SPOT-CHECKS

SPOT-CHECKS

Sir,

It is not very often that I feel justified in venting my feelings to the motoring press on the subject of persecution of the motorist. However, Mr. Marples’ latest imposition compels me to ask you, what does he hope to achieve from the spot-check car tests ? Obviously from pictures published in the National press the day after their inauguration it is obviously just another imposition on the over-taxed, Government scapegoat, Mr. Motorist.

One glance at the above-mentioned photographs proves the point. What do we see ? A Rolls-Royce, something that stands for perfection in the Motoring Industry, not only of this country, but of the world. Imagine the reaction of the Directors of this noble concern, seeing one of their products insulted before the eyes of the Nation, perhaps even farther afield as I don’t know how far the circulation of this particular paper reaches. What did they hope to find ?A faulty wheel-bearing, defective brakes incorrectly adjusted headlamps. On a Rolls-Royce ?

Take a look at some Of the other cars subjected to this indignity. None of them appear to be more than three years old. But then, of course, there must have been others. Some will no doubt argue that age has very little to do with it, but surely if the scheme is to get off on the right foot then it is necessary to pick out the more obvious examples first. Those that may have passed the ten-year test but by virtue of their age tend to deteriorate fairly quickly, unless the owner happens to be a ” do-it-yourself” enthusiast.

One motorist, it was stated, actually volunteered his two-monthold car to this indignity, which tends to show that he, like the Minister of Transport, has very little faith in the product he drives and in the people that service them. Where will it all end ? Can we look fOrward to little squads of white-coated men stopping motorists haphazardly and subjecting than to eye and reaction tests, with ambulances standing by to

rush the failures to the nearest clinics and homes for the infirm ?

Boscombe. R. J. D. GianiNGs.