Auto Gossip

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31232, 2 December 1966, Page 11

Auto Gossip

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Safety Triangles Several weeks ago some friends and I were driving along the Main North road from Blenheim to Christchurch when we came upon an accident, and stopped to help. It was late at night and the accident had occurred just around a bend, so a warning to other traffic was needed. I have had a safety triangle in my car for some time so I put it on the road near the bend. The results were excellent. All oncoming traffic slowed and most stopped. There is no doubt that the triangle is a good warning. Daytime Also Such triangles could also be useful during the day. This week I saw a truck loaded high with hay-bales which was stopped just around a blind bend on a main road while the driver gathered up some bales that had fallen off. Oncoming drivers had no warning, and there could easily have been an accident. In some coun-

A.J.P.

tries all heavy vehicles must carry these reflectorised red triangles. I wonder if this would be justified here? Heavy transport operators probably could say how often the triangles would be used. Light Needed Another “must” in all cars is a good torch. A car spotlight is excellent but has the disadvantage that it cannot be moved far from the car. If only a spotlight is carried, it should have a lead of sufficient length to enable it to be used when you are changing a rear wheel, for instance. Changing a tyre in the dark is not easy. Torches can be a nuisance in a car unless they are fastened down, so it is often worth while screwing a metal spring-clip down somewhere to hold the torch firmly out of the way. Such

clips can be obtained from most hardware shops for a few pence. Spinning Wheels With a tortured howl of tyres, the Jaguar screeched forward with rear wheels spinning on the concrete; then braked violently to a halt. The tyres howled again as the car was accelerated violently backwards into a parking spot. The scene was a city parking area one night this week, the parking attendant driving. Presumably it was not his car. I wonder how the proud owner would have felt had he seen the performance? It was all completely unnecessary. Quote of the Week “A change of emphasis is needed to remind all road users that most accidents occur in built-up areas and involve ordinary people, often travelling at what may seem very ordinary speeds, but which are, in fact, too fast for the conditions prevailing.” —from an article in “Autocar” on excessive speed.