The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-06
MOTOR DIGEST
Auto Activities Throughout
the World

There are more than ESQ motor bus
lines in operation in New YORK CITY.
In Canada Nova Scotia adopted the
drive to the right" rule of Their road
on April Is.
The automobile industry in the
United States is rs years old, the first
purchase having been made March
"a 1898.
A bill has been introduced in the
state legislature of Michigan asking
for 81 tax on every car driven away
from a factory in that state.
The motorists, association of Penn
sylvania, representing more than TO-
600 active members. is made up OF
the $50 automobile clubs in the state.
The new features of the automo-
biles to be announced for the 1924
season will be four-wheel brakes and
new spring suspension to produce
easier riding facilities.
The first automobile to make trip
around the world was of American
make. In 1910-11 it passed through
20 countries where cars had never
previously been seen.
Four signal towers are to be in
stalled on Michigan avenue. Chicago,
Ill, to keep the traffic working reg
ularly. Red. yellow and green lights
signaled from the towers indicate
stop" make ready" and go"
Three Sultans in Straits Settle
ments and the Federated Malay states
are among the recent purchasers of
American passenger automobiles. The
buyers We're the Sultan of lahore, the
Sultan of Kelantan, and the Sultan of
Trengganu.
Fourteen thousand lives were lost
in automobile accidents in the United
States in 1922, an increase of 1900
| over the total for 1921. The 1922
death rate was 1913 per thousand pop
ulation. as compared with lis for
the preceding year.
| Motor vehicle fees provide Is per
cent of the road funds in Massachu-
sets. This is the highest in proper
ton of any state in New England
or in the group including New York,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio and
Wisconsin.
Y new crossing signal has been
adopted by the American Railway
Engineering association. 1t con-
sists of two horizontal red lights
which flash alternately to announce
the approach of trains. The signal
will be used by all roads represented
in the association.
Automobile tourists are now able
to enter nearly every country in Eu-
rope except the Balkan States and
Russia. Tritpyques, obtained by mo-
tcrists, are form Of bond. the post
ing of which in one country will al
low passing all frontiers without ad-
ditional bonding OF cars.
American tire manufacturers are
conducting experimental work with
tires so large and thin that that they
have been described as balloon"
tires. The tires may be substituted
for the present conventional sizes
with a view to provide gre/eer cush-
ioning for passenger autom obiles.
To obtain drivers license in
France 1t is now proposed that ap-
plicants not only be made to undergo
traffic examination CT ed
districts, guiding their cars through
narrow streets clogged with vehicles,
but also that they submit to a rigid
| medical inspection, which will in
clude study of any ancese>>l indi-
| cations of insanity.
A former officer Of the Chemical
Warfare service has suggested the
| Introduction of drop or two Of tear
gas into the carburetors to prevent
the increasing deaths In winter from
! RACES. The tear gas. discharged
through the automobile exhaust,
would warn the motorist warming up
his engine If the air was becoming
dangerously impregnated with the
deadly carbon monoxide. When tho
motorist began to cry he would know
that 1t was time for him to leave.
To determine causes of automobile
accidents, the National Bureau of
Casualty and Surety Underwriters
are undertaking an investigation
which Is said to be the most extensive
and most important survey of tho
kind ever attempted. Investigators
will have access to the reports of
hundreds of thousands of automobile
accidents through the records of the
stock casualty insurance companies
included in the membership Of tho
bureau. The survey will extend over
period of several years and will
take into account accidents that have
occurred in every section of the
United States where motor vehicles
are in use