DRIVING SKILL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 273, 17 November 1936, Page 16

DRIVING SKILL.

SOME FINER POINTS. CULTIVATING ROAD SENSE. STEERING AND BRAKING TIPS. While the majority of motorists soon attain a degree of proficiency in driving which enables them to make their journeys without undue risk or fatigue, it seems that only a few haVe sufficient enthusiasm and perseverance to study the finer points of handling a car. This is a great pity because the really skilful driver not only causes a minimum of annoyance and risk to other road users, but also obtains much more pleasure from his motoring than the man who remains always an amateur. On a long run, for example, the man who has cultivated driving skill and road sense to such a point that he handles a car almost automatically is ready to cope with any emergency; lie experiences a minimum of fatigue and a maximum of enjoyment. The happy condition is attained in which the car and driver form a unit like the fabulous centaur which was half horse and half man.

Many people . make the mistake of supposing that it its a sign of good driv-

ing to get the very utmost from a cai t in point of acceleration, braking and the use of the gears. In other words, they q would say that a diver's ability car is roughly be gauged by the average speet [- which lie can set up from point tc point. This certainly constitutes f s " measure of skill, but does not take int( 5 account the iincsse which enables tin °s mail who really enjoys driving a cai n to take it through a long journey with e out ever running a risk, making a mis r >. take or over-stressing the mechanism'. * The way in which the steering i: e handled is perhaps tlie most decisivi test of driving skill. Onfy too often 1 on the road, one notices bad practicei ~ such as making unecessarilv wil< ° swerves to pass other vehicles, swinginj 4' wide on a left-hand bend, cutting acros t a right-liand. bend, and holding to tin 5- middle of the road when a faster ca wishes to pass. These mistakes revea either lack of knowledge as to the exac s _ width of the car, or lack of judgment a to the speed which can safely be main tained under the conditions specified. :1 The "clever" driver, 011 the other hand often goes to the opposite extreme am v takr<s a ■ delight in missing things by 1 ' millimetre wliei'e it would be much safe 2 to allow a clearance of a few feet. Fo example, when overtaking another ca n j one cannot be absolutely certain tha s it will not deviate from its course to 1 slight extent, and the good driver wi] [. make due allowance for this withou e executing an exaggerated swerve. Caution on Curves. y e On curves it is quite easy to hold car to the proper side of the road, pre ; vided that the speed is not excessivt It is never wise to drive a car to th - limit in this respect, because there 111 a then be 110 reserve of tyre adhesion, sup posing a hidden obstruction shoul necessitate a still sharper swerve or tli abrupt use of the brakes. No one can expect to control a ca properly unless he, or she, is comfoi tably seated, in proper relation to th steering wheel and pedals. It is we worth while to take considerable troubl with the various adjustments —or eve to have . certain structural alteration . effected—iii order to secure a good dri\ ing position, one that is comfortable an safe. i With modern transmissions there i j no particular difficulty in making goo use of the gears, but here, again, ■ certain" amount of finesse is desirabb ■ Unless the engine speed is controlle ' fairly accurately by the throttle whil j the change is being made, a shock wi ! be felt as the clutch is re-engaged, wliie i is disturbing both to the passengers an Jto the mechanism. Similarly, th clutch itself -must be handled gently i order to make a smooth restart, pai ticularly 011 an upward slope. Importance of Brakes. In braking a car the object shoul be to produce smooth and uniforr deceleration, while by foresight and th cultivation of road sense it should rarel be necessary to employ the brakes at a fiercely. The sense of touch should b ; cultivated in both hands and feet if I car is to be controlled smoothly an j efficiently. 111 the ordinary course 0 ; main road driving, for example, a ca ; is steered more by varying the pressur lon the wheel than by defined move ments. Again, the brake pedal should b depressed gently to the point at whic the shoes meet the drums; then foo pressure can rapidly be increased to ge the clesired retarding effect.' This i particularly important 611 slippery roads Abrupt braking may precipitate a skic A proper spnse of touch is also invaln able in manipulating the'accelerator an clutch pedals. Finally, the good driver cultivates philosophic outlook; he is toleran towards the mistakes of others, neve attempts retaliatory measures an avoids acrimonious disputes.