THE MOTOR WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22267, 21 May 1934, Page 4

THE MOTOR WORLD.

By ACCELERATOR.

O.M.C. LIGHT CAR SECTION FIXTURES. June 3-4.—King's Birthday Trial. June s.—Monthly Meeting. June 16.—Despatch Run. October 20, 21, 22.—Labour Day Trial. KING'S BIRTHDAY TRIAL. Arrangements are well in hand for the two-day reliability trial for ears and motor cycles to be conducted by the Otago Motor Club on June o and 4 over the following course:— Dunedin to Invercargill, via Balclutha, Owaka, Papatowai, Tokanui, Fortrose, Gorge Road, Bush Siding, Kapuka, Mokotua, Waimatua, and Tisburv, returning to Dunedin via Gore, Balclutha,. and Milton—a total distance of 301.9 miles. This trial is open to all club members holding amateur status. Competitors are to average 30 m.p.h. from Dunedin to Owaka, 20 m.p.h. from Owaka to Fortrose, 30 m.p.h. from Fortrose to Invercargill; 30 m.p.h. from Invercargill to Dunedin. Secret checks, brake tests, easy-starting tests, and observed sections may be instituted. Full particulars and entrv forms are now available, and may be obtained from the Otago Motor Club and garages. Entries close with the secretary on Monday, May 28, at 5.30 p.m. THE HOARDING NUISANCE. A pleasant feature of touring in the South Island (says " Focus " in the New Zealand Herald) is the absence of the glaring roadside hoardings which mar so much of the scenic beauty of the North Island, according to the touring manager of the Automobile Association, who returned during the week after a trip of 4000 miles in both the North and South Islands. He said that although there were hoardings in the South Island on frequented routes, once the main centres of population were left behind there was not the same number of placards as m the north. EDUCATING YOUNG DRIVERS. A system of educating young drivers has been adopted in an American town. A unit .of the Junior Safety" Council has been organised in each of its three high schools to take charge of the work. Regular meetings are held during school hours, at which members study State and local traffic regulations as they would any other school subject. Newspaper and magazine articles relating to highway ■hazards and traffic accidents arc clipped, discussed, and pasted in 6crap books accessible to all high school students. Members of the Junior Safety Council also deliver safety addresses from the broadcasting station, and before high school assemblies and srade school classes. ASTUTE AUCKLAND! Under this heading "Chassis" has the following in the Christehurch Sun:— " In its broadminded, tolerant way the South Island (N.Z.) Motor Union executive has recommended its constituent associations to fall in with the North Island idea of changing the names of the major organisations. For instance the name of the Canterbury Automobile Association will become the Automobile Association (Canterbury), Inc. It will be interesting to note the reaction of the Otagans to the suggested change as in Dunedin they have the Otago Motor Club with its substantial motor cycle membership. A change to Automobile Association (Otago) Inc. would be a misnomer in view of tho accepted definition of automobile. Why all this humbug over the names of associations ihas been caused Auckland alone knows. It was started in the: northern city When the Auckland Association, without Warning, became the Automobile Association Inc. The article "the" was most important from the Auckland point of view and the change savoured sharply . of an attempt to ape the A.A. of Great Britain. : Whether or not it was intended there wag the implication in tho name that the change had I a national significance. At any rate motoring administrators in the South Island were wideawake and the New Zealand Automobile Association was incorporated without any delay, with headquarters in Christehurch. It was a gesture to Auckland that the South Island can mind its own motoring business quite competently. Clearly, too, the other motoring organisations —and there are others—outside Auckland province brook no interference from Auckland. Now, it seems, the unite of the North Island Motor Union have agreed, with Auckland, to a common name of Automobile Association followed by the name of each province. And, it seems, Auckland wants the N.Z.A.A. Inc. deregistered. The title is really as innocuous as that of the A.A., of course, but the S.I.M.U. will no doubt agree to . deregistration of the N.Z.A.A. Inc., on condition that the Auckland Associatior. .uses the name to which it has every right."SCHOOL FOR OWNERS. It is not uncommon for manufacturers to hold, schools a£ which their agents" toremen and mechanics may learn the technicalities of the latest cars (states the Autocar). The Daimler Companj also organises a school for owners and their chauffeurs. The instruction available can vary from just an hour's tuition, while collecting the car from the factory, toa'-, complete 14-day course, including a,spell of driving. A charge is made for the full course. Many owners appoint their gkrdehers or grooms as parttime chauffeurs, and. for such non-technical men .there,i9 a three-weeks' course. Ap-proved-chauffeurs are given a certificate and proficiency badge. : BRAKES AND STEERING. • : Typical of the inquiries held after many road accidents is a case reported recently in which the driver, blames "the brakes arid steering," states English Motor. Few motorists realise how closely allied these two components are. Fierce brakes will lock one or more wheels and render the car uncontrollable, while equally balanced brakes with,one or more smooth tyres will, on wet roads, often do the same thing.- If thi brakes on all four wheels are out of adjustment, one with each other, the steering gear is practically useless when making an emergency 6top, for the forces occasioned from the unequal retarding effort often take the driver unawares, TROUBLE DUE TO RAIN. The heavy rain last Thursday in Auckland brought trouble to many motorists (says "Focus," in the Herald) by finding its way into the electrical equipment of their cars and making starting particularly difficult. In some cases owners found that the engines would start, only to stop immediately. This was probably due to the fact that rain water lodged in the radiator honeycomb was sucked back by the fan and showered over the electrical fittings. Tn other instances rain found its way through bonnet hinges and lanur.es, and became lodged . round f lie sparking plug?, coil and distributor, making it neccssaray to dry these components bctorc the motor would fire. Motorists are able to make the engines of their cars reasonably waterproof by several simple methods. Putty or some similar material may be packed tightly round the various leads where they enter the distributor head, or the head itself can easily be covered with a section of a discarded inner tube. It is more difficult to keep rain away from the sparking plugs, particularly if they are set in the top of the cylinder head, but strips of rubber fastened inside the bonnet immediately beneath the hinges are often effective in this connection. If possible, it is wise to park the car in such a manner that rain does not beat against the radiator honeycomb, as it is extremely difficult to try this before starting the motor. IMPORTANCE OF LIGHTS. " With the ending of the period of daylight saving and the wet weather of last wefk, motorists are reminded, in common with other users of the roads, of the arrival of winter, and the fall for greater care in obeying the lighting laws-,"' snys

[ltems of newa—ahort descriptions, of tours, ths ataW of th« roads, •to., comment, or inquiries will ba welcomed by "■ Accelerator."!

the latest safety-first messageof the Canterbury Automobile Association. "Lighting-np time is half an hour after sunset, officially, but there are hundreds of road-users, principally cyclists, who do not obey the law strictly. Cyclists arc notoriously careless. They cycle into the city in the morning knowing that *hey will not reach home before dark, yet they do not take their lamps. The same remark applies to some drivers of horsedrawn vehicles. No motorist worthy ot the name takes risks with the lighting equipment of his car, but some drivers are so careless that it is indeed fortunate that lamps are fixed, permanently to cars; otherwise, no doubt, they too, would be found leaving the lamps at home. "At all times the careful motorist will make sure that his headlamps, parking lights, and hi s tail light are in perfect working order. It is fairly easy to detect failure in the forward lights from the driving seat, but it is not so easy to notice a failure in that important tail light. Every motorist should make sure every night that the tail light is at work. It is better to do that as a habit_ than to explain, perhaps in vain, to an inspector that you didn't know. Bulbs in tail lights are very liable to defect. For instance, a little dust will break contact, and because these lights arc frequently on shimmying rear guards, the risk ot broken filaments is much greater than on the forward lights. The wise motorist carries a spare bulb or two in the tool kit or cubby hole. _ The worst no-light offenders are the cyclists, and to them a special appeal is directed in the interests of themselves and other users of the roads. It is exceedingly dangerous and negligent for anyone to use an unlighted vehicle on the roads, vet hundreds of cyclists gamble with their lives lightly in and about Christehurch. There is no excuse for such neglect. The law and common sense call for properly-lighted vehicles, no matter what their type. Public safety is at stake." ABUSE OF THE HORN. An appeal is made by the R.A.C. of South Africa to drivers of motor vehicles to show the greatest consideration in the use of motor horns. In the opinion of the club there still is a certain amount of unnecessary noise, although observation has shown that there is a marked diminution in the annoyance caused by thoughtless or impatient hooting. It should be possible to drive at almost all times so that a motor horn is not required save as a polite warning. In busy thoroughfares, in particular, drivers are urged to remember that a sudden loud blast, when a nervous pedestrian is crossing a road, may have an exactly opposite effect to that intended, and instead of indicating that a vehicle is approaching may cause hesitation or faltering, with possibly harmful consequences. Considerable forbearance should be shown at night time. It is not always appreciated by motorists that during the hours of darkness the head lamps of a car often are the best possible warning at cross roads, while in populous districts where there are important crossings it is obviouslv safer to slacken speed and ascertain that the road is clear rather than to rely on a strident horn to warn othei traffic'to get out of the way. ':>. CARING FOR THE CAR. The resolves made by practically every motorist when he takes delivery of• a new ear, to keep it in perfect mechanical order, and to preserve the "show room appearance, seldom last more than three months, by which time the tasks of cleaning and routine inspection and adjustment, which were so gladly undertaken shortly before, receive scant attention. It is probably the loss of interest of most owners in their cars after using them for a few thousand miles,, and the consequent, lack of attention, that results in many machines of good design and construction being traded in or sold for comparatively low figures after being driven for a year or two. If a car is neglected it is almost impossible' for the average owner-driver to restore it to efficiency, but frequent attention from when delivery is taken will do. much to prevent a modern motor from deteriorating, and at the same time will amply repay the owner when the time arrives for a sale or trade in to be arranged. There are many tasks requiring' neither expert knowledge nor special equipment that can be performed at home, although generally it is wise to leave to a qualified mechanic major repairs or adjustments calling for a high degree of accuracy. Adjustment of brakes and headlights arc two important duties that are frequently neglected by owners. Both are simple, although they call for care, and may prevent accidents. In adjusting the brakes it is well to jack all four wheels from the ground, if the adjustment is an individual one for each wheel, but in some cases there is a master control that takes up the four brakes evenly. Brakes should be tightened until a very slight movement, of the pedal or lever is sufficient to bring them into operation, at the same time making sure that there is no tendency to bind. Tappets also require periodic attention, correct adjustment preventing an annoying clatter, and also ensuring better performance: A novice should not as a rule interfere with the distributor, although a keen owner, with the proper feeler and spanners, can adjust the points after cleaning them with a rag dipped m clean petrol. ~,/.,. Inspection of the oil and petrol filters is essential at regular intervals, while greasing should not be delayed over long. Although a modern external finish will withstand considerable abuse, frequent washing and occasional polishing both keep it in good order and add greatly to a car's appearance. CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS. Many of the road accidents to-day arc caused by someone, motorist or pedestrian, failing in a quality we all like to think we possess—consideration. If every road user —motorist, cyclist, and pedestrian—lived up to his own estimation of himself, the number of accidents would automatically be reduced, for the lack of consideration on someone's part is often the primary cause of a collision (says a writer in the Autocar). If every accident could be analysed, itwould undoubtedly be found that many of them are indirectly due to someone thinking only of himself. The parties involved in the accident-may be quite innocent in this respect; in fact, the responsible party may not even be near the scene. People who erect illuminated signs where they may be mistaken for traffic signals are an example; dog owners who allow pets to stray are another, and motorists* who leave their cars in awkward places a third. The driver who overtakes a slower vehicle and culs in to avoid another approaching from the opposite direction shows lack of consideration towards a fellow-motorist. It may be quite safe for i the man who cuts in, but, if the occupant of the overtaken car is at all nervous, he may brake violently and so bring about an accident of which the inconsiderate driver may know nothins. When we see a pedestrian leisurely crossing the road it is our duty to presume that he or she cannot walk faster, and act accordingly. Everyone knows what is meant by consideration for others; unfortunately, everyone does uot practise it. STREAMLINE TENDENCIES. A statement by W. It. Stout, one of the world's leading designers of aeroplanes and motor cars, that the findings of wind tunnel tests are not always applicable to the. design of motor cars, carries added significance at a time when so much publicity is being focussed on the streamlining of motor cars. The reason is that so far no one has been able, m the wind tunnel, to simulate or even approximate the effect of the ground under the vehicle. _ This expert states that there are certain fundamentals that make the streamlining of a car an entirely different problem from that of an aeroplane, or any other vehicle, because it travels along the ground, and the wind blows over it. from auv direction. He contends that the correct form of streamline has nothing in common with ' the "'teardrop" shape, of which so much has been heard during recent months.

11l fact, this expert goes so far as to make the provocative statement that a car built on " teardrop" lines is far more difficult to hold on the road in a side wind than the conventional type of car. The shape of the front end of a ear is, according to Mr Stout, not important, as the air will bank itself up in front of an obstruction and more or lees streamline itself. It is the shape of the back of the body that is allimportant. This must be such that it will form no low-pressure eddies behind tbo car. This condition varies according to the 6peed at which the vehicle is travelling. A machine that is streamlined so that there will be a very small vacuum behind it when travelling at a moderate speed is not necessarily effective in this respect when the speed increases, for then the air does not have time Jo flow down the flat stern of tlie car, and having no air coming in from the sides in a smooth curve, a vacuum area is formed wh'ich creates turbulence and sweeps up dust. At a certain higher speed the air will break completely away from the car in all directions, leaving a long-continued turbulence behind and creating suction which requires additional horse-power. The streamlining of any car, therefore, must be judged by the " cruising sneed of economy," at which the manufacturer is aiming. Mr Stout savs that the full benefit from streamlining will not be obtained until cars are designed almost blunt-nosed and tapering towards the rear. The economical speed of such cars will be 60 miles an hour or more. THE MOTOR CYCLE FIXTURES. OTAGO MOToITcLUB CYCLE SECTION. May 20.—Club run to Kaitangata. June 8-4.—King's Birthday trial. June 10.—Social run. June 19.—Annual meeting. MOBILITY AND RISKS. The fact that many accidents in NewZealand occur between motor cycles and motor cars or motor lorries was referred to by the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) in the Supreme Court when summing up to a jury. ~,.'„ " You must remember, said his Honor, " that it isn't always the driver of the motor cycle that is guiltless and the other , man who is guilty of negligence. The motor cycle is a vehicle of great mobility, and it may be that sometimes the rider or driver, whatever you call him, relies too much upon this mobility, and takes risks which are not justified. I don't say that is so in this case, but it is a general observation which I think it is fair to make to you. It may or may not have reference to this case. That is a matter which you may have to consider." The-%case was one in which a motor cyclist had been struck by a motor car. SPARKS Fifty-nine new members were elected at the last meeting of the Wellington Automobile Club. * ■-:• * Moisture on the top of the storage battery and container is an indication of a crack in the sealing compound used to seal the jars. a :;: * " You don't seem to have a thought for anything but motoring. Why don't you put your wife before your car sometimes? " " I'm scared of being found out." * * * Only 3742 cars and 202 commercial vehicles were imported into Great Britain durinp the 12 months ended September ! 30, 1933. The exports during the same period were:—Cars, 31,359; commercial vehicles, 9877. ■k * * Stout prentleman (to lady motor driver, who has knocked him over): Couldn't you have none round me? Lady driver (sweetly): I wasn't sure wljethei- 1 had enough petrol.

For the right to collect tolls for a year from all traffic using the toll bridge which crosses the River Parrett, at Boroughbridgo, England, £I2OO was paid. Ordinary motorists are charged 3d each for use of the bridge, so over 260 will have to pass over it every day throughout the year to make up the amount of the purchaser's price.

It is reported that French inventors have perfected a device to give lorry drivers warning when a car desires to pass. It consists of a microphone connected with an amplifier, the microphone being attached to the rear of the lorry and the amplifier installed in the cab. The sound of the horn from the car behind is picked up and reproduced "> the Cab. .