HOW TO DRIVE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17986, 1 February 1924, Page 6

HOW TO DRIVE.

TIPS BY WORLD'S GREATEST DRIVER,

Mr Jimmy Murphy, the champion racing driver of the world. confesses that he feels a lot safer driving at 110 miles oil the racing track than in the streets. Interviewed recently by tlie American "Motor' lie said: Nearly every day I see drivers in their passenger cars wending their wav in and out of the traffic jams, snapping around corners, slipping theii cats into parking holes that seem linrdiy large enough to hold them. I marvel at them. They are better men than 1. am. But they do take plenty of chalices. I don't think I could oe placed in the cowardly class wlien it comes to driving an automobile, but some of their antics get a thrill out of me.

The cause of most accidents is pure, unadulterated carelessness. Drivers don't keep their minds on their dnviii". Their thoughts are centred on th? office, home, or a thousand and one places remote from the few feet around their moving machine. To drive an automobile you must be constantly alert. You must figure a few seconds ahead. Don t guess at what the other fellow is going to do. Keep your own car under control and when ho makes his move, you have the situation in hand, and are able successfully to cope with it. That sounds easy. Too easy to be true. It sounds so easy that on the surface it appears foolish. But if my advice and my experience at th<? wheel of an automobile are worth anything, it is the most important thing I can say. 4 You don't have to stop at every intersection. But you should slow clow*ii. look both ways, and then, if you have a clear path accelerate rapidly until you are out of the path of cross-bound traffic. It is very important to know the car you are driving —just how much "gun" or accelerator it takes to get you under way in the shortest possible time. Too mucli stress cannot be laid oil the advantages of rapid acceleration. There are many, manv times when a sudden increase in speed, will avoid a disaster into which slamming on the brakes would precipitate you. Personally I never make any attempt to speed along the street. It is too dangerous. lam not so afraid of hitting somebody else as I am of Have somebody smash mo into the hospital. I have never been seriously injured in a racing accident, and I don't want to have to Sit helplessly in my passenger car and see another driver crash his mount into me. There is an ordinance in many cities requiring cars to come to a complete stop on approaching the traffic artery. That is a very good rule, in my estimation. Many people argue that it is an arbitrary law. But_ so it i-iust be, else we would be inclined to "fudge" a little each time and as a consequence the "slowing down" rule would be defeated. Brakes are about the most essential equipment on a passenger car, but'they are often misused. On a dry pavement, when I have to come to a sudden, unusual halt, I thrown out the clutch, and put all power on my foot brake and possibly assist it with the hand brake. But on a wet pavement it is different. I never disengage m.y clutch when coming to a stop, but pull the car down to a slow pace and then stop it. This avoids skidding and serious jams.

Keeping your mind on driving pnd your car under control works wonders when you are going forward, but wlien yon go to make a turn, either left or the more perilous ' right turn, you should be all attention. If you are going to make a right turn, pull over to the extreme left of the street, signal for a slow speed, and make the turn quickly. Then the driver behind knows what you are going to do and you are soon out of the way and he Ccin go forward. -If you are turning to the right, pull over to the middle of the street, signal the cars in the rear for your turn, and then look behind, as well as forward, before malting it. Courtesy on the part of both drivers and pedestrians—and between drivers ■ —would solve many of our present day traffic problems. But we all seem to be afraid to be the first to start it.

"Bet it's a woman driver," is the cry that goes up at avery single halt in the motoring line or when any other driving difficulty is encountered. But that is hardly fair to the large number of thoroughly capable women motorists. True, there are a number of incapable women drivers, but there are more men who are not fitted to be at the wheel of passenger cars, judging from the manner in which they handle their cars. Thousands of words could be written on the manner in which to drive an automobile with the best results, but I think the whole problem could be solved by: 1. Always keep your car under control. 2. Keep your mind on what you are doing —driving. 3. Give the other driver a chance. 4. Watch your signals, especially when about to make a turn. 5. Be courteous.