MOTORING NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 492, 29 June 1932, Page 12

MOTORING NOTES.

MAGNETO.

- By

Sharing Petrol Costs. There is an orgy of persecution against motordom by the Government at the present time. The latest infliction is ari organised campaign against motorists sharing petrol costs. The matter was discussed by the South Island Motor Union at Waimate on Friday, and strong exception Avas taken to what is considered interference with the private rights of individuals. While advertising for this class of travelling does open up a A’ery Avide question involving a definite charge of plying for reward without a license to do so, an ordinary agreement among friends to share the costs of a holiday trip should not be a matter for prosecution. The Third Party Insurance Act is one of the chief difficulties that has to be surmounted, since it is necessary to pay a higher premium to be able to carry passengers for reward. Other insurance policies are similarly affected. These obstacles are fairly formidable, because if an insurance company found out that a car involved in an accident was carrying passengers under a sharing-costs arrangement it would refuse to pay out a claim, and the driver would find himself in a very bad way financially. There must be a way out, and with an organised protest from the unions, of both Islands, motorists are assured that something will be done to allow this harmless practice to proceed unhindered. Third Party Insurance. One of the most serious defects that can be found in any legislation that has been introduced in New Zealand is that omission in the Third Party Risks Act which makes it an impossibility to claim from the estate of a negligent motorist Avho is killed in an accident. Legal opinion is unanimous that, while the omission is undoubtedly in the Act, it was not through the intention of the Legislature, and the prospects of amending the Act to eliminate this anomaly are very hopeful. It should not affect the insurance companies to any great extent because the claim is paid out only if the motorist is negligent, and the fact that the motorist has been killed through his own fault is no good reason why a claim should fail. There might be some difficulty on the part of an injured party claiming under these conditions, because it may be hard to prove a case of negligence in the absence of the testimony of the person killed. However, the obstacle to justice should, and will undoubtedly, be removed. The South Island Motor Union had the position put before them in a very able manner by the Otago delegates, and the protest, backed, as it will be, by the North Island, is sure to receive more than passing consideration by the Government. A Driving Aid. Motorists traA’elling south of Timaru will notice at night reflectors inserted into the timber on the approaches to bridges. These reflectors are a comparatively new idea, and are warmly supported by the southern motoring associations. These eyes, one red and one white, show up for a long distance at night and readily warn a motorist of the bridge lie is approaching long before he can actually see the structure. Moreover, they outline the width of the bridge, and are a definite aid to driving. Various systems are in use, but in order to secure unanimity the South Island Motor Union has decided that, in future, a red lens be placed on the left and a white on the right. The reflectors are excellent in practice, but expensive when compared with ordinary white paint that is used to a great extent and does the same job quite well. News and Views# Arrangements for the Pioneer Club’s light car run to Loburn Domain, which will be held on Sunday week, are well in hand. A sports programme will be held, catering for all. Prizes will be awarded the winners. The run will leave the club rooms at 10 a.m. A general invitation is issued to everyone, whether members of the club or not. An effort to form a separate light oar section of the Pioneer Sports Club is being made. The number of light car members of the club is sufficiently large to warrant the action, and a deputation will Avait on the General Committee of the club on Monday next. The chief activity of the section will be to foster motoring sport. It is thought that the Pioneer Sports Club is in the best position to organise sports events for the Jjght^cars^. The Main South Road is in good order at present, although it is badly torn up for reconstruction purposes near Chertsey. This section is lighted at night, so* that motorists need not fear. There is too much concentration on the speedometer. Touring drivers look to see how fast the car is going instead of paying attention to what fuel, oil and heat indicators are saying. Cars are too good to come limping home from long trips these days. M ti **! Too viscous a transmission lubricant causes excessi\'e loss of power in the direct drive position. Adequate lubrication of the indirect gears is given by sufficient oil just to cover the teeth of at least one of each pair of mating wheels. An oil of moderately loav viscosity gives satisfactory lubrication and minimises churning loss. In the majority of cases the oil in the gearbox is too high and is the cause of a considerable loss of power on top