HINTS ON DRIVING

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 52, 29 August 1925, Page 23

HINTS ON DRIVING

Nothing «iB more calculated to encourage a lazy and even dangerous styla of driving amongst novices than the oftrepeated phrase concerning modern car? that they can be driven at " from five to'fif£y miles an hour on top gear." the intention of the announcement is undoubtedly that .of conveying an impression of the extreme flexibility of modern engines, but it is top often taken by the novice as advice on how the car,should be driven. To a large degree car driving is governed by the temperament of the individual driver; some are born with a kind. of. intuition" which invariably prompts them' to do the right thing at the right time, whilst others, less fortunately endowed, have to rely ,upon the-best interpretation they are able to put upon hackneyed instructions. The use'of the gears should be cultivated. We enumerate some of the benefits accruing from a sensible use of the muchmuligne.d gearbox. One notices when driving a highspeed engined light car that< by the judicious use of the gearbox it is possible to travel at much quicker rates than ia the case with the " all-ou-top-gear " class of driver with higher .powered and more, modern cars. You will observe the fine distinction between ': quickness " and " speed " with regard to driving; for whilst ultimate, speed lias a fascination all jta own, the greatest speeds of which a car is pos-. sible can only be attained on comparatively rare occasions on the open road, whereas quick driving is a joy to be indulged in even when using a car in traffic. For quick- driving, one must certainly understand the use of the gears and become adept at rapid changing. As a matter of fact, one can do far more harm to ah engine by slow belaboured travel on top gear than when driving so thnt the engine and gear» are used properly to minimise "the stresses of taking up the drive. Thoso who have watched the remarkable acceleration or get-away of competition drivers cannot but admire the skill with which the gears arc manipulated ; arid, contrary to what might be expected, this style of-driving—when properly carried out—inflicts no damage upon any' part of the engine of chassis mechanism. Novices aro apt to look upon the difficulties of gear changing as being confined to their own aptitude lor lack of it), and the internal mechanism of the gearbox. But they entirely overlook the fact that the engine often decides whether the gears can be operated easily or nnl. For quk'k and perfect gear changing cue must begin with prrfoct carburation. the presence of tim ninch-dJECiissed "flut spot" being quite /sufficient to »pe»t wlut, might oth«rwfte have be«h * per-, led change. Rapid engine acceleration

is an absolute essential for changing quickly from high gear to a lower, and unless the engine will respond instantly to the slightest touch of the accelerator one may strive in vain for a quick, silent change on a steep gradient, or even when driving on the level. It is all very well to advise drivers to pay particular attention to getting the engine speed right before attempting'the change, but few instructors make any mention of the influence of a well-tuned carburettor in this 'respect. Then, again, for changing up, the engine must be capable of dropping quickly in speed to a low number of revolutions per minute. This also, calls for a well-turned carburettor, which , will enable the engine to tick over steadily on the pilot jet,' without risk of coming to a sudden stop. Thus an air leak in the induction pipa, or worn valve guides, are quite likely to prevenf good gear changing by preventing the slow running of the engine, though the connection between the two may not seem apparent at first sight. .