Motordom

Southland Times, Issue 22146, 14 October 1933, Page 13

Motordom

News & Notes

OF GENERAL INTEREST ON THE ROAD AND ON THE WING. THE LATEST HAPPENINGS. Ulster Grand Prix. Last year’s speeds were handsomely beaten by all three class winners in the Ulster Motor Cycle Grand Prix, held on the Clady circuit in County Antrim last weekend, says our English motor correspondent writing on August 22. Three Irish riders did their utmost to oust the English contingent from the first places, but although they fought gallantly only one succeeded—and he was Stanley Woods, who won the 500 c. c. class for the fourth time in succession. His fellow-countryman, Walter Rusk, on a similar machine made it an extremely hot race and both of them finished with speeds a mile an hour higher than Wood’s previous record. An Anglo-Irish duel in the 250 c. c. resulted in the Englishman, C. J. P. Dodson beating C. H. Manders after a very close race. Dodson, who was on a New Imperial, rode magnificently and his speed of 76.53 m.p.h. is an improvement on last year’s record by more than three minutes. An Englishman, a Scotsman and an Irishman took the first three places in the 350 c.c. race. Wall Handley (Velocette) gained the distinction of being the first rideito beat, the all-conquering Norton team in a 350 c.c. race of importance since the racing machine of this type was introduced in 1931. J. Guthrie was second and H. G. Tyrell-Smith third.

Inefficient Brakes

From an English paper. A case occured recently where the driver of a motor-van was fined under the Road Traffic Act for - having inefficient brakes. During the hearing of the case it transpired that a police officer had stopped the van and had then tested the brakes. The R.A.C. solicitor who was defending the driver submitted that whilst a police officer was entitled to stop and question a driver, he had no authority to conduct a test of that person’s brakes, without his agreement. This view was upheld by the magistrates and is also supported by the Ministry of Transport. Such occurrences are not uncommon, and the R.A.C. suggests, in view of the above expressions of opinions, that where a police officer proposes to test the brakes of a motor vehicle, the driver is not compelled to acquiesce unless there are very obvious grounds for compliance.

Motor Driving Tests.

For two and a half years the National Institute of Industrial Psychology England, has devoted much thought and ingenuity to the devising of tests for motor drivers. A number of commercial firms have sent drivers to the institute for testing, and the scores, of these drivers have been compared with their driving records over a number of years. The results provide strong evidence of the value of the tests: for instance, in a group of twelve lorry drivers, the four who made the highest scores in the tests had had but onethird of the accidents of the four who made the lowest scores. The institute is now in a position to undertake the examination of drivers, to assist firms in the selection of new recruits to their driving staffs, and to inform private individuals how their driving ability compares with that of the average driver of commercial vehicles.

“Popular Motoring.”

The Earl of Cardigan says in “Popular Motoring,” for August, that handling a car and handling a plane are not so very different. One essential change in Lord Cardigan’s opinion, is to be found in the matter of speed as it affects the pilot and the motor driver. On the highway fast speeds are not the order of the day; the exact opposite is the case in the air. The motorist must appreciate this fundamental distinction before he can play hide-and-seek in his moth among the clouds. James T. Skinner, whose pen had described many an out-of-the-way corner oi Great Britain, deals with George Eliot Land. He describes the country the famous author loved and wrote about; but he has failed to convey the pictures of old-world charm so necessary in an article of this nature. August dog days! Miranda Marvell talks about them in “Fashions—and Furnishings.” This journalist knows her job. She sets out to write a light column of comment on fashions of the hour, and does it well. This is a department upon which our New Zealand women writers would be well advised to concentrate. When they attempt an article of this nature the result is generally not up to standard. The ability to say smart things in a smart manner in the fascinating and ever-changing world of fashion, we have to leave at present to Australian and British writers. This paper is a good antidote to business worries and sad love affairs.

About The Air.

I have just received for the third year in succession, the “Armstrong Siddeley Air Mail,” a journal issued every twelve months, and published in English, French and Spanish. The German edition is separate. The opening article is mainly historical, being as it is the story of the early and present day activities of the company. It is interesting to learn that the Armstrong Siddeley Factory at Coventry is the largest of the Armstrong Siddeley group of factories which manufacture aero engines, aircraft, motor cars and special vehicles for military purposes. The undertaking represents the largest, most important and most successful enterprise of its kind in the Empire. It has a factory floor space of nearly 160,000 square yards and in normal times gives employment to over 7000 people. In addition to this factory it owns aerodromes at Whitley, near Coventry, at Woodford, near Manchester and at Hamble, near Southhampton. where Britain’s Air University, Air Service Training Ltd., has been so successfully established. It controls its own service depots in the principal cities of England and also in Australia and South Africa, while in Canada it has a well established factory for the building and servicing of its aircraft and aero engines. Some details of Sir Alan Cobham’s air display in South Africa when he used Armstrong Siddeley cars and aircraft, how the Irving parachute opens and an account of the Siddeley Special motor car are included in this absorbing public” tion.

Motor “Criminals.” From The Bulletin. A country visitor called at The Bulletin office a few weeks ago to say that he had just paid his 22nd traffic fine for illegal parking in Sydney. It is quite easy to be so fined. Every week

during 1932, on an average, 486 persons were haled before the beak in Sydney and charged with motor offences which ranged from dangerous driving to over-staying a 20-minute limit beside the footpath. Every quiet sunny street in the heart of the city has its constables armed with chalk and notebook, and the roping in of the annual 25,800 or so misdemeanants is a simple matter, Why it is necessary to enforce “no parking” regulations in some Sydney streets no man other than a policeman could imagine. Though it may be unjust to suggest it, motorists believe that the number of charges is sent up because constables are rewarded from the Police Reward Fund for getting convictions. It is a stupid business, and if the Government doesn’t put a stop to it there will one day be a scandal arising out of it which will smell like a cargo of emu eggs adrift on a raft in the tropics. N.S.W. frequently sees murderers escaping unscathed and burglars getting away with their spoils, but if the C. 1.8. were as efficient as the motorist-catching branch, there would be little ground for complaint. It is time 90 per cent, of the traffic policemen were given a chance to show whether they are as good at nobbling gunmen as. they are in their present sphere of action.