of a rotary motion ..of the arm, which may easily signify anything in the world to an onlooker even though expressing only ope' solitary thought of the policeman. It should convince the officer, too, of the utter impossibility of stopping within the space of four or' five feet from any reasonable speed. It' would do the traffic policeman a great deal , of good if he were' to sit behind the wheel of a car and tour the • streets about onco a! week. And there is just as little question about the merit of the average motorist-donning a uniform and taking a post on some busy intersection. About once a year should suffice, I imagine. Eight hours' of this , bund of work would . probably give him a lot of new thoughts. One of the first things the motorist-policeman would discover when he wept onr traffic duty would ha the apparently maddening drive of the general -run of drivers to gei as far aspossible without getting into trouble. He. would get hia filL of road hogs and'inexperienced, /drivers' who stall their engines and-block the traffic during their protracted efforts to start up again. Die foolhardiness and clolb shaves which the onlooker happens to see only'.once in. &'way, ana whioh actually are' of not infrequent occurrence, Would undoubtedly shorten his patience of understanding these things, it seems" to ifie/ would make life a good deal . easier for all concerned. - A LITHE BY-PLAY. - “When abroad earlier, in the year I saw .the driver-of a big Sedan pulled up at a big city street-crossing. The policeman wasn’t looking ,in his direction, and he was well , into the* street on the.other side.when he/was’suddenly stopped in favour-of .relatively distant cross-traffio.' One look at the set jaw of the Sedan’s - occupant showed his annoyance, and, a glance at the polioeman’s glowing countenance indicated that he sensed the motorist’s silent utterings. Each glared at each other. A false move; on'the part of either would doubtless have/brought on a scrap. When the driver got a'reluctant signal to proceed, he;polished the polioeman’s buttons, and the whitegloved minion .of the law cursed him audibly, generously includmg the rank and file of motorists in'his imprecations. A simple incident, truly enough, but one that puts* a finger on a tender spot in traffic affairs. There -is toe. much friction between the traffic policeman and the motorist, and, it is based on. pure misunderstanding. The one - lacks a real sympathy for the other—not a maudlin sentiment, hut an appreciation of the man’s proHem.”-

FOUR-WHEEL BRAKES

A STANDARD FITTING EQUALISING STRAIN .-.AND WEAR ON WHEELfe. It is. dear that before long ..fourwheel brakes will become a,standard fitting on all fast -and' -heavy • cars. Such prejudice as -may exist about tour-wheel brakes will soon pass' • away,- for drivers who have tried the latest systems are loud, in praise of. them and have little to criticise. It is interesting to recall that the idea originated in England, . and' actually was; standardised for an early English , <#r. Unfortunately accidents, which may or may not have been due to faulty application- of’ the " system, re-' ceived undue prominince, and as a result a promising method of Aecnr*hg greater safety for motor-cars on the road fell tetnporarilyirito disrepute. : Of. late years many brains fibre been busy searching for methods of satisfactory application, ' aridhave now succeeded. Theoretically, fourwbeel brakes are correct, arid practio. ■ ally they are being .perfected. The system *s desirable for ÜBe- irf touring in this country as' much' as"in any other, for two reasons; First, a'sound four-wheel braking system' enables the car to be pulled up Ut at much shorter space m an emergency. S Secondly when using the brakeslinlthe-orduiary xay the distribution" of the retarding; | effect over the four wheels . must neces-/ sarily lessen the stresses : on individual parts, and thus equalise wear on the tyres as compared with.brakiing on the rear wheels only. No. doubt the systems in vogue to-day will appear crude when in a few years’ - time they are. seen in retrospect, but already they have proved their value.'.'"

ROAD RECORD IN ACBTRALIA

The Sydney-to-Brisbane express, tyain was recently beaten by 30 minutes when Jack Harris, riding • a 350 c’.c.’ side-valve Douglas, broke the Sydney-to Brisbane record. The distance of 645 miles was covered in 26hr 33min, beating, the previous record, made by an American big twin, by 3hr Bmifi.

River engineers at Shreveport, La.', dumped some 200 discarded) automobile be dies into the Red river as an emergency protection for nearly half a mile of shore, in imminent danger of washing away. Die abandoned cars secured temporary relief before any work could be started on a mattress and pile diversion dyke.