THE MOTOR WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23204, 31 May 1937, Page 3

THE MOTOR WORLD

By ACCELERATOR

TO CORRESPONDENTS - Curious." Taicri.—The car is quite dependable. "Inquirer,-' Dunedin.—(l) A standing car which is not parked in a lighted area must have parking lights. This is necessary to ensure the safety ot travelling cars and of the stationary car itself. (2) Unnecessary parking of cars is prohibited, but a car cannot be driven backwards for any distance against the rule of the road. (3) Booklets are now obtainable containing the traffic regulations, the road code, and also a list of parking places. These can be obtained on application to the tiafiic department at the Town Hall, Dunedin. (4) There is no necessity to double de-clutch when changing gear on a car equipped with synchro-mesh gears. ELECTRIC PETROL GAUGE Details of a new electric petrol gauge which has several advantages over the ordinary type of petrol indicator are given in a recent issue of Popular Motoring. The gauge registers accurately the amount of petrol in the tank, and what is more important, there is no vibration of the pointer. However much the level of the petrol varies in the tank owing to the jolting of the car and the splashing of the fuel, the needle remains steady. , ,' ~ . As the gauge depends entirely on temperature for its operation, it is unaffected by the varying voltage of the ordinary car electrical system. Simplicity of operation and a lack of delicate mechanical parts that are likely to go wrong are other advantages of this new gauge, which may be fitted to any car without great difficulty. THE SKIDDING SEASON While every season of the year is *kid time for the motorist who does not take care, the winter time is the danger season of the year because of the weather and road surfaces made tricky through various causes. It is noteworthy that a very large number of motorists do not adjust their driving habits to suit the conditions of the weather. Obviously, a braking system which may be quite effective in fine weather on a dry road may be found wanting in an emergency on a surface made greasy by moisture, or coated with frost in the early morning. Speed should be regulated to agree with the actual road conditions met with. Speed which may be regarded as .safe on a dry road may be very dangerous on a wet one. By continual use, paved road surfaces become glazed, and such road surfaces when wet offer less factional resistance to motor-vehicle tyres, no matter how good those tyres maybe. It is highly important, therefore that motorists should not only adjust their speed to meet the climatic conditions prevailing, but they should also ensure that the tyres of their vehicle are adequate to perform their proper function—that is, provide road grip. Far too many cars are being driven about the roads to-day with tyres which are worn smooth and offer no frictional resistance to the roadway. And again, it is mentioned that if a motorist drives about with a pair of smootn tyres, those tyres should be on the rear and not on the front. The use of properly treaded tyres on the front is an essential to safety, as they give greater security in steering. One of the most fruitful causes of skids is the use of front tyres which do not grip the road and cause drivers to lose momentary control of their vehicles. „ See your tyres are right on all wheels and adjust your speed to ; meet road surface conditions. DAZZLING HEADLIGHTS In two inquests held (says "Chassis") the cause of accident was raised. Dipping, dimming, and the duties of pedestrians when walking along a road were discussed. The coroner said: "It would be very much safer if dimming of lights when passing were made compulsory for all." If the coroner referred to "dipping" instead of "dimming" he would be talking wisely. The dimming of headlights is a dangerous practice, for several obvious reasons. Dipping of headlights is an entirely different proposition, and one which finds favour with the Transport Department, which mentions the subject in the Road Code.

It is all very well for people to speak about the discourtesy of one motorist towards another in regard to dipping headlights, but all cars are not equipped with a dipping device.

If a motorist has a car without a dipping device and receives the courtesy of dipping from an approaching car driver, what should he do? Should he dim, which is not legal? Or should he maintain his headlights full on and keep to his strictly left side of the road?

The prudent motorist will travel at a safe speed, or even stop if necessary, but preserve that precious visibility which his lights afford. It is supposed that if one's lights are properly focused and adjusted to comply with the standard set by the regulations the motorist is acting legally, and if, by failing 10 dip when he can't dip, he is accused of lack of courtesy, can he help himself? Because a motorist dips must he break the law by dimming, or, as some must do, by switching off the headlights altogether and running on the sidelights? Are not the headlight regulations framed to prevent dazzle? We know that they do not for several reasons, but that is not . the fault of the motorist. , . , If a motorist is driving a car which has a dipping mechanism it would be courtesy to use it if requested by an approaching driver. If, or not, his car has such a device and he receives repeated requests, it is his duty to carry out another tesj; of his headlights to see if readjustment is necessary. Of course, there is the motorist who thinks that dipping and dimming are one and the same thing, and that they are compulsory. There are drivers who v/ill dip or dim as a habit, whether or not the opposing lights are dazzling or glaring. And there are far too many drivers who contribute to the glaring nature of opposing lights by failing to remove the veneer of dust from their windscreens. One does not defend nor apologise for the " non-dipper " or " cannot-dip " or any other type of driver who can and won't show courtesy, but there is an impression abroad that to keep one's legally correct headlights full on is a, breach of some regulation The duty of pedestrians was raised, and it was stated that a pedestrian walking on the roadway might be expected to walk facing oncoming lights. The police could not find authority for this expectation in the regulations, but they could have found it in the Road Code. For some reason or other the regulations are silent. This is what clause 9 of the Road Code says:— "Where no footpath is available keep to the edge of the roadway, and, if you have a reasonably clear view ahead, keep to your right of the roadOf course, a clause in a Road Code has not the legal value of a regulation. It is not the law, and why the Transport Department has not seen fit to base this instruction in the code on a regulation is best known to those who framed the code and the regulations. BRAKE-TESTING SYSTEMS In a review of equipment available I to-day for road and garage brake testing of cars Mr Maurice Piatt, in the Motor, condemns as quite unsuitable for police purposes the rough and ready method of proceeding at a steady speedometer speed, applying the brakes at some mark and then measuring the stopping distance. He shows that the margin of error can be exceedingly large. , , . , "In actual fact, the whole idea of assessing the effectiveness of brakes by

Items of news —short descriptions ot tours, the state ol the roads, etc., comment, or inquiries—will be welcomed by Accelerator.

the stopping distances which they afford at various speeds is unsatisfactory, confusing, and out of date," he says. "It is very much better to write and to think in terms of brake efficiency; the test results are then simpler, can be obtained either on the road or in the garage at will, and can easily be compared as between one vehicle and another. " The action of the brakes in stopping a car is to retard the wheels in order that forces may be created between the tyre treads and the road surface which resist forward motion. The ratio between the sum of these restraining forces and the weight of the car is a measure of efficiency of the brakes; always provided that the adhesion between the tyre treads and the road is sufficient to enable the braking mechanism to give of its best. Even under the very best conditions the adhesion will scarcely ever enable the brakes to exert a force which is greater than the weight of the car Consequently this condition (when force and weight are equal) is conveniently taken as 100 per cent, on the scale of efficiency. "An efficiency of 60 per cent, simply means that the braking forces on the lour wheels add up to an amount equal to 6-10ths of the weight of the car. The result is the same whether the brakes are applying a restraint of 6001 b to a baby car weighing 10001 b or are exerting a force of 6 tons upon a lorry weighing 10 tons. A figure of 60 per cent, happens to be a fair average for four-wheel brakes, in reasonable order, used on a dry road. "Even more important is the fact that the rate at which a braked vehicle loses speed (i.e., its deceleration) is exactly proportional to braking efficiency expressed in this way; this direct and simple relationship holds good no matter whether the vehicle is travelling at 10 m.p.h. or 50 m.p.h. and is also independent of its weight. As the deceleration is governed by efficiency. it follows that two vehicles which give equal efficiency figures will stop in exactly the same distance from any given speed, irrespective of their weight and size." Mr Piatt then proceeds to deal with the various devices on the market. All give direct and accurate results. Road systems give the sum of the braking as a whole, but in the garage it is possible also to find the efficiency of each individual brake. Mr Piatt's article attracted widespread notice when it appeared and has been in great demand in official quarters. Incidentally it has not escaped the notice of the British Bench. VEHICLES AND THE LAW The issue by the Ministry of Transport of two booklets containing the new traffic regulations and the road code has attracted attention to the position of the motorist as affected by the law. In an informative survey Mr G. W. Hutchison, secretary of A.A. (Auckland), pointed out that the law governing the use of motor vehicles in New Zealand is riot confined in a single document but various provisions are scattered throughput quite a number of statutes. "The principal one is the Motor Vehicles Act, 1924, and its amendment of 1936. The 1924 Act has been in operation so long that I must assume that all drivers are familiar with its requirements, but the 1936 amendment calls for passing comment. It is under this amendment that the new speed limit of 30 miles per hour is imposed in boroughs and town districts or any other closely-populated area gazetted by the Minister in which the restriction shall apply. At the suggestion of Automobile Associations, the Minister took power to exclude sparselysettled borough and town district roads, and has done so in a number of cases. The Automobile Association has erected signs on all main roads to inform motorists where the 30 m.p.h. restriction applies.. "There is also the Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third Party Risks) Act, 1928, under which we all pay a premium when taking out our annual license plates to cover injury to any person outside the car—known as the third party. Last year, by an amendment to the Law Reform Act, a very great additional risk was placed on the motor vehicle owner in respect of liability for injury to passengers in his or her car. This liability should be provided against by special insurance that the companies have made available.

" There are now two other important documents—the new traffic regulations gazetted in December, and the road code, which has just been released by the Minister of Transport. The difference between these two is that the traffic regulations are legal requirements, for neglect or breach of which certain penalties are specified. The code sets out in the form of warning or advice—expressed in short sentences —the more important requirements, or highlights of the regulations. It might be regarded as a code of ethics for motorists, pedestrians, motor cyclists, push cyclists, and horse-drawn vehicles. In short, it says to each of these—avoid accidents by acting always, when using the road, as ladies and gentlemen. "When Lord Bledisloe returned to England he said that New Zealanders were Nature's gentlemen. He might have added, ' but some forget it when using the highway.' However, the percentage that is unmindful of the convenience of others on the road is very small. I cover a large annual mileage, and feel that I can speak with some knowledge. On a recent trip to Gisborne and back I only met two drivers who were driving dangerously. And yet hundreds of road accidents continue to happen, and it is because the Automobile Association has pledged itself to help, in every way possible, to reduce the number, that I am giving this talk." Touching on the new regulations, Mr Hutchison said the authorities that might exercise the powers and duties imposed by the regulations were a traffic inspector appointed by the Minister or the Main Highways Board, or a police officer. " When carrying out duty under the regulations a traffic inspector must carry his warrant of appointment, but a police officer need not be in uniform. The power to direct the driver of a vehicle to stop shall be exercised only by a police officer in uniform or a traffic inspector wearing a distinctive cap with a badge of authority fixed thereto. " He may, however, without uniform or cap demand the name and address of the driver; inspect and test the brakes or equipment of a car; move or cause to be moved a vehicle causing an obstruction; by notice in writing direct that any vehicle shall not be used on any road if he considers it unsafe; forbid any person to drive if he considers such person to be

physically or mentally incapable of doing so." Mr Hutchison then dealt briefly with all the other regulations. Speaking of regulation 7. which provided a new specification for adjustment or lights, he stated he had been told that some drivers, after obtaining their warrants of fitness, had their lights raised again. " One of these nights they will receive a rude shock, and I do not think they will receive much sympathy from anyone," he added. PACKARD SALES INCREASE More cars were produced by Packard in March and more delivered to purchasers than in any other month in the entire history of the company, it is announced by M. M. Gilman. Packard vice-president and general manager. Still further increases are indicated by the present higher rate of production and by delivery reports from the selling field for the first ten days of April, he added. Production for the first three months this year, Mr Gilman said, exceeded that for the first Quarter of 1936 by 131 per cent. " Our March production," said Mr Gilman, "reached the new high figure of 14,827. This compared with 6809 for March, 1936, an increase of 116 per cent. February, 1937, represented our previous biggest production month with 12,780 cars. Our present rate of production, averaging 680 cars a day, is in excess of that during March. Production for the first three months this year was 38,315. as compared with 16,579 for the first quarter of 1936. It was the biggest quarter year in our history.

" Since production of our present models was started, at about September 1, we have manufactured 81,352 cars. During the corresponding first seven months' production of our 1936 cars we made 39,907 For the entire -year of 1936 our production was 80,699. compared with 52,256 for 1935. "It is of interest that we are experiencing a worth-while increase in business with our larger, more costly cars and a large increase in export business. Export shipments during the first three months of 1937 exceeded those for the first three months of 1936 by 133 per cent. "Despite our greatly increased factory operations, demand from our distributors and dealers continues to exceed our ability to produce, and there is actually less than a normal supply of cars in the selling field." A NEW COMPANY An announcement of importance to motorists is the formation of the United Motor Products Company. This organisation will, in future, control the distribution and service in New Zealand of General Motors Corporation's subsidiary and allied industries such as the universally known General Motors Spare Parts and Accessories. A.C. Spark Plugs, and Delco Auto Radio. The objects of the new company are to strengthen the already established service stations and distributors now handling these lines, and provide for the grouping under one organisation of an extensive parts and merchandising section which will offer to the public and the motor trade generally advanced services in the handling of motor equipment. United Motor Products Company will operate as a division of General Motors New Zealand Limited, Petone. Wellington.

THE MOTOR CYCLE A.A. (Otago) FIXTURES June s.—Sporting trial. June 15.—Annual meeting. PILLION TRIALS . Many novelties were introduced to make the combined pillion trial and motor run, conducted by the Auckland Motor Cycle Club recently, as interesting as possible. Before starting, each competitor was given a list of questions, touching on a variety of subjects, each a real test in itself. For this, points were awarded. An average speed was maintained to the first check, where another list was handed out, requiring all entrants to gather various articles before the final check-in and at the same time to average 25 miles an hour. Among the items required were three mushrooms, four hairs from a horse's tail, one onion, a daffodil, a lily, and a white butterfly. It was most amusing to watch the consequent antics of both motor cyclists and motorists alike in their endeavours to procure horse hairs and butterflies. In some instances assistance of farmers was obtained in catching the horses. Many residents were bewildered on being asked for onions and daffodils by successive visitors. It was a bright note introduced into the trial, and undoubtedly i.dded a lot of interest and enjoyment.

SPARKS Magistrate, in proceedings against a motorist: "Who is making this allegation? " Policeman: "I'm the alligator, your Worship."^ It has been ruled illegal to push a horse across the street in Chicago. Persons have been seen evading the law by pulling them across instead. v ¥ * An American motorist was recently fined for dangerous driving. His speed was 15 m.p.h. They alleged he went so slowly he endangered the lives of other drivers.

A Bristol barrister specialising in defending motorists was charged with "speeding." He pleaded for clemency as a conviction would be bad for his rjractice. Practice in defending others failed to a fine.

Another American inventor has produced a motor horn which barks like a dog. This is for use in rural districts where cattle wander on the road —and refuse to move for ordinary horns.

"A cyclist on the wrong side of the road is as dangerous as a motor car," said a Scottish sheriff recently when he fined a cyclist £2 for causing an accident on the Spittalfleld-Dunkeld road.

If the car refuses to start after being left for a period, although it had previously been running like a bird. suspect an air bubble in the fuel svstem. usually caused by an air leak in the line to the fuel pump, causing that component to suck air instead of petrol. When the car is in motion the pump will overcome a slight air leak, but the leak may make it impossible to start up.

A motorist in the Omaha (America) Traffic Court escaped with a fine instead of going to gaol owing to dangerous driving as he. was very busy as instructor at the local Safety First School. r , „ Slogan: " Do as I say. not as I do. adds the Motor

" If there were a law that empowered i..e, I would disqualify you from riding a bicycle," said the sheriff at Dundee to a man who pleaded gUilty to having ridden a bicycle without lights and admitted to two previous convictions this year for similar offences.

The cost of printing the Highway Code for distribution to every household throughout Great Britain was £14,785, and the cost of distribution was £lo,s4o—total, £25,325. Can it be said that the result has been additional safety knowledge to the extent of £25,000? asks, a London motoring journal. The percentage of wastage must have been prodigious. The Road Fund paid the cost.

Someone has invented a device to prevent drivers falling asleep at the wheel. A light spring fastened round the driver's collar starts an alarm gong when the driver's head nods. A modification expected shortly is another device in the form of a muzzle. When the driver yawns a system of levers starts a gramophone which plays the 1812 Overture while a miniature figure of a policeman darts out of a box and waves a truncheon in time to the music. This is the scientific age.