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MOTOR TESTS. .
BRITAIN'S PROBLEM. :
EFFECTS OF OLD LAWS.
Owing to the frailties of human
nature it is essential- that varioii3
form- of regulations be issued from
time :o time to ensure the maximum
beneiir to the community as a whole,
which might otherwise bo imperilled
by th ughtless or selfish parties: Ob- ,
viously, self-propelled road traffic, so
soon as it appeared, presented many
problems which might be tackled in
a manner damaging to the general
puhlie and restrictions were imposed
promptly. Many of these were un
reasonable, but were drawn up in tho
majority of cases by well-meaning
persons of meagre technical attain- .
ments.
It i-, of course, essential, says "Tho
f'omwercial Motor," that those con
cerned with legislation have time to
devote to it, and, as a general rule,
they cannot, therefore, keep fully in
touch with nil the modern technical
developments, which moans thnt they
are on at the mercy of advisors '
who ..re, of necessity, inclined to bo
unduly cautious.
_ Once legislation has been passed it
" difficult matter to have it amend-;
ed. l- enuse there is always a pres
sure f business upon those in any
way connected wtin national or local
government, and they are apt to re
gard i'ems which do not Involve poli
tical considerations of immediate
stiat.gic importance as secondary to
matters which appeal more to their
taste-. It takes a Jong time to work
"P public opinion to, the point- of
bringing pfessure to bear upon legis
lator- to amend out-of-date legal
I'l' i position has made it very dif-
bml' for manufacturers in England
to pioduco specialised types of'
vein,;,., such „s the road train. Theso
Pin, h ues are urgently needed for- tho J
"evdopmont of transport in over- - -
"cay binds, where large units arc' os-
acatud. Consequently many manu-
lactiin.rs have come to 1 regard '.the
Preparation of -such special types, aa 1
Jtupnicticable, 'because they cannot bo
tested in an economic way in Great
lint:, in, except upon private land,
which rarely offers that, touch of
r '!'' Of service whicji is essential
'or tile attainment of tho utmost cfltcb
onr.v. Obviously, large sums of money
ennnm ho spent by business concerns
in en;, (,jn(, artificially those circum-
stance; which' exist but aro on for
bidden ground.
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