The Motorist.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 822, 7 December 1905, Page 15

The Motorist.

(By

“Petrol.”)

A smart Paris paper, which is devoted to “ le Sport,” made a rather amusing blundei' recently. This enterprising journal announced the telegraphic result of the Grand Prize of Thuringia, held at Erfurt, in Germany, as follows: —lst, Wegen; 2nd, Regenwetters; 3rd, Ganz; 4th, Ausgefallen. Subsequent investigation brought to light the tact that the "telegram intimated the postponement of the race owing to rain—thus, “ Wegen regenwetters gangz ausgefallen”—“ In ■consequence of rain, no racing.” This reminds of the well-known bootmaker who sought to attract the custom of the public by putting in his window the sign: ■“ Mens Conscia Recti” (“ A mind conscious of rectitude”), whereupon his rival ■on the other side of the road, not to be outdone, blossomed forth with “ Mens and Women’s Conscia Recti.” • • • • Motorists should bear in mind that the ■vapour given off by petrol floats above "the ground, and if brought in contact with a light will either catch fire or explode. It will readily penetrate to the inside of a lighted lamp, and consequently the careful man will not even fill his tank in the vicinity of such, while to use petrol for cleaning the car with the lamps "burning is simply to invite disaster. It is also exceedingly dangerous to allow petrol to drop into the pit, as must happen if the car is cleaned by its aid. The •vapour rests at the bottom, and being in an enclosed space will at once explode if a light is brought in contact with it. • • * • A motor trap near Carnforth made a ■very fine catch recently. It was nothing more or less than some of the King’s motor cars which were timed as travelling at 40 miles an hour. His Majesty was not on board any of them, or, no doubt, such a pace would not have been reached, for it is well known that he is greatly adverse to fast driving on the road. At the same time the fact that even the King ■of England is not able to control his • chauffeurs from exceeding the legal limit :affords an interesting commentary on the difficulties of the whole question. ♦ * ♦ * The horse-power of motor-cycles, as we know it here, must be considered very low ■compared with what obtains on the Con-

tinent, where the average is 4-h.p. or 5-h.p. For racing purposes 10-h.p. and L2-h.p. engines are usually employed, but it is on the pacing machines that the nost powerful are used. T. Hall, the English pace-follower, has a 24-h.p. marine, which was looked upon as a monstrosity. Robl, however, has gone far beyond this, having had built a 36-h.p. notor-cycle—if such a term can be applied. A tandem frame is used, and two riders are required to control it, one to ;teer, and the other to tend the engine. No expense has been spared, its makers leclaring it to be of the best possible construction in every particular.