The traditional salute to members from patrolmen of the Automobile Association and the Royal Automobile Club when on the move is to be discontinued for safety reasons.
The salute, however, will be given by patrolmen when they are on foot. A statement issued today by the Standing Joint Committee of the RAC, the AA, and the Royal Scottish Automobile Club “very much regrets the need to dispense with this traditional courtesy of the road, which has been appreciated by members for over half a century.”
The density of traffic on the roads today makes this decision long overdue. Not only have patrolmen got into difficulties on occasions through saluting but they have on occasion distracted the attention of drivers and sometimes caused embarrassment.
Second driving test proposed by Conservative members
By our own reporter
A recommendation that two driving tests – one 12 months after the other – should be compulsory for learner drivers before they can be regarded officially as fully competent will be put to a conference of women Conservatives in the north-west later this month.
A motion from Knutsford recommends a probationary period of one year after the initial “L test.” During this period motorists would have to display a distinctive mark on their vehicles to indicate their status as probationers. The motion also suggests that they should be subject to a maximum speed limit.
At the end of the year’s probation the drivers would then have to take another test before being allowed to remove the probationer marks from their cars. The resolution asks the conference to express its concern at the increased number of road accidents caused through excessive speed and in many cases by newly qualified drivers.
The recommendation was given a cool reception by the motoring organisations yesterday. Spokesmen for the AA and the RAC said that while they would support any practical attempt to improve road safety they considered the scheme unworkable. An official of the AA doubted whether such a scheme would have any real advantage even if the difficulties could be overcome.