SPLIT SECONDS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 45, 4 February 1928, Page 13

SPLIT SECONDS

THEIR VALUE IN CAR DRIVING. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SURE AND SORRY. In no other phase of our daily lives are split seconds of such tremendous value as when driving a car. A fifth of a second one way oi another often mean B the difference between a serious accident and escaping without damage. Few drivers realise what a potential instrument of destruction the car may be when carelessly or badly handled. A ton or more of metal hurtling through the air at speeds possible by our cars to-dav may do tremendous damage, and such a puny object as the human body need only be touched to be dashed to the ground, often with fatal -results, writes F Berry in the “Sydney Guardian.” When it is realised that even the modest speed of 30 m.p.h. means nine feet each fifth of a second, and, of course, 18 feet in that short time at 60 m.p.h., we begin to realise the great care and concentration needed when driving and also the reason for so many smashes. One must have a goodly number of hours at the wheel, under all sorts of conditions, before any relaxation should be permitted, or any liberties taken. Racing drivers know full well that they invite disaster, if, for a brief second, they take their eyes off the road when travelling at high speed. This applies, relatively to less experienced drivers at much lower speeds, especially in congested traffic. Drivers of mature experience, gained by handling rneir cars daily over a period of years, become quite automatic in both action and anticipation, and. consequently, they may put any control necessary for emergency in operation with perhaps only one-filth of a second delay, GOOD DRIVING. By far the greater number, however, not only take longer, but are slower in sizing up any situation and making their minds up accordingly. When we carefully analyse driving it is quite obvious whv the good driver keeps out of trouble, and the moderate man is for ever getting into difficulties and iust missing things. The good driver cruises along at a speed governed entirely bv the conditions obtaining at that particular time and place. The casual observer may think this pace unnecessarily slow in some places and too fast in others. But at all times the driving is to a definite and calculated plan. While apparently perfectly at ease, he is keenly watching everything ahead, gauging its distance and speed, and governing his actions accordingly. As a consequence, he never looks like getting into trouble, for not only is every emergency provided for, but more often than not the other fellow's mind is made up fo r him. When the unexpected does happen, however, this driver is always prepared. and subconsciously does the right thing in the shortest possible time.

AT A LOSS. Even though we may assume the tnoderae driver to be of a careful disposition, yet his demeanour at the wheel is guit e different. Although never actually driving fast, he has no keen sense of anticipation nor of judgment, so that even at 20 m.p.h., we find him running into difficulties where none should exist. Thq situation may have been developing plainly before him for some seconds, but, due to his lack of experience he has failed to realise it until the last moment. With trouble staring him in the face, he is no longer calm, but must think in a rather confused manner of the correct actions, and then carry them into operation. Valuable seconds are thus lost, and perhaps damage done, whereas anticipation, instant, decision, and prompt action, may easily have saved the situation. Risks incidental to driving increase not directly, but as the square of the speed. This means that at 60 m.p.h. you face four times the risk that you do at 30 m.p.h. So that very great concentration is called for when indulging in high speed bursts. Racing motorists appreciate the value of split seconds. For in speed work, one-tenth of a second saved on each of the four gear changes when starting off will mean three or four lengths gained at the end of a mile. In fact, it is the fractions that matter in racing, and competitions are won or lost by paying or not paying strict attention to these small details.