“BLACKING-OUT” DANGER.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18629, 26 July 1930, Page 10

“BLACKING-OUT” DANGER.

There is in some quarters an entirely mistaken idea that it is courteous and a sign of “good driving” to extinguish one’s headlights at the approach of another vehicle, it being hoped that the other driver wil respond in like manner. This practice, which is known as “blacking out,” has been condemned as exceedingly dangerous by every motoring organisation and by almost every experienced car driver. When the head lamps are suddenly extinguished, the driver’s eyes do not respond quickly to the sudden contrast between a well-lit road ahead and a faintly illuminated surface, dimly outlined in the rays of the side lamps. The result is that cyclists or pedestrians ahead of the car are not observed, and in not a few instances they have been run down by an overtaking vehicle.

NO RUNNING BOARDS. Some of the smartest-looking motorcars on English and French roads today have no running boards. The same tendency was noticed at the recent Melbourne Motor Exhibition, where two of the finest and most expensive cars were minus the usual running boards, these being replaced by disappearing folding steps', that dropped into position when the doors were opened. Judging by the complimentary remarks made by many motorists who inspected these two cars, their appearance was considerably enhanced by the absence of the customary running boards. From a utility point of view the running boards on many family cars do good service as carriers for luggage, and in this connection are a great convenience to many owners of cars making long trips. For the family cars and specially those used in the country, the running board has a definite utility value, although luggage on the running boards may not improve the look of a car from an aesthetic standpoint.