Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-24
Mitchell May, Secretary of
State Of New York, Ex-
presses His Views.
PUBLIC CONSIDERATION
VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR
Alertness and Foresight Are Needed
for the Driver Besides Mechan-
ical knowledge.

The right and wrong way to drive an
automobile is outlined by Mitchell May.
secretary of state of New York, in a
recent paper on the question of handling
motor cars
In expressing his Views on the subject
he says:
"The successful driving of even the
modern motor car is not quite the easy
matter 1t appears. Apart from the me-
chanical knowledge, not only is skill
required, but also alertness. foresight
and constant thought of and considera-
ton for other road users as well as for
the machine itself.
1T has been said that passengers in
a well driven car should not be aware
that the car is being driven at all-that
is to say, the passage of the car should
be one of gentle movements without
jerks and sudden stops. If the car is
properly driven. the attitude of mind on
the part of the passengers should not be
one of continual apprehension of fear,
as is too often the case. but one of COM
plete confidence and enjoyment
Taxicab Drivers Cited.
ITO understand what this means, take
the common case of the New York taxi
cab drivers, whose methods differ widely
in the handling of the vehicle. One driv-
er may go from place to place in few
seconds less time than another, but at
a far greater cost of tires. wheels, frame,
gear and engine. causing far more nerv-
Gus tension on the part of the passenger
and irritating other drivers of vehicles
on the road.
Here and there will still be found an
ignoramus who is apt to consider this
cutting down of time a piece of smart
work, but what harm has he left in his
train?
1T is this style of driving which has
brought much odium upon motoring in
the past and, whether the driver has
charge of a public carriage or a private
car, he Is an enemy of automobiling in
general. The mechanician's style of driv-
ing as it has been called. though happily
the number addicted to this practice Is
daily growing less. consists mainly in
starting very suddenly, turning corners
very sharply and stopping very quickly.
This is not good driving-indeed. a more
complete negation of what really con-
stitutes good driving could not possibly
be imagined.
For Comfort Of Passengers.
ITO begin with. the driver should
start away as gently as possible, not
only from the point of view of the
comf6ft Of the passengers, but in order
to lessen the wear and tear on the tires
and the strain on the engine. The more
imperceptibly a start is made the longer
will the car and tires last Then with
regard to the turning of corners, a
quite unnecessary and undue strain is
thrown upon the wheels, tires, springs
and frame generally by rushing around
them-apart from the danger which is
always present, owing to the. action of
centrifugal force, especially in the case
OF greasy surface.
"Skidding around corners is nearly al
ways caused by driving too fast at that
particular bend. and much too often do
owners of cars accept from their drivers
the excuse that the reason of an accident
was that the car skidded on going
around the corner. A complete answer
to this excuse is the reply: Then the
car should not have been driven SO fast
when turning.
Improvement in Speeding.
Thirdly. as to speed, although. as the
facts show. there has been a great i'm
provement in this respect and more
common sense and consideration are
manifest among the ranks Of motor
car drivers, yet there are one or two
points which many might bear in mind
with advantage.
created by the manner in which the
driver stops his car. The vehicle should
be gradually slowed down until the
stopping place is reached, and the brakes
almost taken off just before the car
comes to dead stop.
ut Is an assured sign Of bad driving
for man to rush up to a front door
or store and put on the brakes at the
last moment, bringing the car up with a
lurch which throws the occupants
forward in their seats and causing a
shudder from motoring and non-motor-
ing onlookers alike. This is not an indi-
cation of 'smartness' or style in driving,
but merely an indication of thoughtless-
ness and stupidity
consideration for other users Of the
road should be most strongly insisted
upon, for it is an all-important factor
to the standing of a motorist in the eyes
of the public. Every motorist should
remember that he wants the public with.
not against, him in future years.