Motoring Notes

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 4813, 25 February 1936, Page 3

Motoring Notes

USE OF BRAKES. In order to determine how often the average driver uses his brakes in traffic, a test was recently conducted by the Automobile Club of Michigan, U.S.A. A woman was selected as an average driver, and her car was fitted with a meter to register the number of stops made. She drove for eight hours through all kinds of traffic, light in outlying districts and heavy in 'congested streets. During that time 144 miles were covered and the brakes used on 547 occasions, or more than once a minute. The speed average for the day’s driving was slightly above 18 miles per hour, while 30 miles per hour was never exceeded. Traffic stops averaged three a mile. The fact that brakes may have to be applied and depended upon 500 times a day indicates how necessary it is to keep brakes in good order and correctly adjusted. SQUEAKING BRAKES. 1 To cure squeaking brakes, various schemes have been tried out. External band breaks squeak when badly adjusted or out-of-round. See that all moving parts are free and lubricated. A small quantity of powdered graphite mixed with petrol will cure the squeak for a long time. The best plan is to have the wheels removed and the lining thoroughly cleaned and freed of grit or abrasives. Roughen glazed spots with a rasp. EXCESSIVE OIL. Often an excessive amount of oil accumulates about the tappet guide bases in side valve engines where valve cover plates are used. The oil runs to waste when the cover plates are removed and causes a dirty crankcase exterior. The excessive oil is due to the suction, past worn inlet valve guides, drawing up the oil through the tappet guides. A simple remedy is to drill a small hole in each cover plate. The holes allow air to enter the valve chest, thereby stopping the formation of a partial vacuum and preventing the leak past the tappet guides. INTERESTING NOTES ON SKID- ’ DING. RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION IN U.S.A. Some major results of an investigation into skidding coinducted in America are:—Water causes a lubricating action. At lower speeds there is greater possibility for “squeegee” action of the tyre on the road surface; with increased speed the skidding tendency rises. Chains give improved traction straight ahead, but offer little or no protection sideways. Mud on hard pavements is the cause of many accidents. The spreading of gravel, shale, cinders or crushed rock on the shoulders of hard roads would increase road safety, giving greater width as well as helping to eliminate skid tendencies. If the brakes provide a braking force greater than the skidding resistance of the road surface it is quite likely that if applied .in emergency, .the brakes will lock the wheels and cause a skid. (Note: A test of brakes shpwed an average resistance of only 51.5 per cent, of the weight of the car, including driver and passengers. With braking effort so low it is not possible to lock any wheel unless the brakes are out of adjustment. Against this, however, is the fact that only 31 per cent, of the cars tested had satisfactory brake distribution as between the right and left sides of the vehicle. It was found that a poor braking distribution is responsible for many skidding accidents. Side pitch on curves should act as a warning. If felt by driver or passengers the speed should be reduced. The tests, were carried out with a blindfold passenger. SPARKS. A driver with a glass eye, who said he had not undergone a driving test and had not declared the disability in any application for a licence, was fined and disqualified from driving for three years by the Doncaster magistrates.

The county surveyor for the Holland division of Lincolnshire states that in a recent census it was found that even where footpaths are provided on important roads over 69 per cent, of the pedestrians preferred to walk on the road.

The London Passenger Transport Board has decided that no further orders will be placed for petrol engined vehicles. All future contracts will be for heavy-oil engine vehicles. The board operates about 6000 vehicles, of which 850 have heavy-oil engines.

In France the price of petrol has been reduced by lid a gallon under a new Government decree. In future the price must be placarded in all petrol pumps. Wholesale importations of unrefined petroleum, its derivatives and residues, will be allowed only by special permits.