WOMAN AND HER CAR

Ladies' Mirror, Volume I, Issue 4, 2 October 1922, Page 41

WOMAN AND HER CAR

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WOMEN motorists are taking an increasingly keen interest in the mechanism of their cars, and many of them understand just “what makes the wheels go round just as clearly as do their husbands and brothers. Very . few are now held up by the trivial troubles which not long ago were sufficient to keep them on the side of the road till a male driver happened along, and most can trace the source of a stoppage or loss of power with certainty, and with a ready idea of how to go to work to remedy the trouble. Absence of the speed mania, and a careful respect for the by-laws and the rules of the road by women at the wheel, are two very great factors in the almost entire absence of preventive accidents by cars under the control of feminine drivers. The Efficient Light Car Light cars have a particular appeal to women drivers, and manufacturers abroad, to cater for the demand thus created, are showing a decided trend towards the highly efficient light car with the small engine that develops great power on hills and good speed on level roads. As to their dependability, the results achieved by the small cars in the last 1000 miles Alpine trial were sufficient to show their quality and staunchness. These little cars are not, of course, so comfortable on rutty roads as those with a long wheel base, but for city work and where the roads are good they have many advantages, not the least of which is the low cost of running. Treat Your Brakes Kindly It is both good driving and economy to use your brakes as little as possible. When approaching a road intersection, rough spot, traffic jam or any situation demanding a lower speed or possibly a stop, it is good practice to remove the foot from the throttle some time in advance, and lose speed by coasting rather than to approach without slackening and then brake hard. The less the brakes are used the less they will wear, the life of the tyres will be increased, and the strain on the whole car mechanism greatly reduced. The fuel requited to propel the car over a distance that might have been coasted is also saved. The Danger Signal One of the latest novelties helping to make motoring safer is a glove in the back of which is a small red electric lamp, which can be lighted by pressing a button under the thumb. When the car is going to stop or turn a corner the driver puts out her hand as a warning to any car that may be following. This is by no means easy to see in the dark, but the little red lamp is visible for a long distance. Look, Stop, Listen! TT is wise to approach a crossroad cautiously, unless, of course, in open country and the side approaches are clearly visible. Where there is a possibility of danger—and one never knows what may cross the path either sound the horn or. reduce the pace, so that the car is under complete control, whatever might happen. In this way the right thing will be done when a sudden emergency arises. Easy Steering If the effort of steering the car LHC CIIUI l U 1 .’ULLIIIIg LllC V-0.1 appears to be hard, it may be due to the wheels being out of line, but most likely it is caused by tyres that need inflating or by steering connections that require oiling. The first step is

to inflate the tyres to normal pressure, then all parts of , the steering mechanism should be thoroughly greased or oiled, as the case may be. This includes not only the steering gear, but the ball joint at either side of the drag link, the king pin bearing on which the wheels swivel, and the tie rod bearing. When the Car Skids A FTER heavy rain, or even a smart spring shower, the roads are apt to be slippery, and a few hints as to how to prevent skidding will not be out of place. A light, continuous pressure on the brakes will bring up the car almost as quickly as will a sudden, hectic jam on the pedal, which locks the wheels and provokes a violent skid. The same remark applies to the way in which steering is handled. Back wheel skids can always be corrected ; a front wheel skid is worse, for which reason it is always as well to sec that at least one front wheel has a good non-skid tread on it when driving in wet weather. The proper way to correct a skid is to drive into it. Thus, suppose when taking a right hand bend on a highly cambered road, a patch of grease is encountered and the rear of the car skids outward —that is to the left—the proper way is not to turn the steering wheel still further to the right, for this will fetch the car up broadside, and make matters worse, but the steering should be turned to the left for a fraction of a second in order to make the direction of the car the same as the direction of the skid, thus enabling the back wheels to get a grip. It should always be remembered that the brakes should not be touched if it is desired to correct a skid. Take the clutch out and allow the car to roll until it comes under the steering control again; but in no circumstances should the rear wheels be locked or accelerated if it is desired to stop the car moving sideways. A great deal can be learned by making the car skid intentionally, and that is the best way of teaching oneself to correct skids. More than half the accidents through skidding are due to the driver losing his or her head and doing the wrong thing. Before commencing work about the mechanical part of the car, a good plan is to procure a bar of soap, and, laying it flat, scrape the finger nails along it. This will fill the under part of the nails with soap, preventing the accumulation of grease. After the work is completed, the soap can easily be washed out, leaving the nails quite clean. Cold cream, if applied to the hands, and well rubbed on before attempting engine adjustment, will greatly facilitate the removal of oil and stains from the hands. Motoring and Health Motoring, from a health point of view, is one of the finest things obtainable, if used with ordinary sense. Some of the hints appended may be found of service:— The best speed to adopt for a long run, from a health point of view, is between 20 and 25 miles an hour. At the end of a long dusty or tiring run a good hot bath is as fine a thing as one can have. It wet, or inclined to cold, an aspirin or two. or a hot drink, milk for preference, helps to ward oft" trouble. Gauntlet gloves help to keep the whole body warm, preventing the wind blowing up the sleeves. Ordinary gloves arc not in the same street. Good, well-fitting goggles fitted with correct lenses for your sight, are a great protection to your eyes, but not one in a thousand thinks of the trouble an incorrect lens may cause.