THE MOTORIST.

Northern Advocate, 7 February 1925, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE MOTORIST.

CARE ON THE ROAD. BEWARE "OFF DAYS." 1 It would be safe to say that then -are practically 110 ear owners wh< would tell even a most intimate firienc that they lacked judgment on th< road. It would be equally safe to saj that the judgment possessed by 90 pei cent, of car drivers is by no means per feet—probably also that they are well -aware of the fact. It is the duty oi •-every driver to analyse himself. He should examine his own tactics, and satisfy himself with regard to his -shortcomings. There are days when a driver is "of! 'Colour"; his judgment is bad; his nerve is poor; his efficiency is probably 50 per cent, below par but it is nothing "to be ashamed of. Golfers, cricketers, •footballers, all have their off-day. On on "off-day" drive with every possible -caution. If necessary, never exceed "fifteen miles per hour; when a gap -appears in traffic into which one would normally drive, give the benefit to the •doubt and wait for a better opportunity. Overtake only when there is at least two hundred yards of clear road ahead of the vehicle immediately in front. Do not round a corner until absolutely positive that there can be no other vehicle attempting the same manoeuvre from the opposite direction. WHEN CARE IS NEEDED. But apart from the question of offdays, there are many drivers who normally are unable to decide whether they can get through a gap in traffic before it closes, whether they can overtake a vehicle in front before it Teaches a corner, and whether they can safely pull up in a given distance. "When there is an element of doubt they should cdopt, the safer course, and ■wait for a more 1 suitable opportunity. It is not commonly realised how rapidly decisions must be made by a driver of a. car. At thirty miles an hour a car is covering 44 feet in a second, and j©ven hal,f a second's delay or hesitation may often cause an accident. When another car is approaching from the op* , N posite direction, 'only half the tiine is ; available before making a. decision, and i stilus those who realise that they are > jiiotJquicTc tty act 'should, therefore,; exercise the greatest care when over-

taking, especially when ther<3 is another car approaching from the opposite direction. ACCURATE JUDGMENT. The need for quick decision and very accurate judgment frequently arises when driving along roads on the outskirts of cities where there are either central tram standards or refuges in the middle of the road. . In such circumstances every driver is familiar with the eab or lorry proceeding in the same direction as himself at about eighteen or twenty miles an hour, and

which owing to the obstacles in the middle of the road, is very difficult to pass. So soon as one attempts to get by, the gap between the front of the other vehicle and the standard or refuge begins to narrow at a most alarming rate.

I Even the most cautious drivers who Have say, ten thousand miles to their credit, must have felt that terrible sensation like a steel band being contracted around the chest as a narrow gap between a giant lorry and a soildlooking lamp standard begins alarmingly to lessen; th ey must be very familiar also with the feeling of relief which follows when they are safely by—when they have .iust scraped through. Never again, they will have decided, but it i 3 an experience which is denied only to a very few of t.ho«e who are driving all day and every day in all parts of the country. When in doubt —don't is an excellent maxim, but one that is extremely difficult to follow. Those who succeed, however, in abiding by it are those who never have aecidients.

CYLINDER HEADS. CONVENIENT DETACHABLE VARIETY. When first introduced, the detachable motor engine cylinder head was looked upon as a manufacturing convenience: but owners have discovered that the modern high-efficiency engine is rather addicted to carbonisation and, therefore, the convenience of the detachable heads is recognised as a step in the right direction for the owner-driver, who naturally looks to running costs, even when contemplating the purchase of a low-priced car. The need for increased engine efficiency has led to much careful research work 'in the direction of valve parts and ! passages as well as to certain modifications of induction pipe layout. When large engines, possessing a big reserve of power, were employed, it was not a matter of great importance to tie the designer down to such minor details, but modern requirements demand so much work from small engines that evefy conceivable., precaution has to be taken to avoid the least loss of efficiency. Thus, it ia that the perfonnancb of the four-cylinder engine of today compares |avourably with, that of/the sisf-cylinder where flexibility is largely the' result of ad'di-

tional complications and the multiplicity of moving parts. REAR SCREENS. PROTECTING THE PASSENGERS. A rear screen applied to open fourfive seaters is certainly very desirable. It is included in the price of the "de luxe" model offered by some makers, and has its counterpart in a few instances in side curtains, with rigid frames, which can be used as a transverse screen at option. There should be no doubt in the minds of the most

inexperienced of car buyers as to whether a rear screen is worth while; but, to prevent misunderstanding, let it be said at once that it should invariably be ordered with the car if its price can be afforded; it is even worth while if one's banking account has to be depleted rather more than one originally intended. Moreover, it is better to order it with the car, because there will then be no need for the upholstery to be disturbed when the necessary support brackets are being fixed.

An automatic screen wiper is another item concerning which—for the reason, maybe, that it sometimes adds to the cost of the equipment—a great many buyers of new cars may have doubts as to whether it is worth while. It is highly desirable, for, while admittedly a hand-operated screen wiper is better than nothing at all, and the type actuated by means of a conveniently arranged lever and wire connection is not seriously lacking on short runs, the continuous use of either becomes irksome on a long run.

There is an idea that the automatic wiper, by continuously moving across the line of vision, must distract the driver's attention and "worry" him. In practice that is not the case. There are numerous other items of equipment—mere accessories — which | have their benefits and others of which j the usefulness is open to question.