Auto Gossip by A. J. P.

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31052, 6 May 1966, Page 11

Auto Gossip by A. J. P.

check in New Zealand would produce a similar finding. Heavy trucks are the worst offenders, and one can often see a sheep truck roaring along leaving a substantial screen of greasy, smelly smoke. Buses sometimes add their little bit but usually they are well maintained and rarely offend. Some old cars, too, produce vast amounts of choking smoke. Prosecutions for smoky vehicles are very rare, and it is obviously time this particular law was enforced. Cleaners Some domestic cleaners are excellent for use on the car, but many most definitely are not Always be very careful about the items you take from the cleaning cupboard to use on the. car. Many domestic cleaners owe their power not to scientific miracles, but just to good old

abrasion. If you use them on the car you will cause badly-scratched windows or paintwork. Some preparations which you can use as handcleaners are still harsh enough to damage car finishes. Paintwork As well as the more abrasive domestic cleaners, some of the liquid detergents are bad for car paintwork. They can safely be used to wash the car down, but every drop of detergent must be thoroughly rinsed away if the paintwork is not to suffer. Petrol is another enemy of paintwork, and if an attendant at the service station splashes it over the fender, make sure he wipes it off before you drive away. Brake fluid will remove paintwork in minutes, and bird droppings and the juices which fall from certain trees can

also cause considerable damage. Parking Cars The motorist who cares for his car will be careful where he parks it. If you stop within 50 yards or more of a high building which is being painted you may well find paint droplets have landed on the car, and if you park under any construction works you are risking damage from things which come from a great height Similarly, angle-parking areas are often less safe than other types: it is easier for cars moving In and out to come in contact. Somebody swings the wheel a little early and “graunch," a nice deep scratch along the next car’s shiny finish! All too often the offender shrugs and drives away . . . Quote of the Week “Academically speaking, you are indeed vulnerable every instant you drive. For example a child can dart out of any area, or from behind any parked car. You clearly cannot drive on this assumption or you would never take out your car.”—From “How to Reduce Road Accidents,” by T. S. Skillman.