[To the Editor of the Seimr.vron.]
Sta,—/)Lay I, while only having half Mr. Pardoe's years at the wheel but more than twice his total mileage, endorse every word he has written? Incidentally, I also have had three accidents, all of which have been at low and not high speed. Over sixty miles an hour on the Great West Road is, obviously, safer than twenty miles per hour in Old Bond Street, but the latter is a very much more common sight.
Lord Brentford -writes: "I have held two offices which give me, I suppose, some right to discuss this question." I entirely agree, but respectfully suggest had he taken more interest in his appointment as Home Secretary, Colonel Whally's letter,(which I as a poor wretched taxpayer whose questionable, pleasure of fighting in the War, to make my, birthplace tx,country only fit for heroes to live in, appreciate) would be unnecessary,
It would, of course, lie interesting to know his Lordship's qualifications for the lirst of his two appointments: on the other hand it might be depressing as when one is compelled to allow one's government to burn money it is unwise to sift the ashes. I feel sure that we, renders of the Spectator, will hear in due course that his Lordship's secretary omitted to add three words : " of the Metropolitan."
One thing I can assert, without fear of contradiction, is that Lord Brcntford's boyhood was spent before the days when cars (motor) became prevalent. Had he, like myself, been christened a few years later. he, again like myself, would be the first to agree that it is thanks to the motorists' speed (of thought, which is greater than the true m.p.h., but vastly in arrcar of 80111C speedometers) that he is still alive. Boys will be boys, and I am afraid girls, at that age, are not any more careful.
May I ask Lord Brentford if the increase in accidents, fatal and otherwise, is out of proportion when one takes into consideration the increase in population Y I feel sure he studied this side of the question before he wrote his article. I think if one takes percentage one must admit, however biassed one may be, that motorists as a whole (there arc exceptions to every rule which I, unlike Lord Brentford, refuse to deal with) show moderation as regards speed. Lord Brentford writes as a motorist ; if lie drives himself, he has, 1 hope, had fewer accidents than be has avoided.—
I am, Sir, &c., M. 1'. DEE. Ranwore, Effingham, Surrey.
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