S EPrE"1liSR 26TH, 1908.
THE AUTOCAR a Journal pubhsbet' > in tbe interests of tbe mecbanicallr propellet' > roab carriage.
EDITED BY H. WALTER STANEq.
No. 675. VoL. XXI.] SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER z6nr, r goS. [P RICE JD.
The Autocar.
(Published Weekly.)
Registered as a newspaper for transmission in the United Kingdom.
Entered as second-class matter in the New York (N.Y.) Post Office.
Editorial Office :
COVENTRY.
Publishing Offices :
20, TUDOR STREET, LONDO!V, € :.C ., England.
CONTENTS. NOTES
UsEFUL HINTS A :-lD Trrs . .
THE 45 H.P. 1909 SJX•CYLINOER ~APIER CAR (~LL{!STRATED)
"TH£ AUTOCAR" MOTOR CAR LECTURES
THREE lNTERESTISG ACCE~SORIES
THE MoTO"- UNro:-: :\IEETING AT Ox FORD (ILLUSTRATED) • •
MONEY C tRCULATED BY '.\{QTORtST3
0:-r THE ROAD. I:-1 \VALES. I3, Owr-:s- JOHN"
PAGE 463-464
465 . . 466-467
467 467 . , 468-470 , , 47<-472 , , 473-474
THE ROADS ASD PUBLIC PLAYGROUNDS
A Co~1FORTABLF. SHORT Boov. PETROL SlG:-;s AT DEVIZES
(ILLIJSTRATEO) , ,
474
475
THE I SLE Oll' MAN RACE (ILLUSTRATED)
ADDITIOSAL \VHEEL T ESTS
HAIGH HEXMOOR. Bv H. C. LAFONE
+76.482
483
+84
FULL REPORT OF THE FOUR lNCH RACE ( [ 1.LUSTRATED) • •
CoRRESPOSOENCE • •
THE PRESHA TvRE PultP-TEsT OF A SIDDELEY EsGI::-JE-ENCtNE
EFFICIE:'.'JCY
FLASHES (ILLUSTRATED) . •
Ctus Do1scs
SM:'ALL CAR TALK • •
SmdE QUERIES A!-1D REPLIES
502 503 504
Subscription Rates :
.British Isles, 16s. Abroad (th in paper edition), 22s. Sd. per annum.
· tJotes. The l.ircular to County Councils. The i"~cal Gm·ernment Boan.I has just issued a circular to countv councils and to tmrn councils of boroughs ll'ith a. population of over 10,000 lea.ling ll'ith motor ca1 traffic·. The circular is an official resJ)onsc > to the representations ,rhich ha,·e been made t~ th~ Boan.I by some county coun ils and other local authorities suggesting th~t furth er restricti,·e legislati on should be imposed on motor cars. Apparently, the intent of the circular is to point out that. before considering the ach-isability of further restrictions, the Local Go,·ernment Board ,rishes to be satisfied that the authorities are making full and proper use of tlw restrictions 11·hich al reach· exist . To all intents and purposes it is a brief recapitulation of the Pxisting regu· lations with certain exnl anaton- notes and comment<;. For in. tance. tlw loca-l autho,:ities ar~ reminded th:it there are not only speed limits, but also the existing prol'isions for the pre,·ention of reckless dri,·ing-pro1·isions ll'hich give the police practically unlimited powers. In fact, the position is summed up in the foll01ring ll'Ords, "The Board cannot but think that the prol'isions above referred to should be sufficient to pre,·cnt most of the e1·il of ,vhich complaint is made. \\'hat is wanted is that they should be carefully and . ystematically enfol'C'ed in proper cases. " \\Tith this 11·e entirely agree. There is no doubt 1d1ate1·er that the exi ting provi. ions are more than sufficient for the control of motor traffic, provided they are intelligently enforced.
The whole trouble is really due to the fact that they are not always intelligently enforced. There are many authorities 11·hich administer the law fairly and sensibly. They neither complain to the Local Government Board, nor do ,ve hear of any sa,·age or .unfair com·ictions within thei r jurisdiction. On the other hand, we find authorities who do not administer the law properly. The,· either institute police traps or prosecute for furious dri,·ing on the open road 11·ithout the least discrimination . The consequence of unintelligent or mercenary administration is that townlets and vi llages which ought to be looked :ifter in manv cases are left ·alone, and on the strength of the complaints ll'hich come from these ungua rderl and neglected places the local authorities appeal to :\Ir. Burns for further re trictions. They are apparenth· quite unaware of the fact that nothing is ,ranting but intelligence and fair dealing on their part. To all intents and purposes it is to such local authori· ties that the circular is addressed. It is admirable in tone. and if all the authorities were unprejudiced we should say 1that it would be most useful, as it sets forth fairly and impartially the exact position and defines it mcst clearh·; but 11·e fear the rlifficultv is that in most d the cas~s· in 1d1ich appl ication fo r ftirther restrictions has been made the circular 11·ill be of littl e use, for the simple rc >a son that the applicants are either pfojudiced or 111capable , or both. They really do not want to administer justice. \\·hat the,· ll'a.nt i to restrict motoring to the point of extin('tion . and they 11·ill not like tlw circular hc >ca use :\Ir. Burns makes it ci uite clear that he is not in tending to extinguish it. or . ii1deed, to ma.kP any new regulations at all till he is con:·inced ~hat they are nece san·-a wise :111rl statesmanlike attitude to 11·hich no reasonable exception can be taken.
As an e,·idence of the imnartialitv of the cirrnlar, it is interesting to note that . . after it ha·s r_ecited the pm~·ers possessed by the authorities o,·er motonsts, 1t also pomts out that the road :rnthorities themseh·es should use e,·erv effort to reduc? the risks of accident. For instance, dangerous corners shourd 'be eas~d or opened up. while centre oosts for tramways or light ra1hrnys should not be erected. Last hut not least the authorities :, re exhorted to keen them,eh·es abreast 11·ith the suhiect of du=;tless roacis. There is no doubt that the cir· rnlar is well timed, and ,re only hope that it will n<; >t fa ll unon deaf ea rs . The Local Gm·ernment Board 1s r·ornnellpfl t0 a,',\1Tlle that it is addressing commonsensf:'
