TIME AND SPACE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 275, 2 September 1939, Page 9

TIME AND SPACE

STOPPING OF CARS. A GLIMPSE OF THE FACES. “Ouo does not expect the average man in the street to have an accurate knowledge of thc-i distances in which automobiles are capable of pulling up whan travelling at varying speeds,” says the “Dunlop Bulletin,” “hut it is rather startling to read of a man associated with the motor trade getting into a witness-box and swearing that a motor-van travelling at 35 m.p.h., should when normally efficient, pull up in 40 feet, and at 40 m.p.h. come to a standstill in from 45ft to 50ft. This happened in Victoria recently. Such a statement is not in accord with fact, when publicised in the Press, is not only misleading, but is calculated to create a false sense of security amongst non-motorists who read such a statement. Many conditions govern deceleration such as the condition of brakes, whether road surface is wet or dry, and wheel adhesion, which is determined by the co-efficient of friction between tyres and road. To a considerable extent, all those factors depend on the condition of the pattern of the tyre treads. > . “As the outcome of general experience and exhaustive tests conducted by automotive experts, the generally accepted braking distances at the speeds mentioned of automobiles with brakes in first-class order are 38jft travelled while moving foot from accelerator pedal to brake (three-quarters second reaction time), and travelled while the; applied brakes are stopping the vehicle! —in all, a distance of about 90ft under normal conditions. At 40 m.p.h. the respective figures are 45ft and 70ft —in all 115 ft. These, figures are vastly different from those reported in the case mentioned.

“Whilst it is .impossible to give exact deceleration figures, owing to the many conditions governing stopping distances of automobiles, the known normal minimunis might well he tabulated by motoring organisations or the motor industry, and copies of same supplied to' presiding officers who attend at courts of inquiry, etc., so that they would have knowledge of the/ subject and be in a position to question any witness making extravagant claims in regard to the deceleration of automobiles. AT THE WHEEL DO NOT LOUNGE. It has been said that the driving seats of some of the modern cars are made so comfortable that the tendency on the part of some motorists is to take things too easy and become careless in their driving. To d l ’ive a car well and thus safely, it is absolutely necessary to be on the alert and ready for any emergency. The driver who lounges back in. a careless manner is seldom on the alert, because his nerves and senses are at rest. The effort of changing gear is even spared him to a large extent in the modern car. Drivers should not sacrifice safety to comfort. A good example of correct driving position is shown by any racing driver who is invariably seated bolt upright thus commanding perfect control oyer his car and ready for the slightest emergency. The risks run by the racing driver are, of course, greater and cannot be compared with those of the ordinary motorist. Nevertheless, it is the fundamental principle that counts, and the touring motorist should be readly for eventualities as the racing driver is on the road 01 track. Some motorists may say, “ ; Oh, but 1 can drive much better when I am lying back comfortably at the wheel.” The reply 7 is that if they 7 sat in a correct driving position they could drive twice as well and more safely. There is no doubt that the risk of accident on the road can he minimised by alertness, anticipation and concentration, all of which are intensified by a correct driving position. STEAM CAR AGAIN. AN AMERICAN ATTEMPT. An interesting development in the United States is an 8-cylinder steam power unit designed for use in cars. The cylinders are geared to a mainshaft and the engine is designed to lie flat under the floorboards in place of the. usual propeller shaft and back axle. The engine develops about 60 h.p., is said to run without vibration. The boiler is of the' usual water-tube ty r pe, compact, efficient, and of large reserve capacity. It is fired by an electrically operated atomising fuel-oil burner of patented design, which lights from cold at the turn of a. switch and raises full steam in three or four minutes. The weight of the boiler which is intended to be housed under the bonnet, is 4101 b. It is anticipated by the makers that, when fitted. to an experimental car, the consumption of fuel oil or kerosene will bei from 16 to 18 m.p.g. and the maximum speed irj the region of 75 m.p.h. Regulators of simple design have been developed for use with the engine so as to maintain the proper head of steam pressure and water level at all times. All the driver need concern himself about would be the. actual driving. The ear would he equipped -with three pedals, one for the throttle, one for the brakes, and the other for the reverse, the engine itself reversing. No clutch or gear-box is required.