A Few More Don’ts

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 70, 14 June 1927, Page 10

A Few More Don’ts

Don’t run your car without seeing first if it has ample water, oil, and petrol. Don’t run all day and think of the lighting system when the sun goes down. Don’t run on any journey without a spare. Don’t go on long or any journey without seeing to the. “ki~ of tools.” Don’t allow your passengers to grin if so you happen to pass another «?ar. Don’t allow your children (or any one else’s) to poke their arms out on ‘either side of the car to bring to notice some view or other. It :s annoying to the driver in the car following. Don’t drive in the middle of the road even if it be clear. Cars are now built to take up all ruts easily. Ruts should be no excuse for driving in the middle of the road. (City or suburbs, of course.)* Don’t blow and make hideous noises when nearing a horse-drawn waggon or cart—he has as much right to the road as the motor man. Don’t allow your passengers to gape CONCERNING BRAKES WHAT THEY DO, AND WON’T DO Brakes exert their greatest effect just before the wheels stop and the tyres begin to skid. One brake gradually applied will give better results on the level or on up grades than when either one or both are suddenly applied. Brakes unevenly adjusted will throw a vehicle sidewise out of its track. Sudden application of both foot and emergency brakes hastens the “slewing” of the vehicle from its track and the period during which the whole dependence is on the skidding friction of the tyres. This statement jdoes not apply to steep down grades. DON’T LOCK WHEELS Brakes applied so as to lock the wheels prevent using the engine as a brake. Two brakes, foot and emergency, when the first one applied is in good condition, will not stop the vehicle on level or up grades as quickly as one. Brakes will not stop a vehicle in as short a space when they lock the wheels and cause skidding as when they are applied to the point just short of locking the wheels. Brakes will not give proper results when only part of the braking surface

is bearing:, because of uneven adjustment on different wheels, because one shoe bears only a part of the braking surface, because oil is dripping on the brakes, or because brake lining is gone from that portion of the brake surface which is bearing. Even though a break lining is made of asbestos, which is virtually incombustible, a dragging brake is fully capable of setting.

WEARS THEM DOWN

If brakes are permitted to drag the brake lining and brake drums will be worn down unnecessarily. If the drag is pronounced, sufficient friction heat may be generated when the car is on the road to burn the paint off the brake drums and surrounding parts, and in certain cases I have found, actually starting a fire. Trying out the brakes with the rear wheels jacked up will reveal such dragging and will also show whe the: the right and left wheel brakes are operating alike. Automobile owners are taking a i chance if they fail to see that their } brakes are well inspected every C>o» miles or thirty days, depending on the L ’ so To which the car is put. lospect them—NOW! 1

and grin at the unfortunate who has had a blow-out or puncture.

Don’t make people hop, when you sound the alarm—it is not fun.

Don't drive past any stationary tram anywhere. Your dad, mum. sister, brother, relative or friends may be leaving same. Don’t give the traffic constable cheek; do as he suggests always. Don’t worry about the car following, except to give him che signal of your own actions, i.e., turning to the right, stopping, etc. Don’t neglect the traffic constable’s signal to stop, and at cross streets don’t stop the car so as to interfere with the pedestrian who * wishes to cross. Don't give -wrong signals anywhere, drop th£ cigarette, cigar or pipe ash on the floor; the mats are easily cleaned. Don’t think you are the only driver on the road, and your make of car is it. Don’t miss the traffic notices; they are plain enough. Don’t go out without your licence. Don’t run far on a flat tyre. CAR CONFISCATION AMERICAN DEALERS HIT Confiscation of motor-cars used for the transportation of liquor is placing a more and more serious handicap on the American motor-car dealer. A case has just been reported in which a car was purchased on the deferred payment plan and about 500 dollars were still due the dealer. The car was confiscated by the Government under the terms of an act passed in 1863, which was adopted primarily to end the sale of liquor to the Indians. This act gave the officers power to confiscate all vehicles found containing any product on which internal revenue was due but not paid, even though the owner of the vehicle was not convicted or brought to trial. In the case noted above the case against the owner of the car was dismissed, but the vehicle was put into the service of the prohibition department I

Motor-car owners who decide g stall new piston rings in their should remember that while the obviously are flexible they a ‘ so # somewhat brittle and will J>rea» t handled roughly. The flexibility the rings often gives and impr that they can be stretched mucn ,j than actually is the case. It “ tbeir to bear in mind that the limit of tn flexibility is to be found in the sp (necessary to get them over t ‘l® jl F ar e i the piston. Beyond this tnej liable to break.