CONTROL OF ROAD TRAFFIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22398, 20 October 1934, Page 18

CONTROL OF ROAD TRAFFIC

WAR ON NOISE ZONE OF SILENCE RESTRICTIONS ON MOTOR HORNS. (From Our Own Correspondent.! LONDON, August 31. Many people consider the noise made by motor horns to be a minor problem. They regard the loss of life as of far more importance, and they express surprise that the Minister of Transport did not at the outset concentrate more elosely on the major problems that he intends to tackle. War on noise is, however, one of the things first to be experimented with, and one of the aspects that can more readily be tested. Air Hore-Belisha has recognised that some of the worst motor traffic din is not made by horns. He has appointed a committee of scientists and manufacturers to consider how the internal noise of the mechanised vehicle can be most effectively limited. One criticism only of the silencing of horns was possible, that it might increase the number of accidents. This Mr Horc-Belisha has answered effectively. Statistics show that in low visibility, such as fog, accidents diminish, and he infers that when special conditions require pedestrians and motorists to go carefully the roads are safer. PROMISE OF SUCCESS. The first zone of silence—a five-mile radius from Charing Cross —has been operating for four nights only as yet, but so satisfactory seems to be the tryout that the Minister of Transport intends to communicate with some ot the busiest provincial cities on the subject. He is receiving from within London’s zone letters of appreciation of the blessing brought by the mitigation of nightly noise consequent on the banning of the motor hooter, and from all over the country requests for the extension of this benefit.

The Anti-Noise League states that general satisfaction has been expressed by its members with the zone of silence experiment. The, silencing of the horn, however, has emphasised the noise of the exhaust, and the need for more adequate silencers on motor vehicles. Under the provisions of the Road Traffic Act, 1934, incorporating Lord Horder’a amendment, it will now be obligatory on manufacturers to see that, their motor vehicles are properly silenced before being offered for sale. Hospitals and hotels situated on busy roads in the silence zone do not reap the benefit of the innovation until well past midnight, -when most of the heavy vehicles, such as omnibuses and tramcars, have returned to their depots. “ There is still a fair amount of heavy traffic on the road,” it was stated, “ at the London Hospital at 1 a.m. Noises from the engines of heavy motor vehicles seem to break whatever silence has resulted from the new regulation.” On the first night of. the experiment 3000 police were on duty to watch for offenders and to warn those who were unaware of the new order operating between the hours of 11.30 p.m. and 7 a.m. Pedestrians also had obviously heeded the appeal of the Transport Minister. They exercised extreme care at all the main traffic centres, relying more upon their eyes for safety and less upon their ears. In theatreland the change was uncanny. The usual sounding of motor horns was silenced. Yet there were no mors traffic jams than previously, when the blamour of klaxons and the incessant “ honk, honk ” of motor horns were inseparable from all the busy theatre areas. NIGHT DRIVING IN PARIS.

Paris is said to be watching the London anti-noise campaign and the nighttime zone of silence with particular interest. The Paris authorities considei that they have given a lead to the world. The rule there forbids all hooting in Paris between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. It is universally obeyed, and is the cause oi no complaints from motorists. At street crossings all warnings of approach are given by switching head lights on and off. In consequence, the Parisian is being taught to drive by sight and not by ear. It is becoming widely recognised that driving on the, hooter, that is driving by ear, is by day or night dangerous driving. As a result of traffic regulations and protective measures in Paris, fatal accidents have decreased by 28 per cent, in the past three years. Proposals now being considered include:

Signal appliances to be fitted to heavy commercial vehicles which will sound automatically when, the speed limit for their size is exceeded.

Extension of the psycho-technical tests at present applied only to Paris drivers of public vehicles to all drivers. A further extension of cobbled roads. These reduce skidding to a minimum. All drivers must pass a practical and theoretical test before obtaining a driving license. Over 40 per cent, of the examinees fail at these teste. Germany, too, is to have a silence law, from October 1. COMMON SENSE. Answering his own question, " Will the risks of motoring be increased?” the Minister of Transport replied: " I think not. The pedestrian, before stepping out on the road, will be warned by the oncoming lights of a vehicle. The driver will be extra cautious in all circumstances. That is a matter of common sense.

“ To eliminate noise altogether is, I suppose, impossible, but to show you how anxious we are at the Ministry of Transport to do all that lies in our power, I- w'ant to announce that Sir Henry Fowler, the well-known engineer, has consented at m£ request to preside over a committee of scientists and motor and motor cycle manufacturers to consider and report on the principal causes of noise in the operation of mechanically propelled vehicles and the steps which can effectively be taken to limit it.” With Sir Henry are: Mr Leslie Walton, deputy president of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Limited; Mr H. R. Watling, director of the British Cycle and Motor Cycle Manufacturers’ and Traders’ Union, Limited; M. H. J. Gough, M.8.E., D.Sc., Ph.D., F.R.S., and Mr G. W. 0. Kaye, 0.8. E., D.Sc., National Physical Laboratory; Mr E. S. Perrin, B.Sc., A.M.Inst.C.E., M.lnst.A.E., A.M.1.E.E., Ministry of Transport. The secretary of the committee is Mr A. E. N. Taylor, B.Sc., A.M.Inst.C.E., whose address is Ministry of Transport, Whitehall Gardens. TOLL OF THE ROAD. The number of deaths from road accidents for the week ended August 25 was 159; the number of persons injured was 5459. These figures are for England, Wales and Scotland, The totals for the 231 police districts covered by the return for the 24 weeks from March 11 to August 18 were:— Died. Injured. England .. .. 2834 100,786 Wales .... 165 4,692 Scotland .. .. 333 9,879 Totals for. Great Britain .. 3332 115,357 For the week ended August 18 the respective totals were:—England, 127 died, 4634 injured; Wales, 10 died, 262 injured; Scotland, 18 died, 488 injured. SAFETY CROSSINGS—WHAT A HUNTER DID. The traffic lanes, or herring-bone-marked crossings, at particular points ot busy streets should make for safety. In London there are now over 2000 crossings so marked out in white paint There

are, however, many people who, instead of making for one of these safety lanes in order to cross a heavily trafficked road, will take’ their chances as of yore and thread a way in and out between throbbing engines and heavy oncoming motor vehicles.

There is a good story about a hunter. When one of the first lined crossings was indicated at Hyde Park Corner a horse and rider came through the park gates. But the horse stood still, .though the traffic points were favourable. Urged by bis pretty rider to carry on, he gave one big and unexpected jump, and so cleared what he doubtless took to be a five-barred gate much to the surprise of the rider and to the great astonishment of the policeman on point duty. One cannot say that the roadways look exactly ornamental with their multitudinous instructions,- indicated by paint or by shining metal points and arrows as to where to turn and where to look. But they are all put there in the interests of the pedestrian. Mr G. Ashley (Auckland) paid tribute in The Times to the way in which traffic is handled in this country, and he told of the procedure adopted in Auckland. He mentioned that in New Zealand it was the rule that a stationary vehicle must face the way of the traffic. In that respect he considered the Dominion to be ahead of this country, for the practice here was a dangerous one. Mr Ashley had previously written a letter to the Daily Telegraph criticising this practice, and he further remarked: “As an ex-chairman of the Traffic Committee of Auckland, I am surprised at the lack of control over pedestrians in London. Apparently ‘ any old way ’ is right.”