THAT OLD HAND BRAKE

Evening Star, Issue 21993, 1 April 1935, Page 15

THAT OLD HAND BRAKE

NEEDS AND SOME CRtTiGISM Once a useful and practical alternative to the brake pedal; the handbrake lever has in many cases become an ineffective control used only tor parking purposes. This is not of much moment to those who habitually drive in flat districts, but is a serious handicap when a car is used in hilly country, states an article in,‘The Motor.’ The old-fashioned hand brake was usually of sensible length and was placed in such a position that it could be reached without leaning forwards away from the normal driving posture. Consequently, it could be used to steady the jettr-on a long descent when the foot became tired. Furthermore, it gave the finesse in brake control which is so necessary when endeavouring to make a smooth restart up a steep hill.

Nowadays,’ the hand-brake lever is only too frequently diminutive in size and inaccessible in position. In order to reach it at all, the driver has to lean forward at a most uncomfortable angle and the leverage provided is often so poor that considerable strength is subsequently needed to pull the lever rearwards sufficiently to free the ratchet.

A DEFINITE DANGER. Such conditions constitute a definite danger when parking a car on a steep hill. If the driver is not strong enough to apply the hand brake to a sufficient extent the car, although apparently secure, may move off gradually while the owner is absent. Consequently, it is usually necessary to leave a car engaged or to deflect the steering so that one of the wheels acts as a sprag against the kerb. While the disadvantages of the ineffective hand brake are felt most seriously in a hilly district, they are present to some degree in all circumstances.

When brought to a standstill on even a slight slope, the driver must use his brakes to hold the car pending a restart, and if the hand lever is awkward to reach lie will use the brake pedal; he then endeavours, to got away to the accelerator, and, in performing this juggling feat, it is only too apt to allow the car to roll backwards. Nowadays it is the general practice to interconnect the hand and foot the same four-wheel braking system controls so that the lever applies as the pedal. Consequently, if the lever is qt sensible size and is accessibly placed it can be used as an alternative to the foot control.