The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-28
WOMEN AS C%HAUFFEURS.
English Physician Thinks Auto Driving
Is Injurious to the Gentle Sex.

The frequency with which accidents have
happened lately to motor cars driven by
women gives rise to a question OF tne
greatest public interest. SHOULD women
drive motor cars?" As a result of my ex-
perience in cases of nerve disorders |
must emphaticaliy answer No. says a
writer in the Manchester, England,
Chronicle.
Any man whose wife or daughter wishes
to learn to drive a motor car should en-
deavor TO persuade her Of the folly and
danger of such a course of action. Mopor
driving can do her no good, and must DO
her harm, in a greater or lesser degree, be-
sides making her a source of danger to
other users of the road.
It is. Of course, true that many women
have become skilful drivers, and can
handle a car with as much ease as a man.
They can be seen winding their way In
and out of the traffic in Regent street and
Piccadilly with the utmost possible dex-
terity, or sending the car along less ire
quented thoroughfares at high rates OF
speed. Everything is all right should no
sudden emergency arise. 1t i5 Wnen a mo.
ment of danger suddenly occurs that
woman falls.
unexpected crisis, remains calm and clear
headed, he instantly makes up MS MN
and is as quick to put the thought into
action. She is a creature of impulse ana
when suddenly called on to face a perllous
situation, is apt to lose her head. When a
motor car accident seems inevitable, a
man usually keeps his nerve and finds a
way out of the difficulty, while q woman
hesitates and so is lost. Several of the
| accidents which have happened lately have
occurred in exactly this way, a sudden
breakdown of nerve at the crucial moment
a natural result of the feminine mper
ment.
| ceptional woman who can be described as
being almost mannish," inc who will
successfully take part in almost any. OF the
sports which are generally supposed to be
essentially confined to the male sex. This
type of woman has p~erforce to be left on
one side in the consideration of the ques-
She is almost a sex by herself. But even
the nerve of the most fearless woman
will usually eventually suecumb to the
Stance. I Will VHi't quote the case Of a lady
| which has come under my own personal
observation. She has become famous as
a driver of the utmost courage and took
part successfully in many speed trials.
Now she has had enough Of 1t, and de-
clares she will never drive a car again.
up her min to take the risks entaile by
motor car driving | cannot understand.
One would imagine that 1t Is only the per-
take her seat at the steering wheel. Be-
cause even should no accident happen;
should the occupants OF the car and the
other users of the road escape unscratched,
4 followed by morbid nervousness of greater
or lesser intensity.
Indeed. any man who drives a car must
at some time or other become a victim
to neuritisf and | say unhesitatingly that
no professional man can drive a car sew
eral hours a day without his work suffer-
ing In quality and also in quantity. I
know several men of my w profession
who have declared that the nerve tension
entailed by the management Of a car is
too much for them. 1 doubt whether a
surgeon can be found who will drive a
motor car and afterward have a steady
hand enough to perform an. operation; the
strain on the nerves would be too great.
Even the keen lookout which must be
kept by a driver means a loss of energy
on steadiness. Of nerve and. consequently,
is detrimental to the performance of pro-
fessional duties.
I doubt whether motoring is really a
heaIthful exercise, because the rapidity
of the movement causes a current OF air
which impedes proper breathing, and
causes greater inhalation of dust than
would occur in the exercise Of walking.
At first a new thing Is, always Thought
to be excellent. but gradually the defects
are forced into notice. This has been the
case with motoring. The advantage. o.
rapidly Is undoubtedly very great. but thf
scenery cannot be enjoyed in anything
like the manner IL can while driving in Q
horse-drawn carriage or, better still, while
walking. One might as well go in fol
one Of "Hale's tours and see the scenery
passing by as travel in a motor car. II
fhe road be an. open one the speed is al.
WAYS so great that little Of the beauty
spots traversed can be perceived, Whne
| should the road be congested with trarlc
ones attention is entirely diverted.
Even travelling IN 4 car is bound 70 aneC,i
the nerves. When / have motored 70 cal
on a patient / have frequently found ina
1.-THE vibration has caused me to lose my ac
cnstomed s~teadiness of hand, which ma
been very unpleasant. i.
Now the craze for motoring is at IL
height. and every owner of a car gets
bad attack Of speed fever, His or he
sole aim in life appears TO be to travel a
the highest possible pace, regardless o
the danger to the public and the occu
pants Of the car. But this novelty wi
wear off, and the motor car become littl
more than a conveyance for practical pur
poses, not a mere engine Of speed. Own
ers. too, will become too wise to driv
themselves. but viii allow professlone