Unity is Strength.
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E HAVE ALREADY advoCated in these columns the adoption of the proposal, that all Motoring organizations— should come together with' a view to constituting a joint or united Council to deal with matters connected with legislas -Lion. We support this proposition mainly because we feel convinced that it will turn out to be very much in the interests of the commercial motor user. Our idea is 'not a body upon which manufacturers' interests would predominate. We take it that the users would see that this should not occur. In some respects the user can safely. back the policy of the manufacturer ; in others; he would not be disposed to do so. As we understand it, he would, by joining in this movement, in no way curtail his right to act independently to his own .advantage, but would merely ensure that whenever his interests are identical with those of-the manufacturer and of the retailer the strength of any action which might be taken would be increased to...a maximum by the combination of all those concerned.
The underlying principle is that user, manufacturer and retailer alike wish to see .motors used in large numbers and operated economically without being subjected to excessive taxation or restrictive legislation. In such matters, the trade would be willing and anxions to support the user and to strengthen his case by bringing their considerable influence to bear in his favour.
Admittedly there might be occasions upon ,which the policy of the user would not be that of the manufacturer or the trader. At such times, it would iurely. be better that vexed questions should be settled by a process of amicable compromise in private rather than by some outside authority coming to a decision
• after a public statement had been made of the divergent views. We, in this country, have suffered too much from lack of willingness to co-nperate. We are inclined to become obsessed with the idea that if we try to work in unison with some other mai., that other man will merely take advantage of our friendly attitude to get the better of us. We cling to individualism ourselves while encouraging cooperation among others. If the commercial motor user refuses to take part in this new movement, he will be proving that, when he p,reaches• co-operation as a remedy for the evils in the path of the manufacturer, he has no faith in his bwn medicine as applied to himself.
To take one exatnple alone, the terms of the Heavy Motor 'Car Order, need rectifying in several ways. The user wants more generous treatment in such matters as speed limits and the use of trailers. Tha interests of the manufacturer are practically identical because, if the economy of operating vehicles is improved, more people will use them and sales will go up. We cannot believe that there areany insuper able difficulties in the way of -united action in such . matters, and we are strongly of the opinion that any difficulties that may exist should be tested before the principle of united -action is discarded as being either unsound or impracticable.
Better-sprung Buses. A Further .
. Reminder from Scotland Yard. • .
I N AUGUST, 1909, Scotland Yard issued its formal
• manifesto with the intention of forcing the pro duction of a special type of motor vehicle which would, it was hoped, prove to meet the particular conditions pertaining to motorbus operation in the Metropolis: The direct result of that official schedule of stipulations was the production, by the London General Omnibus Co., of the remarkable chassis known as the X type, an attempt to combine all the best features of the dozen and one distinct models with which that organization and its associated undertakings had. endeavoured, until then, to maintain effective and paying.services in and about London.
The X type, the first child of the Waltham stow factory, although capable of improvement in certain features of design, fulfilled Scotland Yard's require ments to a considerable extent. Its greatly reduced .. . . weight, its silent 'chain-driven ' gearbox, its worrn —
driven back axle, and. the general simplification of all its chassis -details, 'set a fashion frrnai which 'lorry builders all over the world have not hesitated to learn lessons. The 13 type followed, and in its thousands has, on the whole, done yeoman service for the operating concerns, and for the public, particularly, on account of its facilities for effective maintenance and for its greater silence. Scotland Yard, both in-April last and now again by circular dated 8th November, considers " the present time opportune for reviewing and summarizing requirements," when a further attempt is to be made again to "improve the breed." Another .successful metropolitan bus to meet " the.Yard's " requirements has been the unique Clarkson steamer, and that, too, must comply with the call for improvement.
As to the appropriateness of the time, the authorities evidently are of opinion that designing staffs may not be fully occupied while Government 'standards prevail, and that it will be of national value to have plans laid out in time for construction when factories begin to cease work on ..munition and Government chassis contracts.
In this latest reminder, Sir Edward Henry reiterates the main overall dimension and weight stipulations .called for in the original memorandum of August, 1909, and it is •evident that improvement in design is almost solely anticipated in respect al redistribution of weight. Principally is attention asked for better springing and other modification which will reduce impact shoeks on poor road surfaces and so will conduce to the greater comfort of house occupiers who live on motorbus routes. The gross weight and axle weights may still scale the same as in 1909, but', while conceding the probability of greater weight in suspension details, it is suggested that weight may be cut elsewhere to correspond. Earlier in the year. we analysed such possibilities and, apart from the employment of higher engine speed and lighter engines and gearboxes,.improved and perhaps cushion tyres, the lightening of such bodywork details as enamelled iron signs and the general employment of better-grade -material, the problem is not an encouraging one.
Wire wheels were died on the K.P.L. design years ago but were finally abandoned. What Mr. Clarkson may effect cannot be easily conjectured. The boiler must be his most pressing problem. Of other details it is difficult to prophesy, unless the clever designers of the Associated Equipment Co. have up their sleeves some radical departure not yet disclosed but of which we have some inkling. In any case, whatever the result, whatever London's C type may prove to be like it is certain to affect the design of similar models for use provincially and Overseas. Designers will be busy, for they, too, will be considering the embodiment of much War-time experience particularly in respect of final drives.
Little can be done in production until the war is won, but it is well that Scotland Yard _is showing its foresight by warning manufacturers of requirements which will have to be met in future. Other public vehicle authorities pay much attention to London's requirements, and many of them will be in the market later. London's lesson may also be well if partially
applied to lorryidesign as a whole.
Safeguarding the Pedestrian.
THE EFFORTS of the London " Safety First" Council are unusually commendable, not only because of the object in view but because of the vigour with which the campaign is being conducted, the sound common sense of the lines adopted, and the excellent tone of the warnings and advice so prominently displayed. The pedestrian's worst enemy and greatest danger is simply himself. Those-who tt,re familiar with London traffic agree that it seems inconceivable that in the pre-motor days people could have got run -over, for the danger was not a quarter of what it is to-day. It amounts to this that need for caution breeds a cautious spirit. An improvement in the pedestrian's habits is now proposed by the London Safety First Council, the suggestion being that there should be a reversal of the present practice of keeping to the right, pedestrians being instructed by bye-law to keep to the left. The effect of -keeping. to the right on a pavement carrying two sets of pedestrians going in opposite directions, is that the pedestrians nearest the kerb are travelling in the same direction as the vehicles which are nearest to them in the roadway, and they step off the pavement into the carriage way without glancing back. Reversing the present custom would result in those nearest the kerb facing in an opposite direction to the movement of the traffic, and it would become less easy,for them to step into danger. The old custom is a relic of the days when there were no footpaths, and when the pedestrian kept to the right of the road to keep his twordhand free, and later as vehicular, traffic grew, it was seen to be safer to keep to the right of the read so
e14 • as to face oncoming traffic on that side, the traffic following the custom of keeping to the left. With changed conditions—the prevision of footpaths on both sides of the•road and the growing uselessness of swords as weapons of defence—the time for a change in the custom is long overdue, and we trust that the effort of the Municipal Taamways Association to secure Home Office support for the change will meet with the success it deserves. .
National Work for Taxi-drivers.
IN SPEAKING RECENTLY on the subject of the admirable work done by the Motor Transport Volunteers, Lord Desborough gave some information about the services of taxi-drivers which must prove, even to the most hostile section of the public, that there exist white sheep in the midst of what is very frequently regarded as a uniformly black flock. It appears that, from the very outset, quite considerable numbers of the owner-drivers of taxicabs have participated in the Motor Volunteer movement ; they have worked in relays throughout the night taking men from the sta.tiora on their arrival in London, to their destinations and assisting in every possible way those who are unfamiliar with the Metropolis. This work they have undertaken in a purely voluntary capacity, because they wished,to feel that they were helping the men at the Front and doing something for their country.
It is no light matter for a man whose business it is to drive a cab in London for many hours every day to extend these hours of his own accord, and without any remuneration whatever, but, on the other hand, at some expense to himself. Evidently this is a class of work in which the companies' driver could not have participated if he would, since his cab is not his own propertY. Consequently, while it is a testimonial to the sterling qualities of many owner-drivers of cabs, the facts cast no reflection on the patriotism of those cab-drivers who are not working under the same conditions.
Discrimination—An Unsound Policy.
WE HEARTILY APPRE9IATE the readiness with which the enterprising gas organizations of this country are meeting the demand for coal-gas as a fuel for motor vehicles. But we fear that, in some instances, zeal is responsible for the introduction of measures which are likely to exercise a distinctly inimical effect. Indeed, the policy in quesiion is unsound, if not pernicious, and is likely to precipitate an unexpected denouement. We refer to the tendency to discriminate between the local and foreign user in certain districts. This action is additionally deplorable inasmuch as the degree of preferential treatment is so pronounced. We readily admit that in some quarters there may be a relative shortage of gas, while in others there is comparatively plenty, and that it is incumbent upon the first-named to move warily. We also concur in the view that local users should receive every possible facility to satisfy their demands, to enable local motor traffic to be sustained. But this line of action must not be maintained to the detriment of the user from outside the official supply boundary.
The gas fuel movement can only become universal and permanent so long as a broad-minded attitude is observed. There is no valid reason why the local user should pay less for his gas than the man who is passing through the district and is compelled to take a charge en route. Yet, this is precisely what is being done here and there. .
To charge the local gas-fuel user less than his col league outside recalls the practice whi"ch was in vogue among our railways many years ago, when a company, refused to issue a through ticket involving partialjourney over one or more other lines, and which called upon the _passenger to detrain at each junction to purchase his ticket for the succeeding section. Such a system would not be tolerated for a moment in these enlightened days, and if any railway were to re-introduee the practice it would instantly be boycotted. It will be the same with those companies discriminating against the " foreign" gas-user. The future of gas-fuel development lies in fostering the free movement cf freight and passengers along our roads by gas-fuel driven motors to the utmost extent, and to provide every conceivable facility for securing re-charges en route with the minimum of delay and vexation. Once gas fuel becomes used throughout the length and breadth of the kingdom, and users engaged in long-distance haulage realize that this file-1 can be obtained as easily as was petrol in the past, they will readily accept the opportunity to free them-, selves from the shackles of the oil rings.
It is be long-distance haul and through traffic which will seal the future of gas as a motor fuel, and to assist this traffic we would strongly advocate the introduction of a flat rate for coal-gas fuel throughout the country. We realize that this cannot be done at the moment, owing to the wide fluctuations in the cost of producing the gas, but the sooner it is done the stronger will be the position of gas interests when petrol commences once again to be competitor.