THE ART OF REVERSING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19443, 31 October 1925, Page 19 (Supplement)

THE ART OF REVERSING

A USEFUL ACCOMPLISHMENT. ITS AID IN TURNING ROUND. The reason why cars are not easy to reverse is that the steering is designed to give the best results only when the car is travelling in a forward direction. It would not be difficult to design a steering gear which would allow a car to be driven astern with comparative ease, but, if this were the case, steering in a forward direction would be almost as difficult as steering is with a normal type of car when the reverse gear is engaged. The trouble when reversing is not that the steered wheels are at the wrong end of the car, so to speak, so much as that they tend not to follow a straight course, but to lock right over in one direction or the other. This is due to the i * castor action” created by the inclination of the stub swivel pins having a directly opposite effect when reversing to that which it exerts when the car is going ahead. Those who have any appreciable difficulty in keeping a car straight when reversing should find a quiet hill with a gradual gradient and, with the gear in neutral and one foot on the brake pedal, allow the car to run slowly backwards, endeavi .ring at the same time to steer as straight a course as possible. Half an hour’s practice will be found to be helpful, and when a degree of expertness is attained practising may be begun with the engine running and the reverse gear engaged. Hand Throttle Useful. It will be found easier if, instead of using the accelerator, the hand throttle is set to give a speed in reverse of about six or seven miles an hour. This will leave both feet free, one foot for the clutch and one for the brake, and thus give a feeling of confidence which is often Jacking when, to make a sudden stop, it is necesary to remove the right foot from the accelerator to the brake.

Having acquired the knack of reversing along a straight road and thus having become familiar with the general method of handling the car when reversing, the beginner is advised to find an open space where he can practise reversing round corners and through narrow spaces. This is easilydone with the aid of small pegs driven into the ground. If an asphalt courtyard or something of the kind is chosen some suitable objects, such as petrol tins, may be placed in predetermined positions to represent gateways, very narrow turnings, and so forth.

The all-important thing for the beginner is to have plenty of room in which to manoeuvre his car, for, when reversing, it is necesary to control the direction of both ends of the car, while, generally speaking, when going ahead the beginner need concern himself only with where the front wheels are going, leaving the rear wheels to follow.

In turning round in a narrow road with the aid of a gateway or small side turning, the beginner’s tendency is to turn the front of the car into the side turning or gateway and then to reverse out with the steering locked over. This, however, is seldom possible, because so soon as the front wheels arc turned the forward part of the ear w'ill move laterally to the right or the left, and it will be found that there is not sufficient room for full lock to be applied. In consequence, several backward and forward movements will have to be made before the car is facing in the reverse direction. The more experienced driver will start by over-running a side turning; ho will then reverse into it and drive straight out on the other lock, the whole operation taking only a few moments.

The reason why one lock is sufficient in this case is because there is plenty of room for the front of the car to be manoeuvred in the main roadway, and for the front wheels to describe, the very much larger arc than that described by the rear wheels. The difference in these arcs will bo made clear is a broad road is found where the car can make a complete circle with the steering gear locked hard over. Try this in reverse and the fact will be revealed that, when going astern in

a narrow space, it is not sufficient only to keep a look-out behind. Unless the course being pursued by the forward portion of the car is also very closely watched, there is every likelihood that one of the wings will be crushed.

A rule to remember when reversing out of a gateway and intending to follow the roadway to the left is that the iff-side of the car at the rear must be manoeuvred as close to the right-hand gatepost as possible. This allows more loom for the near-side front wheel to swing to the left when the steering is locked over.

In most cases it will be found that reversing is easier if one looks over the side of the car and to the rear instead of looking directly backwards over the left shoulder. Of course, with most enclosed cars it is impossible to look over the right shoulder, but if drop windows are fitted it is generally easy to lean out and thus obtain a good view of the road astern. In any case, it is most important to do this, if the car has been left alongside the kerb in a town or village, as a cycle or other small vehicle, which would not be visible through the small window at the back of the ear, may be against the kerb immediately behind. It may bo thought that when one steps into a ear by the kerbside the need to get away would seldom arise; but, in point of fact, it often happens that there is a vehicle drawn up so close to the front of the car that it is necessary to reverse for a few feet before one can get away in a forward direction.

Reversing a car in a city street is seldom easy, and experienced drivers invariably avoid the need for it whenever circumstances permit. Thus, when travelling along a road and a

turning is missed, or for some other reason one wishes to go in the reverse direction, it is always best to turn down a side better than using one to the right, because when reversing out into the main street the traffic stream is- joined in the correct direction, and drawing across to tho proper side of the road is simplified because the oncoming traffic is being fa--cl. Tho reverse is, of course, the case if one uses a side turning to one’s right for the purpose of turning the car so that it faces the opposite direction. It should be borne in mind that tho police object to a ear being reversed for an excessive distance, and if an accident were to occur when a ear was being reversed it is very probable that tho damaged party would prove negligence on tho part of the driver who was reversing, if it was proved that he reversed a greater distance than appeared to be necessary in view of the circumstances ruling at tho time. Making use of a left-hand turning is turning on the left rather than to make a sweep on tho right in a perhaps unsuccessful endeavour to get round on one lock. In the country, however, when a car has to be turned round, it is not so important to ascertain a way of turning it which involves the shortest distance being traversed in reverse, and a turn is often made more easy by the lunger par! of it being made in reverse.