INEFFICIENT BRAKES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21296, 16 October 1934, Page 9

INEFFICIENT BRAKES

j TESTS BY INSPECTORS i A motorist whose vehicle travelled 304 feet when the hand brake was applied, and another whose car was stopped in 28S feet by the foot brake, were discovered by the traffic inspectors of Chrislchurch recently while conducting their brake-e.Ticiency tests. The regulations say that cars travelling at 2U miles an hour should be able 10 pull up in 75 feet by the use of the hand brake, and 40 feet by the foot brake. The two examples quoted were the worst so far encountered by the traffic inspectors, but many cars tested could not pull up in less than 100 feet. This information was given yesterday by Mr H. Macintosh, chief city traffic inspector, after eight prosecutions for inefficient brakes had been taken in the Magistrate's Court. Fines ranging from 5s to £1 were imposed. During the hearing, the magistrate, Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., remarked that it looked as though the check-up on brakes was not before time, and MiMacintosh replied that, from the tests made in the last few weeks, his report would be a serious one indeed. Motorists who were caught with very poor brakes were prosecuted, Mr Macintosh said, but those whose brakes were fairly good were given four days to have them adjusted to comply with the tcstSt Mr Macintosh added that among the cars tested the record short distance for stopping with a foot brake was eight feet six inches, and with a hand brake 15 feet.