MOTORING NOTES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 143, 18 June 1936, Page 11

MOTORING NOTES

(By “Accelerator.”)

CRUSADE FOR SAFETY Huge Cost °f Accidents. Until recently the number of fatal accidents on the roads in New Zealand averaged 180 a year. Now it has increased to nearly 300 a year, and only a fortnight ago there were seven fatalities in one week-end. For every accident involving death, there are approximately 35 accidents involving injury to persons and damage to property. All this means that huge sums of money are involved. Io arrive at the •cost of motor vehicle accidents, statistics were recently taken Gut in the United States of America showing the cost of a fatality at £lOOO, the cost of a personal injury at £35, and average property damage at £lO Applying these figures to motor accidents in New Zealand, the cost works out at £750,000 a year. This is made up of 300 fatalities at £lOOO eaccii, 10,000 accidents involving property damage at £lO ea’chc. Three-quarters of a million pounds a year is a huge total for motor accidents, but it in no way compensates for the Joss of life caused or the suffering by those who are injured. The motoring organisations have promised their support to anything the Government might do to increase road safety, but they have also pointed out that the problem cannot be overcome merely by introducing acts and regulations and enforcing them. The latest pronouncement on road safety by a motoring organisation has been made by the Automobile Association, Wellington, which contends that the whole community, which means motorists and pedestrians and cyclists, must be educated in the safe use of highways. It welcomes the informations that the Minister for Transport, the Hon. K. Semple, proposes to take power in the amended motor vehicles regulations, to regulate the movement of pedestrians to accord with that of other traffic. “The regulation of pedestrians as one of the most important sections in the prosposed amendments, ’’ tte asocial ion says in a statement issued recently. “In the last year, the association has heard more criticism from overseas visitors on the movement of pedestrians than ever before. . . One needs to make only casual observation of the movement of in relation to motor vehicles at busy intersections, even when timecycle traffic lights are installed to realise the confusion there is. This confusion often leads to accidents. “The association ‘is most anxious steps should be taken to 'create a national safety council whose primary function would be to educate the public, and principally the children in the problems of traffic. In the United States of America, where fatal accidents are approaching 35,000 a year, and accidents involving injury to persons and damage to propertv number 1,000,000 a year, it is somnulsory in some places for high school students to receive education in traffic movement. “The association will welcome anything which the Minister can do—and he has evidently set his mind on taking effective steps toward the reduction of motor accidents —and assures him of its whole-hearted support in dealing with one of the greatest problems of the day.” LUBRICATION DEVELOPMENT Some startling claims which, if sub stantiated, will have a profound effect on motoring have been made for a new method, developed overseas, of mixing lubricating oils. The chemists responsible describe the new mixture as an alloy, and it apparently consists simply of ordinary petroleum oil with which are mixed very small quantities of certain chemicals. It is said that the result is a very much “stronger” oil, which is capable of resisting bearing pressures as high as 15,0001 b a square inch without the lubricating qualities of the oil being affected. In tests which were made under service conditions, cars were driven the equivalent of 10 year'/ c-f average motoring, with cylinder wear Jess than is usual for one-tenth of the distance travelled. Six cars were each driven 100.000 miles, and it was found that at the end of that distance the wearing parts of the engines were in practically car condition, the wear in the cylinders averaging seven thousandths of an inch, less than the thick nes of a human hair.

' SHOCK ABSORBERS . PERIODICAL ATTENTION REQUIRED An important part is played by ths shock absorber in the riding comfort of a ear. The absorber is a rather complicated piece of apparatus and calls for a certain amount of ca-e in service. It is surprising the number of shock absorbers that arc in need of mechanical attention of some sort. Manv motorists seem to forget entirely about these fixtures, and any shortcomings in riding comfort are considered inherent in the car. Shock absorbers need attention no less than do the other moving parts. They should be examined and topped up every 1500 miles; '.he oil in them should be changed every 10,000 miles. It is most important that the correct grade of shock absorber oil should be used in servicing. There are two main reasons for this. The first Is that the satisfactory operation of the shock absorber depends upon the viscosity of the oil, and the second is that the materials used in the construction of shock aborbers vary considerably, and in certain types a mineral oil must not be used, as rubber is incorporated a..' One of the materials in the shock absorber. Mineral oil has a solvent action upon rubber, and therefore destroys its Correct operation.. The fluid in a shock absorber becomes contaminated and deteriorates with use, exactly the same as any other lubricant used for too great a period. Also, old age begins to develop at about 10,000 miles, and in some cases, much less. In many instances, the wrong kind or inferior fluids arc used, in which case. deterioration, and quite often, damage to the instrument will oenrr well before this mileage period. The small passages through which the fluid is continually being forced will not. permit the passage of solid or semi-solid materials, and when these are present, due to breakdown of inferior fluid, mixing o f fluids, or deposits doming from wear, serious damage will result, if the shock abino’on to to go more than 111,000 miles. These particles also clog up by-passes and prevent v a i ves from seating properly, and thin interfere with correct action. CURE FOR CAR SICKNESS I he form of sickness to which manv children and some adults are prone when travelling by car has 'ong been a problem for motorists. Even on firstmass roads the sickness occurs. Sitting by an open window sometimes gives relief, but the thief cause of the fee ing of nausea is said to be the speed and continuous sway of the car. In a recent letter to the "Autocar,” a motorist wrote as follows:"Mr daughter, aged eight, has always had bad headaches and sickness after an hour or more of fast travelling. I was recently informed by my chemist that sucking a piece of barley sugar as soon as a journey commences and every "0 minutes or so thereafter would be a remedy. I am pleased to inform motorists in similar trouble that this has worked quite well on several occasions in conjunction with a minimum of food and a two or three-minute break every hour.” CHEAP OIL CANVASSERS The latest addition to the evergrowing number of door-to-door canvassers in England is the cheap oil hawker. Bands of door-tj-door canvassers have appeared in different parts of the country, and arc offering drums of unbranded lubricating oils at prices well below those usually charged for well-known branded makes. Some or the drums offered bear the grade marfcs of well-known makers, and the contents of them, except to an expert eye, appear little different from a high-grado lubricant, so that the unwarv motorist might imagine that he was getting a bargain of genuine branded oil. The use of cheap oil is usually false economy. There ran be no standard isation of low-grade oils and they usually vary widely in quality. Their detrimental efforts may not be detected immediately in the running of a motorcar, yet; all the time thev are in the sump they may be forming excessive

carbon, their harmful constituents may be causing engine wear, and bv failing to effect, as all oils shou’d, protection against corrosion, allowing f.ho cylinders to be eaten away. What is more, inferior lubricants, by failing to “seal” the pistons, burn twice as quickly as the high-grade oils they are claimed to substitute, and much more frequent replenishing is necessary. A cheap oil, therefore, is expensive in the end It is well to remember that tens of thousands of pounds are spent every year by high-grade oil manufacturers m lubrication research. The results of this work are available in al l oils recommended by the motor-car manufacturers. The motorist cannot expect to g(*t the best out of h ; s car if he the recommendation and experlwith cheap, unbranded oils ofby street-hawkers.