Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-03
BRAKE ATTENTION WILL
PREVENT ACCIDENTS
Worn and Inefficient Ifrnkea Il Menace
to Motorists, Pedestrians and
Highway Users.

Highway Users, /.
10y noWcytr well VEL hr !i,, be de-
its connections VIII became worn or
iusl,d last from neglect Worn and
inefficient brakes ar. u monaco not only
TO the motoriSt, but to pedestrians and
other users OF the highway as we'll
says Motor Age. SO vital factor OF
safety are the ia,akes of n motor car
that the polio, of some cities consider
poorly operating brakes as prima fucie
eTidencc of car leSsncSs on tho part Of
,roit. for instance. police officers are
instructed to hold cars involved in am
accident Tor IL brake test. and IL the
brakes are not reasonably efficient the
driver is held.
Not only should the drivcr give
prompt attention to any Indication Ihnt
his b.ak. is not acting With full ciii.
cheney and adjust IT AT once hut he
"hould make ii II point 10 examine all
his brake connections periodically to
end Of their possible movement When
he surface Of the lining becomes worn.
Il may happen that when the brake
lever is put backward to it's fullest cx-
.ent. WIN all the power available. 1t
not permit further power being applied,
for the reason that the levers ana con
ncctio:iS cannot be moved :iny farther
IN tn. direction required
II the connections have been fully
tnkrn up and have gotten TO the end Of
brake is required. or are anywhcrr ne;,r
it. either new brake blocks are reo,,ir"d
thn me KAT 9nhd r nee re reiiminE This is
shouid not be put off 10 that indefinite
tomorrow which NAV never come In
,,;mS,,inG ,he efficiency Of an. adjustment.
ilttie dependencc can be- placed on the
method OF (ackinS up tie car>and haul
ing Il "hcel around by hand against the
Drnke. such method might be eff
Iectivc III Il ten or twclvc-foot lever
could be applied to the spokcs. but the
r nesl course IS to see how 1t acts on the
now great Il distance Is required to
stop the ear from n speed OF twenty or
twenty-five miles an hour.
one or the features of brake care
which most often is sadly neglected is
The fabrication OF all working Joints
ana bearings In the brake connections
these TO go without oil for weeks or
months: Joints of this kind without
ii ~! are sure to bind and rust
In time, and may even stick so tightly
,hat some of the connections are
broken. in which case which usually
, uscnrs IN some emergency. they are
Almost as bad as brakes which slip
are brakes which drag all the time
occasions is not the most serious nffect
The fact that as long as the brakes
are dragging they are being made less
efficient for the future. Is the most OBJ
lectlonahle result. The dragging wears
the friction surfaces so that IL is inn
possible to adjust them properly after
Il time.
Apart from the neglect of brakes. the
drivers are likely to get into bad habits
such MS relying entirely on the foot
brakes and never using or never test
ing the emergency. Then. when they
are wanted: and wanted badly, the
emergency brakes may be found out
OF order or rustcd fnst. 80 that they
are useless. Another bad habit is that
OF using the brakes too harshly. II is
pad practice to apply the brakes Sc
gency where a stay has to be sudden.
and as sudden as possible In coming
up 70 Dreintended stopping place
the brakes should be applied only as n
maj check TO stop the car exactly AT
the spot intended