Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-30
Tourists Who Go on Weekend
Trips Warned to Pay Strict
e. Attention to Signs.
GREAT DANGER ALSO
IN TURNING CORNERS
Slippery Asphalt Sometimes Brings
About Accident Unless Car Is
Run Slowly.

Tourists who go on weekend trips
should pay strict attention to signs
which warn that the roads are being
oiled. as an oily macadam road is more
slippery even than a wet asphalt pave
ment," says II. C. Brokaw, principal of
the New York West Side Y. NJ. c. A.
Automobile School. 1.-THE danger is
greater from the fact that the road is
crowned-that is. 1t rises in the center
and slopes off on either side to a ditch.
If you get off the crown on an oily road
the machine is pretty sure to slide to-
ward the ditch. In running over an
oily road 1t is necessary to keep on
the crown as much as possible, and
when the driver has to pass another
vehicle, if he cares much for himself
and his car, he had better slow down or
come to stop and let the other fellow
worry about, getting by.
AN ounce of caution is worth several
pounds of energy spent in getting the
car back after it goes in the ditch or
tries to climb a telegraph pole" he
says.
1.-THE other day had occasion to ride
In Orange county and struck a piece of
of Goshen. 1t had apparently been
oiled the night before and they had not
finished putting on the binder. 1t was
thick with oil. The road makers knew
1t was dangerous and put up a sign.
but big car went down a little hill
leading 20 the oil and failed to heed the
sign. When l caught up it was in the
ditch and coming up were half dozen
other cars. sliding all around, but try
ing to get to the ditched car to give
assistance.
Turned Completely Around.
"The big cal, had slowed down or else
it would have gone over into the field,
but it had turned completely around
and was headed in the direction whence
1t had come. The other cars were slid
ing all over. When I found my car
beginning to slide 1 stopped, for 1 was
just moving. l stopped to inquire and
found thai when the driver of the big
car had found himself skiddfng around
he had jammed on the brake and, of
course. it went all the way around.
w men L started on. in going up the
slight rise of ground l met other cars
coming and had to turn out for them.
Immediately the rear tires began to
slide and We went for some distance
trying TO get back on the crown of
the road The front wheels made it
without difficulty, but, due to the driv-
ing strain the rear wheels could mt
get sufficient traction to lift the weight
OF the seven passengers and luggage up
the slight incline. The result was a
crab like motion and any annIicatio
of the brakes at this time wouId have
turned the ear around.
ANY car which struck the road IN
high speed would have turned over and
probably everybody aboard woi,ld have
been hurt. If not killed. SO If Is wise NOT
to be so absorbed in entertaining ones
friends that warning signs are missed
Little KnouJedoa of Skfddinr
"In spite of all that has been written
and said about sLjdd,ne, +b.ra +ho,,
No-' a. 'Ao
eanus VI oii'eFs VINO nave absolutely
no idea of the causes or the least
knowIedee how m overcor,a sL;ad,r
nr,h1a,s NJ 9
tt"h' VI the oio cars were
what is called today unbalanced. Most
OF them had a short wheel base and the
tonneau overhung quite a good deal at
the rear The consequence was that it
put TOO mucn weight on the rear wheels
and 1t was almost impossible to control
the car while on wet or slippery road
bed AS a rule when the driver found
the car slipping he put on a brake or
checked his car quickly. The rear
wheels having greater weight upon
'front.' par, naturally wanted to move
well understood by experts today. but
in those days. Now they give what they
can balance Many manufacturers ad
fo,,r wbeaIs is eo,,si y" e"ei VI the
There are many things still. however.
which cause a car TO skid One of the
ntriL, nitrn,,1 So. Is, %nen one
turn a sharp corner to apnIv the brale
TO check the car. When the brake is
damned on hard the rear wheels cease
70 reyolve and slide along on the tires.
The front wheels, of course, run along
without sliding. Generally 1t happens
when one wants to slow up and turn,
and If the steering wheel is turned
piled the rear wheels will swing around
If the front wheels are pointed straight
Gheao this is not so likely to happen
Quite a few Of our New York streets
are crowned-that is the center is high
err than the curt-and the tendency of
the car when sliding is to turn against
the curb, and II the collision with the
curb is very sharp the car NAV nm
set
"Anosher causa of skfddinp is in i'm
properly adjusted brake In surb a casa
the brake will WORK all right ON one
wheel and hold IT while the other ONE
will run though nerhans more sIouvIv
than usual and at once there is a ten
Cency for the ca, TO turn around
Much Slxiddino at Corners