IF BRAKES FAIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 January 1929, Page 12

IF BRAKES FAIL.

HINTS FOR HILLS. If your brakes give in when you are on a quite straigufc hilt ancL tne roaa is clear, not muen harm will come it you allow the car tq coast to rest; that is, if you are going down in the forward. direction. Should there be a side turning, however, or preferably a fork which can be taken at reasonable speed and continuous level or goes uphill, tne best thing you. can do then is to divert the course of the car into this road.

On a winding road, with high banks however, should you find the car has got out of control, it is advisable to tourn the steering wheel sharply on the full lock and charge the far side bank head-on or tail-on, according to. the way in which the car commences to run. This will lessen considerably the chances of turning over. When the speed' i,s not very great you will possibly be able to reduce it by driving close to the bank or hedge, considerable friction being developed by the contact with the wings or wheels.

Needless to say, -recourse to- these expedients should -only be made if the obvious procedure of engaging low gear has been carried out- owing to the driver failing to- act quickly enough. A change down to “second’.’ is possible at speeds up to- 30 or 40 m.p.li., and produces a great retaring effect.