Laws and Regulations - licence, motor, car, front, driving and near

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LAWS AND REGULATIONS The laws and regulations governing the use of motor-cars are of various kinds.

Driving Licences.—In Great Britain, before driving a car or a motor cycle a licence must be obtained from the county council or borough council, the fee for which is 5/–. In the Irish Free State it is io/–. Councils have no power to refuse a licence except under a magistrate's order, in consequence of a conviction for a road offence, suspending or declaring an ap plicant incapable of holding a licence The licence must be re newed each year. A driving licence is obtainable by anyone above the age of seventeen or, for a motor cycle, above the age of six teen. Any person who has not held a licence previous to April 1935 must pass a driving test to obtain one.

Registration.

Before a car or motor cycle may be used on the road it must be registered with a county council or borough council. The council at the same time assigns an identification number. A number plate, of a size and with letters and numbers prescribed by regulations, must be carried at the front and at the back of the car. Motor cycles may carry plates of half size and the front plate may be lettered on both sides and carried so as to be read from either side.

For the purpose of registration, the registration authority re quires the following information :—(I) the present registration mark and number, if any; (2) type of body; (3) colour of body and wheels; (4) name of maker, type of car, chassis and engine numbers; (5) year of manufacture, if possible; (6) num ber and diameter of cylinders.

On registration the owner of each vehicle is provided with a registration book, which (i) must be handed on any change of ownership to the trans feree, who on receipt must send it to the local council (Minister of Transport Regulations, 1924) which must also be notified by the former owner.

(2)

must be produced on reasonable notice, though it need not be carried in the car.

The position of the licence card, in the case of motor cycles, in a conspicuous position on the near side of the vehicle in front of the driving seat; in the case of a motor cycle with sidecar, on the near side of the handlebar of the cycle or the near side of the combination in front of the driving seat ; in the case of all other vehicles (except when placed on or adjacent to the windscreen), on the near side of the vehicle facing toward the near side and not less than 2 ft. 6 in. nor more than 6 ft. 6 in.

from the ground level.

In the case of a vehicle fitted with a front glass windscreen, the licence may be carried facing forwards on the near side lower corner of the glass, so as to be clearly visible from in front at all times during daylight.

Full particulars concerning the issue of licences for motor cars are contained in the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations, 1924, and the Road Traffic Acts, Motor Car Licence.—The taxes payable in respect of these are as follows :—in respect of private and other "horsepower taxed" cars, not exceeding 6 h.p., or those electrically pro pelled, L6 per annum ; in respect of those exceeding 6 h.p. 15/– per annum for each unit or part of a unit of horse power.

The Royal Automobile Club formula, which has also been adopted by the British Government for the purpose of motor taxation, i.e., for the determination of horse power, is D'XN-4-2.5, in which D=diameter of cylinder in inches and N=the num ber of cylinders. For millimetre dimensions the formula is :— The formula does not take into consideration the question of stroke.

A licence may be taken out for a motor car or any mechanically propelled vehicle, for one quarter of the year only beginning on Jan. I, March 25, July I or Oct. 1, the duty in this case being 271% of the full annual value.

A licence may also be taken out for shorter periods but the licence in these cases must expire on the last day of the quarter, the duties payable being—(i) Full quarter duty if over two months; (2) Two-thirds of quarter duty if over one month to run; (3) One-third duty if under one month to run.