MODERN MOTORING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 150, 28 June 1927, Page 13

MODERN MOTORING.

HOW TO TEST YOUR LIGHTING

SYSTEM.

The fact that the modern car is reliability itself where the lighting system is concerned should not induce motorists to negloct being prepared to deal with minor defects. For instance, it is wise always to carry a complete set of spare bulbs. Many people neglect this pre caution, to the detriment of their own comfort and safety. It may happen that you get a "short" which will permit the generator to feed direct to the lamps, instead of by way of the accumulator. If this happens at high engine speed, all the bulbs may be blown at once. In the event of a simultaneous failure of all the lights, a broken or bad connection between the switchboard and the battery may be diagnosed as the cause. The failure of one lamp does not necessarily mean that the bulb has gone. It should be taken out very carefully, as the cause may be a bad connection either in the wiring or the holder. Whua the dynamo is not charging, and all the lamps seem dull, it means that the battery is running down. In the case of only one lamp being dull, the bulb in question is failing. If this dullness is apparent when you arc putting in a new bulb, it means that tho voltage of the bulb is a bad one. There are various indications which point to short circuit troubles. One of them is when all the btillis drop to a bright red, or even a dull red glow. If you arc not sure which is the default ing wire, here is a method by which you can discover it. Disconnect the lamps from tho switchboard one at a time. You will notice that on removing a particular one the other lamps will brighten up again automatically. The wiring of the one so disconnected is at fault and it should be attended to at once. Sometimes it will be found, on the contrary, that the lights becomo unduly bright. Call at halt at once, as you might burn them all out, though the field fuse ought to blow first. The cause of the trouble will be found in a loose or broken connection somewhere between the battery and the dynamo. A regard for safety demands that this shall be put right forthwith. A loose connection is generally indicated by occasional flickering of the lights. The fault may be anywhere —a badly fitting bulb, a battery connection, the adapter, or a lump wire or wires. An observant driver will often notice a slight increase in illumination as compared with normal brightness. This should receive attention. What has happened is that the acid in the accumulator has been allowed to get too low. Proper attention should be paid to the accumulator. The level of the acid must never be allowed to fall beneath the top of the plates. It should be inspected every week or two, and cuJTieient distilled water added to keep the level about one quarter of an inch above the tops of the plates. The acid should be tested every two or three months, to ensure that its proportion is kept correct in comparison with the distilled water. The correct proportion of tho latter to the acid is four to one by volume. To obtain the best efficiency and relia- : bility from the lighting and starting system, the self-starter must not be overworked. Tho use of the self-starter will take from ten to twenty times as much current out of tho battery as the dynamo can put in during a given period. When starting up on a cold morning (he initial discharge rate may approach 150/200 amps. ROUND THE WORLD BY MOTOR CYCLE. Probably tho first motor cyclists engaged on a tour of tho world to reach Australia, although not tl s first to attempt this lengthy ride, arc Messrs. Cathrick and Castley, two Englishmen, who recently arrived in Fremantle. Western Australia. Tley have already traversed countries of Europe, including France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugo-slavia, Bulgaria, and Turkey, From Const ntinoplo they crossed to Palestine, and visited Damascus, Jerusalem, Bagdad, Teheran (Persia), aud entered India. There they visited Quetta, Karachi, and Bombay, and crossed tho country to Calcutta, covering 2000 miles in 14 days without mishap. From Calcutta, Messrs. Castley and Cathrick travelled by boat to Penang, and rode to Singapore, where they took ship for Batavia, and rodo to Sourabaya. From Sourabaya they took ship aga" for Fremantle. Before leaving Perth, the motorcycles were handed in to the agents foi a complete overhaul to fit them for the strenuous trip across Avstralh . via Adelaide, Melbour -, and Sydney. The tom is being made as a world-wide demon stration of the superiority of Britisl: motor cycles under all conditions. Th< cycles are equipped with heavy side cars, on which are carried tho tourists equipment. "COURTESY WEEK" SAVES MANY ACCIDENTS. During the recent Cleveland Auto mobilo Show tho association promoted i "motor courtesy week," in which news papers urged the public to be more cour teous and careful. The surprising rcsul was a decrease of 75 per cent from las year's accident record for the sam< period, and out of IS accidents this yea only three were serious, and there wai not one fatality. Newspapers have been free in thei comment that the reduction in acci dents certainly was not an accident, al of which brings us back to the though that a large part of the solution of th< accident problem lies through an appea to the individual driver. Ho can elimi nate many accidents if he wants to. Hii sense of responsibility is more effective than any law. Something on these line might bo attempted by the local motor ing authorities during Olympia ShoT week. THAT MOTOR CYCLE BARGAIN The foilowiug cident is vouched foi by a correspondent:— It was on the main highway som< 150 miles south of Auckland. Bill hac just bought a second-hand motor cycl< at the local towi hip and was pushing it to his home, five miles out when h< met Jim, a motor mechanic friend. "Sh< came along all for a mile or two,' said Bill, rcfe.rlng to his purchase 'then she just gave a spit and a cough and conked out." Jim, after an inspec tion of the bargain said "I think the cylinder is a Lit worn and wants re boring, the .ulng gear wouldn't hurt with an overhaul eithi and the spart is a bit weak. I see were « crack it the front fork too, and the clutch slips a little. I reckon," he said, "if you had gone to Auckland you 'd have bought a new machine ;'.»r verv little more money." "That's all rigii," said Bill who was evidently in the habit of look ing on the brighter side of things, "hul just think how far I would have had to push it."

HAVE A HEART FOR THE ANIMALS ON THE ROAD.

Because thousand of animals, birds, and domestic fowls are sacrificed yearly on the streets and highways of America, every motorist should give his full cooperation to the various humane movemeut* designed to reduce these losses.

This appeal is made in a statement from the American Automobile Association, asking its 850 member clubs scattered throughout the country to enlist their membership in a continuing campaign to protect animal and bird life.

Dogs, cats, rabbits, squirrels, chickens, and birds aro the victims of tens of thousands of highway mishaps every spring and summer, the national motoring organisation's statement declares, and a great majority of these animals may be spared.

"Undoubtedly many of these killings arc unavoidable. Many, however, are needless and could have been prevented if the motorist had been willing to make the necessary concession to the animals inability to act with reason.

"In one way there is more than the humane element to the matter of giving the animal a chance to get out of the way. There is an clement of self-protection as well. It is a matter of record that an animal the size of a dog easily may cause the wrecking of an automobile, and this point should be remembered by all motorists. "In appealing for consideration for the lives of these innocent jay walkers it is obvious, of course, thai no one would expect though fulness to extend to the absurd limit of jeopardising the life of occupants of the car. There have been hundreds of such unfortunate cases recorded in the history of motoring accidents, however, and they show the ultimate limit to which some individuals are willing to go in protecting domestic and wild animal life." THE ROAD TO SAFETY. rotating to the human factor as the the crux of the traffic problem, the San Francisco representative of one of the great American motor firms, named education and courtesy as the chief means of preventing accidents.

"If every one can be taught what to do, and train himself in courtesy, 95 per cent of the accidents which happen today would not occur," he said. While emphasising that one fatality is too many, and that the nation cannot rest until the yearly toll is reduced to a minimum, he pointed out that those working for safety are entitled to encouragement.

Had the number of accident* in 1917 in ratio to the numbers of vehicles continued at the same rate to-day the annual toll would have been 44 per cent higher than it is. Thus a 44 per cent cut in the rate has taken place in the face of an 8 per cent increase in the population.

As a guide to safe motoring, he suggested these three point*:

"(1) Never drive at a speed in which you cannot stop in the clear space ahead of you.

"(2) When passing parked vehicles watch the ground under the vehicle* for feet. If there are no feet, then no one can step out on you unawares. If there are feet, you must be ready for any emergency.

"(3) When passing trucks or commercial vehicles watch out for possible children catching a fide."

FOOTBALL ON MOTOR CYCLES. Londoners aro showing great interest in motor cycle football, says an exchange. The game is in many ways similar to polo. It is one of the fastest of games and is becoming increasingly popular. A motor cycle football team consists of six members —three forwards, two halfbacks, and a goalkeeper who also takes the part of full-back. For the kick-off the ball is placed in the centre of the ground and the opposing forwards line up 25 yards from the ball. When the whistle goes engines are opened up and the forwards let in their clutches and make a dash for it.

The ball may not be kicked by a rider when his machine is stationary, neither may the rider carry the ball along with him by wedging it against his machine. A player may ride another off the ball, but may not ride across another player or ride in any other way dangerously. Spare machines are not allowed, and damage to a machine is therefore a serious matter to a side.