NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20372, 28 September 1929, Page 12 (Supplement)

NOTES.

The average retail price of cars bought by Americana last year is calculated to bo £l/30. The mammoth 12 engine Dornier flying beat which commenced its tests a few weeks ago has 216 spark plugs. " Does your fianceo know much about automobiles?" "Heavens, no! Sho asked mo if I cooled my car by stripping tho gears." The British Royal Commission on Transport reports that only 4A per cent of ac cidents occur at speeds in excess of 20 m.p.h.

On Swiss mountain roads motor cars aro supposed to bo driven at all times in such a way that they can bo stoppod within six yards.

An American tyro corporation which opened a factory in England in October, 1927, states that the millionth tyre was produced by this subsidiary last July.

Serious preparations were-made for the 410 mile Ulster T. T. road raco held in August. Tho courso was specially treated to reduco skidding. Tho surfaco was dressed with a hot sprayed compound of asphalt and tar which was gritted.

Leon Duray, tho American driver, has been attacking records on tho Montlhery track. In August ho raised tho world's record for 10 miles to 135.3 m.p.h. Pre vipusly it. stood at 133.5 m.p.h. to the credit of Voisin. Duray is using a frontwheel drive Packard Special of 200h.p.

Jn lowa thousands of drivers have been stopped on tho roads by the sheriff's officers and presented with a red card bearing these words. "I havo watched your driving over a distance of several miles. You drovo sanely, safelv and sensibly . . Good,-bye ! Good luck!— G. E. Cress, sheriff." Mr. Cress seems to be real mustard!

Although an insignificant motoring country with only 25,111 cars, Czechoslovakia offers good markets to its low motor factories and importations aro small. At tho beginning of this year tho registrations in tho country included 15,515 Czecho-Slovakian cars, 2410 American makes, 2347 French products. 2200 Italian models and only 124 British makes.

As fairly conclusive evidence that con creto roads aro capable of resisting wide variations in temperature and other climatic conditions, it may bo mentioned that during last year roads of this character were laid in every provinco in Canada; in Ontario alone over 200 miles wero constructed. The total length of concrete roads in Canada at the end of last year was 1820 miles. GREAT BRITAIN'S OARS. On May 31 last thero wero 918,000 cars subject to tho horsepower tax in uso in Great Britain. Tho total number of motor, vehicles, excluding trarncars and trado licences, was approximately 2,027,000. There were 670,000 motorcycles, 312,000 motor goods vehicles and 88,000 public-service vehicles. The number of new motor-cars registered for the first time during March, April and May only amounted to 58,064. Of tho total of 58,064 new cars 47,654 were saloons or had enclosed bodies, and 10,374 were touring cars. In tho classification by power from 7 h.p. to 50 h.p., the most popular type of car was rated at 8 h.p., with a total of 13,140. The next most popular size was 12 h.p., with 10,518. INFLUENCES ON SAFETY. Road accidents aro almost invariably caused by lack of skill on the part of someone in chargo of one or more of tho vehicles concerned. It docs not profit anyone to blamo slippery roads for accidents. If slippery road surfaces exist—and, unfortunately, they do to some extent—motorist 3 who are not masters of their cars to the fullest possible degree must remember that any excessive speed i 3 dangerous. In other words, speed must suit road surfaco conditions just as it must conform to road traffic conditions. Ono may run off a safo on to a dangerous surface with startling rapidity, and with this fact to be faced, tho novice or timid driver must proceed in such a manner that ho never exposes himself to the risk of tho need for a sudden stop. There is a point to which it is worth while directing the attention of those who aro using their first cars. When frontwheel brakes becamo practically universal, they wero so great an advance on tho old rear-brake-only system that a, perhaps, false feeling of security was engendered. A belief, quite contrary to facts, sprang up that a four-wheel braked car could not skid. With four perfectly adjusted brakes and a reasonable degree of skill on the part of tho driver, a serious skid is very improbable. But brakes, like everything else about a car, need attention,, and even if they receive it, not evei\i>.o can set four brakes accu-. rately. It follows that there aro a great number of imperfectly adjusted braking sets in use, and, unfortunately, it is just such sets which aro likely to bo in useby novices and by drivers of little mechanical knowledge or skill in emergency. It is advisablo to have tho brakes overhauled and carefully set. at least twice a year by an expert. Tho controllability of ears, of to-day in tho hands of all but an; oxpert is also very greatly affected by the correct inflation of tyres. Dcspito ♦ho efforts of tho tyro manufacturers in thoij campaign to assist motorists by urging weekly tests of pressure; tho bulk of motor-car asers are, it is feared, too often indifferent to the warning.

On a greasy road a car with underinflated, spongy tyres is often an awkward instrument to control in an emergency, particularly when roads arc pot-holey, or, worso still, wavy, as is so often the caso where much heavy traffic passes. Tyre pressure testing and correct inflation aro matters that the veriest tyro can seo to himself with tho uso of a pressure gaugo.