REVERSING A CAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19292, 3 April 1926, Page 10 (Supplement)

REVERSING A CAR.

SKILL IN CONTROL. 1 It has been said that any fool can drive a car, and most of them do. Whether this is really true or not depends upon what interpretation we put upon the word "drive." If by driving a car wo mean sitting at the steering wheel while the car runs quietly along an easy road, the above witticism is doubtless true, for the steering of a car is a very ample matter, • in itself, so long as nothing unforeseen 1 ■ occurs to cause difficulties. Many drivers seems to have difficulty in reversing. There is no real difficulty about this, but like many another thing, it requires practise before it can bo done with easo and certainty. . Generally speaking, it is illegal to reverse for any considerable distanco on a public road, but thero may come a time when one must reverse. Then the fact that this is forced upon the driver generally, presupposes some what awkward conditions, as, for instance, when two cars meet upon a hill so narrow that it is impossible to pass. To reverse in a place like this requires very careful steering, since it admits of practically no error without scraping the wings. The small amount of reversing that is neccessary when turning a car in a road presents no steering difficulties, but requires judgment, and a rapid use of the brake, and clutch, as well as gentle operation of tho latter. To turn a car in a confined space requires a full lock of the front wheels—that is to say, the front wheels must be turned as far as possible in one direction. Then, when the car has been driven as far as possible forward and tho wheels aro close to the gutter or wall, they have to bo turned to full lock in the other direction. Now, to force tho wheels forward imposes considerable strain upon the steering mechanism. This shquld never bo done. It is, therefore, advisable to straighten out just before stopping and to complete the reversal of the steering after tho car has begun to move backward. This may mean that a car must be reversed several times beforo it can bo turned round on a narrow road. It is, therefore, alwayk well to look out for a lane, drive or gateway, to run the car a little beyond it, keeping, if the traffic will admit, on the other side of the road, then to back into the opening, continuing if thero is room far enough to allow the car to bo straightened. Ono reverse will in this way suffice for the complete turn. It is better to back into the narrow opening, because then the front wheels will have room to manoeuvre without hitting anything. If the front of the car is run into a restricted space it will be impossible to 1 take advantage of the full steering lock, or anything liko it, without fouling something, and this applies in the same way if it is run too close alongside a wall, for if the front of the wheels are then turned away from the wall and the car reversed, the wings will immediately come into contact with it. This is because the front part of a car has a considerable sideways movement when the wheels are turned, whereas tho rear simply turns on its wheels and follows the front. Of course, considerable care is required when backing into a narrow opening, gate or otherwise. MAIN ROADS. Dargaville-Maungaturoto.—Repairs to the detour road from Mititai to Tokatoka have been finished. Warkworth-Kaipara Flats.—Tho completion of the sandstone base at the Warkworth end is in hand, and the spreading of tho top course of metal has commenced. Kumeu-Albany.— The length of road between Kumeu Junction and Riverhead bridge has now been metallecT and rolled. Proposals have been approved for metalling 101 chains between Riverhead bridge and Albany and the work is well in hand. Tauranga-Matamata.—Good progress has been made with the metalling of Upper Kaimai, a further 38 chains having been completed during February. Kotornar-Napier.—Between Rotorua and Waiotapa, a considerable amount of reforming and repair work lias been carried out by the Public Works Department. Mokau-New Plymouth.—Taranaki roads continue to serve as an example of ideal maintenance. Bitumen is now being laid in several places near Mokau. Rangirirl.—The surfaco of the Ranginn deviation is easily affected by wc fc weather, and heavy rain and continuous traffic often sweeps the metal aside and exposes embryo potholes. The grader is used on the road almost daily, and this condition is speedily rectified. Nevertheless, if this very vital road is not kept under keen supervision during the winter, it may lose much of its attractiveness. Mercer.—Tho Mercer Town Board attains the bad eminence of being responsible for tho worst section of the Great South Road between Auckland and the Waikato. The piece running behind the railway station is a discredit, but its maintenance is not easy on account of the. inevitable flooding in winter. The worst length is between the station and the bridge over the Whangamarino River. It is a potent cause of broken springs, and even a speed of 10 or 12 miles an hour is decidedly uncomfortable. It is to be hoped that tho Main Highways Board will undertake the repair of this road and obtain a contribution from the Mercer Town Board. Ngaruawahia-Hamflton.—Tho ten-mile! stretch from Hamilton to Ngaruawahia can usually bo comfortably traversed at 30 miles an hour. Tho washing resuming from recent rains has dealt hardly with tho stirfaco and some attention is neutled.

Motor-cycling, Page 12.