Let Them Be Slower and Better
From Our Motoring Correspondent
From now until high summer more and more motor-vehicles will come on to the roads. The result is inevitably a certain amount of congestion especially during the holidays and at the week-ends.
The Countryside Is Worth Spoiling There are certain lovers of the countryside, as they call themselves. who greatly resent this "spoiling" of our roads and our lanes---the same class of people as dislike the erection of new cottages and bungalows in their favourite country haunts. While I admit that a great deal of modern building might have been better planned and less ugly, I am afraid I cannot greatly sympathise with a good deal of the outcry against "spoiling the countryside" whether by new building or the presence of motor traffic on our country roads. It does not take a very strong Imagination to realise that a few years ago a large percentage of the kind of people who are to-day living in the outer suburbs or touring, whether in cars or coaches, through the best of the countryside, were being imprisoned, body and soul, in filthy slums or dirty, ugly urban quarters. 1, for one, am willing to sacrifice a great deal of natural beauty and comfort to making this new life for so many people. And remember that it is almost impossible not to spoil the countryside If you are going to fill it with people. You have the choice of a lovely England to be enjoyed by a few privileged people, or a less lovely England that can be enjoyed by the people of England.
A Holiday Wish
For this reason the thought of coaches, buses, cars, bicycles, motorbicycles—and even hiking pedestrians—making their way as the summer comes nearer in ever greater numbers along the roads of Britain does not depress me—on the contrary. Let each and every one of them fill their lungs with the country air—even though there be some petrol fumes in it—let each and everyone of them enjoy the
beauties of our land—even though It be not quite as beautiful as once upon a time. The only thing that depresses me is to go for a drive myself, to turn into some enchanting country lane, running perhaps parallel with a great arterial highway, and there find myself alone. So many seem content to speed along' the great ugly roads and never give a thought to the beauties that lie hidden Within a stone's throw of them.
The Spirit of 1935
Perhaps the speed limit, having taught motorists the joys of quiet driving, may be the means of luring them into the real, peaceful countryside. Many of us are already preparing our motoring holidayand in motoring I include motoring by coaches for those who have no cars or motor-bikes of their own. May make a suggestion for 1935—the year of lower speeds on the roads? It is this: recall what you did last year. and make up your mind that in the same time you will not attempt to cover more than half the distance you covered last year.
Two Bits of Advice If you take my advice you will thank me in the end. You will get twice as much pleasure out of your holiday. you will see beauties that you have not dreamed of—above all. you will be much less tired at the end of it all.
Another piece of adviee: if you are touring in your own car, make up your mind to avoid as far as possible all arterial roads outside urban dia tricts throughout your tour. If you have not tried to do this before, your tour will prove a revelation to you. Get a really good map, ordnance survey maps preferably—the cost is well worth it—work out your tour— a very short one—along the side roads and lanes, watch out for places where you can walk right into the rough untouched heart of the country, eat at real pubs, or buy your food and picnic; arid finally, if you can afford it, sleep long and comfortably;•"early to bed and early to rise" is better dtivice on a holiday than at any other time.