GROWING OLD?

GROWING OLD?

Mr. Laurence Pomeroy, Seim, designer of the immortal 30/98 Vauxhall, and for many years with Daimler, and now of de Haviland Aircraft Ltd., read a paper before the British Association at Notting,ham, on the subject of cars and roadsafety. Mr. Pomeroy made some very interesting points. He emphasised that a pedestrian is required to exert but little intelligence to avoid an accident, but that the motorist is called upon to exercise the highest degree of concentration amid self-control. He put a much higher premium on good acceleration than on all-out speed, and specially condemned a lounging position in the driving-seat. The latter, he said, should be ridiculed out of existence. He believed that there is no such thing as a streamlined body with existing engine positioning and that British designers cut off corners and in doing so reduce comfort. Mr. Pomeroy said it was doubtful if a maximum speed limit of 60 m.p.h. would inconvenience any motorist. While we are the first to agree with, and abide by, the 30 m.p.h. limit in properly built-up areas (see any Editorial driving-licence) we cannot agree with Mr. Pomeroy’s view. In many places that are not fully built up the extreme controllability of good modern cars makes a maintained speed of up to 45 m.p.h. or so by an alert driver by no manner of means a criminal undertaking. And on the open road maintained speeds of 60 to 80 m.p.h. by cars designed to steer and brake adequately at such speeds are perfectly safe and add much to point to point average speed and the joys of-owning a sports-car. One has only to go forty miles or so from any big town, or sixty miles North or West of hondon, to find deserted, safe road, even

in mid-summer. Perhaps old age is responsible for Mr. Pomeroy’s suggestion of a 60 m.p.h. limit, because we seem to remember it was the proud boast of Vauxhall Motors that the ” 30/98″ would do 85 m.p.h. fully equipped. In Germany high road speeds on suitable roads are encouraged, but British roads, even our By-Passes, are in need of drastic revision and we believe that more than 70 m.p.h. on the Kingston By-Pass, for instance, can rank as dangerous driving.