ACCIDENTS AND CHANCE

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21323, 16 November 1934, Page 18

ACCIDENTS AND CHANCE

NECESSARY ELEMENTS MUST OCCUR LESSONS OF THE ROAD Anyone who drives extensively on the highways of this country sees many accidents on their way to happen. Most of them never reach the logical conclusion of a crash, but inevitably a certain number,are completed in collision. If, in any situation, all the elements necessary for an accident are present, except one, the accident does not occur. But if the situation is repeated a sufficient number of times the missing element is sure to appear, and then the accident follows as night the day. These reflections are the result of fresh observation of automobiles on the road, writes James O. Spearing in the "New York Times" on returning from a motor trip of 3500 miles. He declares that days before he reached the scene of an actual accident he was sure he would do so sooner or later. He had observed many accident situations with only one essential element missing, and he knew that this could not go on forever. In the next situation, or the next, or one after that, circumstances would supply the missing element, and the accident would happen. lie was right. It took place in the North Carolina mountains. He says:— There were many curves and hills in the road, and it was only two lanes wide. Drivers seeking merely to travel at reasonable speed were continually delayed by labouring trucks and creeping cars whose operators seemed prejudiced against going into second speed on the grades. Normal drivers could scarcely be blamed for impatience. If is exasperating to have to slow down to a crawl and follow some vehicular snail around a blind curve or over the crest of a hill, especially if the thing happens repeatedly during the day, with the hijls and curves so close together that one often has to tavel miles or minutes before he can obtain a clear view for safe passing. The road was not crowded, and there was always a strong temptation to take a chance and pass the obstructing vehicle on a curve or under the crest of a hill. The odds were in favour of the gamble. At least nine times out of ten, or, perhaps, ninety-nine times out of a hundred, the passing driver would meet no car coming around the curve, or over the hill, at the exact moment when it would be too late for him or the other fellow to avoid a head-on collision.

Took a Chance Many drivers took, the chance. They took it time after time, and won. All during the day he saw them doing it. He had seen them doing it on previous days. What they were doing was certain to result in an accident if the other car appeared at the right place at the right time. Eut the other car didn't appear. It would, though. It was bound to, if the thing went on long enough. And. finally, it did. A large sedan swung out from behind a big truck and speeded up to pass it on the winding, two-lane road. The driver had probably done the same thing numerous times that day. But this time another sedan came around the curve. When the two drivers saw each other it was too late for either of them to stop, and both cars were hemmed in by the truck on one side and a mountain wall on the other Their radiators met with the impact of their combined speed—something between 80 and 100 miles an hour—and the inevitable accident was completed—several persons killed and in-

jurcd, two automobiles entirely wrecked. He comments that it is human to take a chance. He differentiates this class of accident from carelessness. These drivers are not careful; they take a chance; quite literally they are gamblers and sometimes they lose out. Nobody can go on gambling and win for ever. The accident problem is a problem of human behaviour. A driver has to learn to control and restrain himself, and until he masters himself his accident is certainly on the way.

SHOCK ABSORBERS

STEERING AND RIDING QUALITIES

Good steering and riding qualities are largely linked with the suspension system, shock absorbers being the most important item. Modern shock absorbers of the hydraulic type need little attention beyond occasional addition to the fluid. A special fluid is used which is little affected in viscosity by temperature changes, which cause considerable change in ordinary oils, but it will often be found that a slight change in adjustment will be beneficial for warmer weather. There are several designs of shock absorbers on the dry friction principle, but only two of them are still used to any considerable extent, and that mainly on fast sports cars. These need occasional adjustment to compensate for wear of the friction discs or bands, just as in the case of brakes. Usually it is comparatively simple to dismantle them if new friction material is needed.

No extra instructions can be given for adjusting shock absorbers, as every car requires individual attention. Generally the back is much less critical than the front, and can be set tighter. A rough guide is to rock the car by jumping on the running board, when the return of the chassis should be smooth and gradual. With a fairly fast car the settings should be such that the springs will tend to remain depressed after the load is released from them. Jf shock absorbers have been taken to pieces they should be adjusted after reassembly so that a tension of 301b applied by means of a spring balance, is needed to start them moving. They are then fitted to the car, and the final setting arrived at by test. Give the most careful attention to the front for many bumps which appear to come from the back springs are really the result of faulty control of the front springs, and the front adjustment is an important item in giving good steering.

The American drive for safety has attained some remarkable features. One of these is "The Voice of Safety " which has recently been brought to the aid of the Washington District Police Department. "The Voice of Safety" rides abroad in a striking allwhite Chevrolet sedan designed to reveal traffic violations. It is fitted with broadcasting apparatus and has a loud-speaker mounted on the roof, and when it is prowling the highways motorists and pedestrians have to be alert. Woe betide the person who breaks a traffic law. He is called to account right in public, with due courtesy, but yet none the less firmly The slogan of the campaign is "Courtesy leads to traffic safety."

The motorist of • to-day who, finds it difficult to leave his car anywhere without getting fined can console himself with the thought that the parking problem existed even in the "good old days." Investigations of the Old Stafford Society reveal that in 1675' the town council had. to make a regulation that vehicles should not be permitted to stand "in the greate and open streets to the prejudice of passengers." The charge for obstruction was a little cheaper then, however the flat-rate fine being 4d.