Report on Competition

A Safety Jingle for Motorists

A GOOD memory jingle is worth a book of rules. How many people depend on "Thirty days Math September . . ." in calculating dates ! And, as one competitor reminds us, the " old wind-jammer's couplet, ` Green to green and red to red,' " quoted in the announcement of the competition, has " saved countless lives."

Too many competitors have been content to warn the reckless motorist of what may await him in this world or the next. The best of these was the shortest :-

All the speeds you've ever sped

Wont make up for ono man DEAD.

One rhyme foreshadows a drastic tightening of the law!

Do your ninety miles a minute, Soon the gallows tree will rise With a noose, and you'll be in it !

There are a number of couplets giving such excellent advice as :—

Drive only at such speed that you Can stop within the length in view.

And several variations of :-

Remember limt the golden rule ; The other man may be the fool.

The " fool " is generally what a Japanese road instruction has called " the passenger of the foot " :—

if you by night would safely drive Remember these three rules,

All bikes are blind, all dritiers deaf, And all pedestrians fools.

Here and there the pedestrian is given a thought of sym- pathy :—

But the general verdict would be with the competitor who puts the man on foot below the wandering rabbit: Pedestrians are idiots born,

Don't rouse the echoes with your horn.

When rabbits in your headlights run Do unto them as you'd have done.

It is clearly time for the formation of a Pedestrians' Pro- tection Society, which will insist on all motorists walking once a week along a busy main road without a footpath !

" 11. W.'s " jingle begins well :-

" Slow at corners," for the eye Cannot round a circle spy, Pass no car, if corners blind Block the view to cars behind. " Sound the horn," but do not hoot Aimlessly with wearying toot. Use the hand for signals clear That no double sense can bear. . .

But his reference to Phoebus and his Chariot is rather " off the line."

Mrs. A. W. Walker has an excellent tune

Drive warily, stranger, Remember there's danger Not only to you

But to other folks too.

The prize is awarded to MABYN FOTISERGILL, 30 WOODBURN TERRACE, EDINBURGH.

Mr. Fothergill's fourth line would run better with another syllable, and his last two lines are clumsy, but more than any other competitor he has managed to " take care of the sense" without letting "the sounds take care of themselves."

THE WINNING JINGLE.

SAFETY FIRST.

When approaching a cross-road be cautious and slow

And tootle your horn to let all the world know.

Swing gently round corners, four wheels on the ground, Keeping in to the left until you see round. Whenever you come to a side road, Beware !

For you are the fellow responsible there.

Before overtaking see clearly ahead—

Don't think " There's just time," and be sadly misled.

Reply to the hoot of the oncoming car ; Give heed to the warning of spreading of tar ;

Remember to signal when turning or slowing—

The man just behind you is grateful for knowing.

In traffic stop dead if you see a red light But if it is green then you know you're all right ; To obey a Policeman you never must fail Else you're running the risk of a night in the Jail. Then there's the pedestrian, Oblivious and blind ; Well—cling to your motto, Be courteous and kind.