IF IN DOUBT—WAIT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 15 June 1925, Page 3

IF IN DOUBT—WAIT

BETTE!! SAFE AND SURE It would he «ale t<> say that there arc 'practically no light car owners who would toil ovon a most- intimato Incod that they lackod judgment on the road, arid it would lie iquully sale in say that the judgment possessed by 90 pm cent, of oar drivers is bv m> means peiteot—picbablv also they are well aware of tho tact. It Is the duty of every driver to analyse himselt He should examine his own tactics and satiety himself with regard to his shortcomings. There are days when a- driver is off colour; his judgment' is had; his nerve is poor; his efficiency is probably bU per cent, below par. but it- is nothing to be ashamed of. Golfers', cricketers, footballers all have their off days.. Do an “oif-dav” drive, with every possible caution. If neeosisary, never exceed fifteen miles per hoar; where a gap appears in traffic into which one would norm ally drive, give the benefit to the doubt and wait for a better opportunity. Overtake onlv when there is at least two hundred yards of clear road abend of the \ehiele. immediately in trout. Do not, round a corner until absolutely positive that there can lie no other vehicle attempting (he same manoeuvre from the opposite direction. Hat 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 reaches a corner, and whether they can safely pull up in a given distance. They should take (he advice given’in (he title of this article; when there if an element of doubt they should adopt the safer course and wait for a more 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 calls covering 44 feet in a second, and even half a second's delay or hesitation may olten cause an accident. When another car is approaching from the opposite direction only half the time is available before'making a decision, and thus those who realise that they are not quick to act, should therefore exercise the greatest care when overtaking, especially when there is another car approaching from the opposite direction. Even the most cautiimsi drivers who have, say, ten thousand miles-to their credit, must have felt that horrible sensation like a steel hand being contract-; ed around the chest as a narrow gap between a giant lorry and n solidlooking lamp standard begins alarmingly to lessen : they must lie very familiar also with the feeling of relief which follows when they are safely by—when they have just scraped through". Never again, they will have decided, but, it is an experience which is denied only to a very .few of those of us who are driving all day and every dav in all parts of the country. When in doubt—don't., is an excellent marim, but one that, is extremely difficult to follow. Those who succeed, however, in abiding I by it, are those who never have accidents.