Современное автомобилестроение. Сахарова Н.С. - 91 стр.

many models had unitary construction of chassis and body. Yet in the days of no anti-
freeze, a paraffin lamp was hung under the bonnet on winter nights. There were no
cars heaters and decarbonisation with the grinding in of valves was required every
few thousand miles.
    At the beginning of the Thirties, motorist still had the freedom of the road. There
was little traffic, parking was not a problem and car thefts were so rare that few cars
had locks. To drive a car one simply bought a license, purchased the car of your
choice from the showroom and drove it away. It was as simple as that and no driving
test was required. However from the mid-Thirties road traffic increased. In 1930
there were one million cars in Britain, but by 1939 the number had doubled. With the
increase of traffic, greater controls were placed on the motorist. Between 1931 and
1934 Britain had no speed limit at all but in 1935 a 30 m.p.h. speed limit was
imposed in built up areas. The driving test and Highway Code were also introduced
in 1935. Roads were still narrow and meandering but the surface was greatly
improved, and ‘Cats Eyes’ were introduced in 1934, thus making night driving less
perilous.
    The thirties motorist was still mainly from the middle and upper classes. A
working man would not consider owning a car. Many new car owners lived in the
rapidly developing suburbs and commuted to work. Motorist paid 1/6d for petrol and
£3 for a tyre and inner tube. Driving through London they might encounter the new
traffic lights or Belisha beacons at pedestrian crossings. Road safety began to be
seriously considered since the road death toll had reached 7,343 in 1934 (nearly the
same numbers as 1973 despite ten times more traffic on the road). Although the
increasing trend was to use the car as part of everyday life, the opportunities for
leisure motoring was still a novelty. Holidays to the seaside, visiting beauty spots,
attending sports events further afield, were all becoming fashionable, but leisure
motoring came to an abrupt halt in September 1939.

   Exercise 1. Read the text and speak on the topic “Big Six Motor Companies”

   17.7 Text 7
      The Forties

   On 16 September 1939, two weeks after the outbreak of the Second World War,
petrol rationing was introduced. Branded fuel was replaced by the inferior ‘pool
petrol’ and petrol for commercial vehicles was dyed red to prevent its illicit use by
civilians. It was soon discovered that straining red petrol through a gas mask filter
would get rid of the colour. The monthly ration depended on the horse-power of a car
so the quantity varied from four gallons for an Austin 7 to ten gallons for a 20 h.p.
Rolls Royce. Additional coupons were given for the Government ‘help your
neighbour’ free lift scheme of October 1940. After July 1942 the basic petrol ration
was abolished, which meant that drivers had to prove their journey was essential. No
one was exempt. The composer Ivor Novello was jailed for a month for what was
considered an unnecessary journey.

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