'FORD VAN POINTERS.
Page 29
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By R. T. Nicholson (Author of "The Book of the Ford").
IHAVE jut had a little experience that teaches me something about the need for insuring against accidents; for I have had an accident which simply had to happen, notwithstanding all care in driving.
• 415.--A Mishap Arises Through Courtesy!
I live in a house indicated by X on my plan. I was driving towards it in my car A. You will notice that, between me and my house, there is a fork, the fork being hidden round a curve, though I was, of course, perfectly familiar with the fact of its existence, and was running pretty slowly. When I had got round that curve, I saw another driver (B) approaching down the fork of the road on my left. He. recognizing me, and knowing -where I lived, veered oser to his right (my left) to let me pass up the leg of tl3 fork leading to my house, X. 1, seeing that it was doubtful whether there was roomfor rue to get through, turned towards my left (following the rule of the road), to let him pass on my right—hie proper side. The unfortunate result was that we collided. Happily, we were both running slowly then, so that we "touched" at onlya few miles per hour ; but there was nevertheless considerable crumpling of good metal, though no personal damage was done.
I hope you are really and truly sorry for me, and really and truly glad that I am alive to tell the tale, and to keep up the supply of these precious pointers.
But the moral I want to draw is—Insure, insure, insure! You may be as careful a driver as is made: you may be able to trust yourself to keep your head in emergencies : you may strictly obey the rule of the road (as I did, and as "the other fellow" did not). With it all, accidents will happen—accidents that may not be your fault at all. In this case, I can hardly claim that it -was " the other fellow's" fault— morally speaking, though legally speaking, he was out of court ; for he ought to have observed the rule of the road even if he did know that I wanted to go home up the leg of the fork on my right. Morally And humanly, he behaved as he did out of courtesy and consideration, though legally he made a "bloomer."
At all events, the moral is, Insure ! Do what you, and others, will, "Accidents will happen "—and with the best regulated drivers.
For 16 long yearn I have driven motors of various' kinds, and have never had what you could call an accident before. I began to think that it was waste of good money to go on paying premiums, because I never had the good luck to get into trouble. But it came, you see—worse—much worse—late than never !
'4I6.—Our Civil (?) Service.
This is the kind of letter that I am receiving far too often :— "Perhaps you can advise me as to the most efficacious method of procedure with regard to securing a rebate on a van purchased new on October 1st, and used by me in a general carrier's business. I have applied in the ordinary way through the officer of Excise and Customs, who has forwarded my certificate and particulars to the proper quarter, but who holds out no hope of any very immediate refund of duty, stating that he has cases on hand several months older than mine.
"As. you will see, the delay is rather detrimental to my business, being so much capital (223) unavailable for present requirements. I cannot see why there should be any delay., for the authorities have my certificate, and should, I consider, be in a position to remit duty immediately."
There you are again! Once more our officials have had to admit the slackness and sloth of the so-called "Service," and yet there are those who believe that our future welfare lies in the expansion of officialdom ! The State has no right whatever to my correspondent's money : it is not State property, it is his. For the State to hold it back for one day—for one hour—for one minute—is utterly unjustifiable. And his is not the only case in the country ; I judge that there are hundreds of them—perhaps thousands. The State is always quick to exact money : refund is like drawing blood out of a stone My correspondent considers that he has had bad treatment in the few weeks' delay. Cases have been brought to my attention where the delay has extended over months. My correspondent will be particularly lucky if he gets his refund this year. I am quite ready to ventilate the matter further in this column.
What can I advise
I regularly give one kind of advice, that the Flutterer should make himself as objectionable as possible to those who are responsible for, or who have contributed to, the delay. Courtesy is ineffective with officialdom. It is a pity, but it is a fact,. that it takes a kick to "get a move on" our "civil service." Personally I hate kicking service into efficiency. If I cannot find the horse willing, I sell him. But one cannot get rid of slack " service " so easily. I know this metaphor is mixed, but I lose my literary sense whenever I come to deal with official slackness.
A business house would settle such claims within hours. Months' delays would find them in the county court. I suppose that county court action is somehow ruled out of possibility where officialdom is concerned, or I would recommend that as affording a "short way" to settlement.