Cycles, Motor-vehicles and Tubes 479 



the Motor Acts, the R.A.C. will defend him in any police 

 court in the United Kingdom free of charge, though it reserves 

 to itself the right to refuse such assistance in the case of those 

 who may have been guilty of inconsiderate driving. 



Much has been done by the R.A.C. in the provision of road 

 direction posts. It has, for example, put up posts or direction 

 boards along the whole of the Great North Road from London 

 to Berwick. It erects danger signs at especially dangerous 

 places, though at these only, as it considers undesirable any 

 undue multiplication of such signs by private agencies. The 

 R.A.C. is, further, most vigilant in defending the common 

 interests of motorists when these are endangered by Parlia- 

 mentary Bills or in other ways. 



The Automobile Association and Motor Union also has its 

 Touring Department, for home or foreign travel. It offers, 

 like the R.A.C., free defence of members prosecuted for offences 

 against the Motor Acts ; it has an " hotel system " of its own, 

 and it has shown much activity in the placing of direction 

 posts and danger signs on important roads throughout the 

 United Kingdom. 



A special feature of the A. A. and M.U.'s operations is the 

 patrolling, by men in uniform and provided with bicycles 

 or motor cycles of 14,000 miles of roads throughout Eng- 

 land, Wales and Scotland. It is the duty of these patrols to 

 give to members information of interest concerning the road, 

 to warn them of any dangers on the highway, and to render 

 them all possible assistance in case of need. They are able 

 to undertake minor roadside repairs ; they procure, in case 

 of need, fresh petrol supplies from the nearest store ; while 

 each is qualified to give first aid in case of accident, much 

 excellent service being rendered by them on the roadside 

 not only to members but to the public. Agents and repairers 

 have also been appointed by the A. A. and M.U. in all im- 

 portant cities and towns and in numerous hamlets at intervals 

 of a few miles along every main road. The agents receive or 

 deliver letters or telegrams, and are helpful in many ways to 

 the members. 



In addition to these central organisations in London there 

 are now Associated Automobile Clubs throughout the United 

 Kingdom which show a great deal of local activity and offer 

 many advantages to their own members. 



