Auto Gossip

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31058, 13 May 1966, Page 11

Auto Gossip

Dazzle AU drivers know how dangerous dazzle from the lights of other cars can be at night, but dazzle from another source—bright lights at the side of the road—can almost be as bad. There are several places in and around Christchurch where bright lights off the road itself cause dazzle: an example is the illuminated signs of a rope factory on the Main North road at Waikuku. The long- signs are mounted at fenceline level, and are very bright. Should commercial users be required to make sure advertising lights and lights in vehicle parks do not shine into the eyes of passing motorists? Mat Problem Good car carpets look very handsome, and I can see little sense in keeping them always covered up with heavy rubber mats. There is a case, however, for a mat on the driver’s side, for without one his feet often wear through the carpet fairly quickly. For the passengers, I prefer either no additional mat, or a small square of carpet the same colour as the original mats —available for about 10s from many accessory stores. In winter, however, a rubber mat is a good idea in very muddy conditions. Advantage A carpet square for the driver’s side has one major ad-

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A.J.P.

vantage in winter: it tends to keep the soles of the shoes comparatively dry. This can be important, for rubber soles, in particular, can become very slippery when wet, and easily skid off the pedals. A stiff brush will usually remove light mud from carpets. A word of warning: make sure any mat fitted to the driver’s side of the floor cannot move around, a mat bundled up under the brake pedal can cause an unpleasant incident. New Pedals It is well worth while purchasing a set of new pedal rubbers if the old ones are badly worn. For most cars the new rubbers are readily available for a few shillings, and can help greatly in stopping your feet from slipping. Exhaust Leaks Now cold weather has arrived motorists spend much more time driving with most of the windows closed. For this reason it would be wise to check that you car's exhaust system is free from leaks. Carbon monoxide leaking into a car is very dangerous. If the tailpipe is too short gas can sometimes be sucked

into the boot, passing from there into the car. This process is assisted if a front quarterlight is open: on most cars opening a quarterlight tends to lower the air pressure inside the car, encouraging the sucking in of gas or dust. Gauge Check In an emergency a difference of a few pounds in tyre pressure can mean the difference between a safe passage and the car going off the road. Correct tyre pressures are vital, and for this reason every motorist should have—and use—his own pressure gauge. Never trust the pressure gauges on service station air lines—l have encountered some up to 141 b out, and an error of four or five lb is not rare. Quote of the Week "All drivers at times make themselves momentarily vulnerable to an accident. They take a chance: or fail to observe a potential danger; or attention momentarily wanders or the automatic pilot in the brain (which skilled drivers use for most of the time) has a minor malfunction. Even the best drivers do this from time to time, particularly when over-tired. Less skilled drivers are vlunerable as often as 50 times a day. The average is about five to 10 times a day.”— From "How to reduce Road Accidents.” by T. S. Skillman.