Motors, Motorists, and Motor Matters.

Progress, Volume IV, Issue 5, 1 March 1909, Page 158

Motors, Motorists, and Motor Matters.

In England the war of prejudice against motorists continues unabated. At Cambridge the University authorities are imposing galling restrictions that will make it virtually impossible for the average student to motor and preserve his self-respect. Every petty vestryman of the shires seems to spend half his time devising schemes to trick the motorist to his undoing. The land is close set with police-traps, and at every likely corner stands the parish constable, watch in hand, grimly waiting to drop on some motorist — greatly to the joy, one supposes, of the criminal classes. The London County Council has closed the parks to persons learning to drive motors, who have profited much by their practice in unfrequented corners, and harmed nobody. In short, the persecution of the motorist is at its height, and the thing has gone so far that there is some reason to hope that pretty soon now we shall have the recoil to com-mon-sense. * v It must be remembered that with aU this English talk of the danger of motor vehicles, there is a far higher percentage of accidents caused by horse-drawn vehicles than by autocars. But human nature in the parishes is as queer a thing in 1909 as it was in 1606. When a brewer's dray or a grocer's cart knocks down and kills somebody, there is a murmuring of sympathy, a perfunctory inquest, and the incident is closed. But if an autocar runs over a hen, all the provincial papers come out with scare headlines about the "Toll of the Motor." Police misstatements as to motorists run pretty close to the perjury line, and the average magistrate (who thinks nothing but the thoughts of his forefathers) almost invariably backs the police. Lord Savile, himself a magistrate, but modern, has formulated a definite complaint. He alleges that the evidence of the police is not always trustworthy, and that all sensible and unprejudiced magistrates agree that the police would be far better employed m endeavouring to catch murderers and burglars, who now pursue their callings without interruption, because the officers are lying behind fences, trapping unoffending motorists who may be exceeding the speed-limit by two miles an hour on a clear road. Unhappily for the motorists, most fortunately for the burglars, sensible and unprejudiced magistrates are rarer in the smaller towns of England than daisies in December. In New Zealand things are better. We are not pledged to keep inviolate any outworn tradition of the Tudor period, and we are not of necessity haters of new things. In the English counties, Mr. Justice Shallow and his myrmidons object to motor-

ears, just as they objected to railway trains and steel pens. ' ' Our ancestors, ' ' they say, m effect, "knew nothing of these things; wherefore, these things are vile, and must be put down. ' ' This essential contagion of parochialism lies heavily on England It is in the kitchen, and m the War Office All the good squires and their relations are proud of it. Motorists m New Zealand owe much of their reasonable liberty to the fact that there are no squires, and few men can trace their ancestry beyond the second step back. And some part of the liberty enjoyed is doubtless due to the fact that New Zealand motorists are, as a class, keener on keeping the law than on breaking it. They do not suffer the irritation of a constant conspiracy to annoy, and thus they look with friendly eyes on policemen, country justices, pedestrians, and roadside hens. D.V., who seems to be a somewhat extravagant person, writes to Progress: — I am not a motoring man. I don 't know anything about the machines. Although I have smelt them for years now. I only had ni\ first ride the other day. And my hair is still standing. I know a man who has recently been learning to drive, and when I met him on the day I am talking about he said he had learnt it all. That was at Khandallah. He said he should drive me into town, and I timidly murmured a grieved assent. I climbed into the affair and sat beside him. He pulled on a big pair of gloves, set his jaws, squawked with the tooter thing, and the machine jumped for the Ngahauranga Gorge. The Gorge is a complex drop, full of sharp twists and dangerous indecisions; and my man, who had now learned, did most of the distance flying. When he kept the rodd, he was either skirting a precipice or grazing a cliff ; but half the time he was hitting things, and leaping forward like a kangaroo. At one point there is a long loop m the road. He didn't take the turn quickly enough, so the car jumped over. It was only our speed saved us. While we sailed through the air I looked over the side into a blue profundity and prayerfully prepared for the worst. It was my first experience of an aeroplane, and I knew that Wilbur Wright must be a very brave and reckless man. But fortune favours the idiotic; just as I was prepared to die we struck the road again on a slant and skidded on one wheel round the hundred yards or so of the next curve. Then we grazed the fronts of several cottages, stampeded fourteen dogs, and finally fell noisily on Kaiwarra. M\ man told me that driving a motor was the easiest thing on earth, once a chap had learnt how. I told him I was quite convinced of it. As to aeroplanes (or aerodromes — take your choice) you will find an admirable article on the Wrights achievements in

the last number of Everybody's Magazine. Among a multitude of hoppers and gliders, Farman and one or two others have flown with some .success ; but there is adequate proof that the Wrights are now flying 1 with complete confidence and security. They have solved the problem, so far as Heroplanes are concerned But there are essential limitations to the possibilities of the new thing. With motors as they are, with aeroplanes of strictly limited carrying capacity, the new flyers can make no very long flights. But, even now, they may revolutionise warfare. An aeroplane like the Wrights could easilj' sweep over a fort and b,y dropping one charge shatter it to dust. It marks, for war purposes, an almost infinite advance on the balloon idea. For this reason, it is curious to note that the English War Office has not secured the Wright or the Farman aeroplane, but is still experimenting with hoppers and gliders. The lessons of the Boer War are forgotten, and the War Office remains the stodgiest and dullest department m Britain. It is merely a higher extension of the stodginess and dullness that leads to the persecution of motorists m the rural districts and provincial towns. If somebody doesn't wake up soon, there'll be a good deal to be anxious about The growing popularity of small cars becomes more notable in Europe every day. In the English Midlands, the principal demand is for cars from 8 h.p. to 16 h.p., at prices from £200 to £350. South Wales demands cars of from 12 to 15 h.p.. fourcylinder, two or five seated. And so it is right through. People of moderate means (the average motorists, that is to say) are getting tired of heavy cars that are costly in up-keep and offer no special compensating advantages. In short, the instinct of empty display is passing, the peacock period is well-nigh spent. The introduction of taxicabs in Melbourne is causing much discontent among the drivers of ordinary hansoms. The drivers of the taxis, are smartly dressed, courteous, intelligent fellows, and their charge is regulated to a penny by the useful little dial. Also, the vehicles are clean, comfortable, and swift. Cabbie of the hansoms sees his livelihood threatened ; but Cabbie of the hansoms has himself to blame in large measure. Melbourne cabfares, as fixed by law, are not excessive, but Melbourne cabmen are keen on any chance to extort money. Meantime, while we have no knowledge of taxicabs coming to Wellington 3 r et, they are coming to Christchurch. It is an excellent thing that they should come; and the sooner they come to the capital, the better. The by-law regulating cabfares in Wellington is a farce in practice. Scores of people who can afford

cabs will not take them, because of the exorbitant fares demanded. Passengers arriving in the city by rail and boat are fleeced every day. The man who is cute enough to put on a line of taxieabs in Wellington will make money. ifz >fc 3k Aberdeenshire is noted for drunkenness, social squalour (items not specified), Sunday religion, and excessive lip-morality. Also, any man convicted of humour in Aberdeen falls at once under suspicion of atheism — if not worse. For this reason, one is interested to note the opinion of an Aberdeenshire County Councillor that "no man, from the Prime Minister downwards, can be trusted to drive a motor-car and retain his integrity." # =* # Very commendable are the orders issued by Sir Frederick Milner to his chauffeur. — 1. To keep within the speed limit as far as he can, even on the open roads. 2. To slow down to under ten miles at every danger signal, or at any turning where he cannot clearly see what is on the road. 3. Never to exceed ten miles in any village, whether the road is clear or not. 4. To give the widest possible berth to all traffic, whether wheeled, bicycles, or pedestrians. 5. To pull up at once if any animal shows sign of nervousness, or if the driver or rider holds up his hand. # ■* =$ From America comes a set of rules for pedestrians, which, though quite too good to be true, will yield some modicum of gentle joy to the harrassed automobilist : — 1. — Pedestrians crossing streets at night shall wear a white light in front and a red light in the rear. 2. — Before turning to the right or left they shall give three short blasts on a horn at least three inches in diameter. 3. — When an inexperienced automobile driver is made nervous by a pedestrian, he shall indicate the same, and the pedestrian shall hide behind a tree until the automobile has passed. 4. — Pedestrians shall not carry in their pockets any sharp substances which are liable to cut automobile tyres. 5. — In dodging automobiles, pedestrians shall not run more than seven miles an hour. 6. — Pedestrians must register at the beginning of each year and pay a licence fee for the privilege of living. There shall be no rebate if they do not live through the entire year. 7. — Pedestrians will not be allowed to emit cigarette smoke on any thoroughfare in an offensive or unnecessary manner. 8. — Each pedestrian before receiving his licence to walk upon a highway must demonstrate before an examining board his skill in dodging, leaping, crawling and extricating himself from machinery. 9. — Pedestrians will be held resjonsible for all damages done to automobiles or their occupants by collision. Despite all this talk we hear of the awakening of China, the average Chinese in his homeland has a profound dislike for every sort of motor. He takes this to be the latest and worst expression of the utter devilishness of the Foreign Devils. It disturbs his deeply-rooted belief in immemorial observances. So that recently great dissatisfaction resulted when an irrepressible Frenchman, rich in faith, established a garage in Pekin. The man from Paris would seem to be somewhat of a humourist in his way, for he opened his shop in the Street of Great Tranquility. # # # But outside China the Chinese generally take kindly enough to these very modern inventions. The Straits Chinese in Singapore have among them some of the best fellows in Asia, and some of these are very cheerful motorists. They have been enthusiastic

cyclists for many years past. The roads in the island are excellent. The climate (which has been grossly maligned by a multitude of persons with no authority) is equable and good. European residents, who live their glad lives joyously enough, are enthusiastic motorists. It is a very mixed community — one census there were two Esquimaux included in the returns — and there are all sorts of cars in the settlement. All that Malayan country offers great attractions to the tourists, partly because most of it is as yet unspoiled by globetrotters. Motorists in America have discovered a new amusement of apparently endless possibilities — the application of the speedometer to the testing and comparison of animal speeds. A jack-rabbit (an animal closely akin to our hare) paced a car in Kansas, at a speed varying in eleven miles from thirtyeight to forty-two miles an hour. A cottontail rabbit went from twenty-three to twenty-six miles an hour. A two-year-old steer went at eighteen miles an hour and "hated to be conquered." A horse, on the other hand, invariably dodges the contest, bolting up the first side road. One's ideas of the wisdom of fowls need to be revised in the light of these American experiments. Thus it was discovered that the goose invariably gets off the road when a car approaches, while a hen gets hazed and flurried, and can't make up her mind whether she shall race the car or take one side or the other. The turkey stands on its dignity, "sometimes a trifle too long," and is not as cautious as the goose. "V $fc A Progress man, loaded with these facts and a considerable supper, dreamt that he was driving a car from Wellington to the Hutt, earnestly on the look-out for natural phenomena. A police constable, chasing Archibald McNeill, was found to be making two miles an hour. A railway train between Petone and Lower Hutt got up to seven and a-half. A quarryman, making for a place of refreshment (9.55 p.m.) taxed the machine as he reeled off thirty-three. A politician who had been dining out did one and an eighth in 3,455 zigzags. No hens or rabbits entered, and it was too soon after Christmas to hope for a goose. Even in regard to the innocent sport of motoring, international complications may ensue. The other day in London, a chauffeur was charged with exceeding the speed limit. He faced the Bench with a bold front. "I don't think you can interfere with me, ' ' he said. ' ' I have orders to drive fast, as I have royalty on board." It proved that the young man had been driving the Sultan of Zanzibar. Now, the idea of royalty, plain or coloured, doe*, mightily impress and overawe any English magistrate, and the plea that sovereigns were exempt from all laws regulating speed hit the magistrate concerned very hard. He made haste to adjourn the case until the chauffeur should produce his authority Presumably, when the chauffeur produced proof, he received an abundant apology, a pension, and the freedom of the City of London ; but as the mail left before the case was decided, all that is mere matter of conjecture. The first definite reference to motors and motorists will be found in the writings of Job, the esteemed philosopher of Uz. "They turn the needy out of the way; the

poor of the earth hide themselves together. . . . They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter. . . He draweth also the mighty with his power; ha riseth up, and no man is sure of life. ' ' Job was probably a magistrate. * # * The Emperor of Austria took his first motor ride the other day. It had taken the court experts a good many years to decide whether the Emperor could do a thing like that without some forfeiture of his dignity. During the recent period of military activity in Roumania, the Prefect of Police drew lots, and called on a number of automobilists to lend their cars and their services in connection with the scheme of mobilisation. The response was generous and ready, and the effect of the trials proved entirely satisfactory. Only one motorist shirked his patriotic obligation. He hid a part of his engine, and pleaded that his machine was out of order. For that piece of folly and greed he is to stand his trial in the criminal court. =:•- * The total number of motor vehicles registered in London up to the end of November last was 36,044, and 92,912 drivers' licences had been issued since the passing of the Motor Car Act. There are now 2,200 motor cabs plying for hire in the city, and all the indications point to the probability that the cab horse has to go, as the 'bus horse has gone. As comparatively few cabmen learn to drive the motor cabs, the outlook for the ordinary cabby is grave. But it is no worse than the outlook for the average ordinary compositor became when the linotype was introduced. * *= •* In this connection the registering for the United Kingdom is interesting. The figures to Sept. 30 last were supplied by the Registrations Officer to the Royal Automobile Club, and have just reached the Dominion. The number of vehicles registered up to September 30, 1908, is shown to be 154 391. of which 71,381 were for private use, 12.104 for trade purposes, and 5,880 as public conveyances with 65,026 motor cycles. Of the total number 137,345 motor vehicles belong to England and "Wales, 10.907 to Scotland, and the remaining 6,139 to Ireland. The County of London necessarily claims the greatest figure, namely, 34.908, which shows an increase of about 175 per cent, in the three years. The 1908 total of 154,391 compares with 74.308 (including 37,665 motor-cycles) in 1905. It is interesting to note that the total number of vehicles on December 31, 1904. was 51,549, of which 27,348 were motor cycles. * # * Some interesting facts are given that go to explain the growing popularity in England of small-powered cars. A singlecylinder Sizaire-Naudin car travelled in various parts of England 7,713 miles between August 3rd and September 14th. Total cost of running, including petrol, oil, and garage charges. £30 9s 7d. Three hundred and fifteen gallons of petrol were used, and twenty-one gallons of lubricating oil. The cost works out at a slight shade over a penny a mile, inclusive of all charges. It will be seen that such a car, kept at home and used for ordinary purposes of pleasure, would be a very inexpensive luxury. Of course it would cost more out here, but everything costs more out here. And the theory is that everybody makes more.