MOTORING NOTES

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20455, 7 November 1934, Page 15

MOTORING NOTES

BY

MAGNETO.

MOTOR-CYCLING.

Pioneer Club T.T. Events at Harewood.

FIXTURES, Canterbury Club. November 18—Opening run. February 23—Fifty miles beach race. Pioneer Club. November 17—Road hill-climb. December I—Scott scramble. December 16—T.T. meeting at Harewood. Corsair Club. November 31—Sports day. -November 25—Excursion to Grey mouth and South Westland. December 9—Sports day at Waihora. December—Miniature T.T. racing Moeraki Downs. a m Pioneer Club’s T.T. There is not the slightest doubt that the Pioneer Club's Harewood T.T. course is immensel.v jvopular with motorcyclists. Last Sunday competition in all the events was keen, and previous best times were considerably Improved upon. The attendance of spectators was good, and the entries were satisfactory. There were several attempts on the lap record, and in all cases the times wore bettered. The following are the new records, the old holders and times being given in parentheses: 506 c.c. class, N B. Newton. 44sec (Ft. J. Hyde 48 1-F.sec), 350 c.c. class, A'. C. Browne 46 l : s*e<\ (J. R. Bourne 50 4-ssec) ; 250 c.T-. c lass. L. K. j. Cooke, 4S 2-ssec (no previous record). N. B. Newton, who bids fair to be the ■ most outstanding discovery among the newcomers this year, was the leading rider of the day. R. j. Hyde, too, was good, while J. R. Bourne gave performances full of dash. V. C. Browne was right back to the top of his form, as his time indicates. The following list of fastest lap times gives an indication of the performances of the various riders: X. B. Newton (3 5 Ariel) 4 4sec, It. J. Hyde (3-5 Norton) 44 3-ssec, A'. C. Browne (?| A;J.S.) 4 6 1-3 sec, J. R: Bourne (2£- Calthorpe) 46 3-ssec. L. E. Cooke (2$ Ariel) 4S 2-ssec. T. Gorirski- <35 A..T.S;) 49 l-ssec. D. Blackwell <2J Calthorpe) 50sec, G. Bennett <35 Calthorpe) oOseo, J. Houlden (2£ Caltliprpe) 51 sec, H. FUntcroft (35 Norton) 52sec. E. Brown (3B Norton) 53sec, A. Smith <22 A.J.S.) 54sec, .T. Laurenson <3J Coventry Eagle) 57sec. G. Murphy <3* Ariel) 58sec, D. Ellis (35 Triumph) 60 sec-. The Pioneer Club will bold a hillclimbing contest at Heat hoot e on the course which was used last June. The programme provides for a 350 c.c. scratch event, an open scratch event arid a sealed handicap. Entries for the event close on Fridav, November 16, at 9.30 p.m. . _ Corsair Club 3Cote*. The Corsair sports meeting next Sunday will be at Prebbleton Domain. A fujl and interesting programme is assured.- Tho- -first- -event will commence at the railway yard at 9.30 a.m., and will be in the nature of a speed-estimat-ing contest, in which each rider is instructed to proceed t’o Prebbleton at a certain speed with the speedometer sealed, the results being determined by a secret check between Christchurch and Prebbleton. The remaining events are equally interesting, comprising an obstacle race, long jump, solo potato race, blind riding, circle riding and riding the tight-rope, while the events for ladies are a honeymoon race, dispatch riding and egg-and-spoon race. At the invitation of the Clem Dawe Revue Company, a motor-cyclists’ evening will be held at St James’s Theatre next Tuesday evening. All Corsairs desiring to join the party should inquire of Mr C. A. C. Frost regarding tickets.

PETROL SAVING. Things That Count in Economic Running. Hints for motorists who want get more miles to the gallon are contained in a report released by engineers of an American oil company after a three months’ exhaustive run of specially equipped test cars. The report reveals that there is a wide variance in the mileage obtained from the same * car and motor spirit under varying speeds, temperatures, road conditions and different drivers. Among the findings are the following : 1. The average motor vehicle attains its best mileage from motor spirit at a speed of 20 to 25 miles an hour. Then the mileage drops constantly until, at 60 miles an hour the mileage is cut almost in half. 2. Maximum mileage is obtained after the engine has been running about l£ hours. The difference in mileage between a cold motor and one that has been warmed up is about five miles per gallon. 3. Motor oil that is too heavy will cut mileage down by one or two miles per gallon, while a lighter weight oil increases mileage by eliminating oil drag and by giving more thorough lubrication.

4. The motorists going up a 10 per cent grade will lose as much as eight miles a gallon, and on a 5 per cent grade as much as four miles a gallon. 5. The difference between going with a 20-mile wind and against a 20-mile wind is three miles a gallon.

6. Concrete and asphalt roads give the best mileage, with hard dirt, hard oil, crushed rock and gravel, sand and mud roads next in order.

The temperament and experience of the man or woman at the wheel is a very important factor. The man who declutches or free wheels averages an extra mile or two per gallon, compared to the average good driver. The man who idles his' engine incessantly, uses his break excessively or runs his engine needlessly loses as much as two miles per gallon.

PASSENGER’S WORRIES.

Advice Not Welcomed by Drivers.

“THE POINT OF VIEW.” Few drivers-! can enjoy a trip in a car with another person "at the wheel, because they are constantly on edge, braking with invisible brakes, steering with invisible wheels, and muttering: “ Take it easy ! Look out! Mind that dog! There’s a turning here!” and other things at regular intervals, states the “ Auckland Star.” To enjoy sitting beside the driver, one must either have no nerves at all or no knowledge whatever of driving. Nevertheless, there are lots of things a motorist can do to make a car trip less worrying when not at the wheel. For instance, he can make certain that the person at the wheel does not light his or her own cigarettes—that does away with one worry; he can do all the map-reading that is required and so take his mind off the fact that he is trusting to the skill of another; he can turn round and engage those behind in conversation, if there are other passengers in the car, or he can resolutel} r look out of the side window. Angle of View. The driver who is not actually driving must always bear in mind that he or she is viewing things in quite a different way and from a totally different angle. There was plenty of room to cut in between that lorry and that other car; the driver could see that there was nothing coming out of that turning, and the person at the wheel could see much farther round the bend than his or her passenger, simply because of the different angle of view. One gets a good illustration of this different angle business when one sits as close as possible to the driver, because then one can see things at almost the same angle as the person behind the wheel. Again, if one is sitting beside a driver who is on familiar ground, one should bear in mind that he or she knows the busy turnings, exactly when cross-roads arc coming, the exact width of the road and what the sufaces are like. Another point to be remembered if one would have peace of mind when being driven, is that an owner-driver knows his own car. He knows what his brakes are like and what kind of acceleration his car is capable of. Slowing the Reckless. Should one be unfortunate enough to find oneself by the side of a really reckless driver, then a certain amount of tact is necessary if one is to get to one’s destination without one’s hair turning white. Reckless drivers are usually callous and will probably go faster if asked to “pipe down”; therefore the person sitting in the passenger seat should use strategy and pretend to be interested in the scenery, saying: “I say, old man, go slower for a bit, will you? There’s a house I want to pick out! ” Shoud one be really scared and the driver almost criminally reckless, then one has only one remedy—the switch key ! That will larn him ! The whole problem of the person who is a driver himself or herself, sitting beside the driver, is a question of ’the 'exercising of a little will power. One must force onself to trust the man at the wheel and, at the same time, to talk to him as little as possible, and to think of other things as much as possible. Alternati\*ely, of course, one should either go by train or walk! After all, people do not relish being told how to drive their own cars. A NEW ELECTROLYTE. A company owning and operating its own mines in Utah, U.S.A.. has deA'eloped a non-acid silenium electrolyte which is creating interest in motoring circles. It is said that there is no danger of burns in case of accident, and clothing is not harmed. Practical demonstrations of this have been given. No special battery is required, to prove which claim an ordinary motor-car battery was taken, emptied of the solution it contained, and refilled with the silenium solution. It was then recharged, submerged in water in a glass tank, and thus installed on the running board of the car. It operated at full power, charging and discharging while under water. The leads were bare — no insulation—and there was no short--1 ing or loss of power. The famous racing driver and engineer, Peter De Paolo, who made the ! above trial, intends to make a series of tests at Muroc (dry lake bed) and Indianapolis (speedxvay) under official supervision with a view to determining speed and mileage, it being claimed that the battery thus charged will carry from 10 to 15 per cent more current. It is claimed that hundreds of batteries have been in use on the road, giving perfect service, some of them sealed for over twelve months.