Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-04
S|MPL|F|ED LESSONS ON
PROPER CARE OF AUTOS
Intimate Talk on Cars In Terms
Which Every Laymnn Can
Understand.
SOMETHING ABOUT DRIVERS
Safety First" Should BE Motto OF
Every Person Who Sits Behind
Wheel-FoIlow Rules OF Road anu
Learn to Drive Slowly.

fintH to Drirera.
copyrighted. 1917. BY T.. G.. Gucrvlith.)
TO enumcratc the different types Of
drivers would be impossible, hut. most
Of them would come under the col-
lowing types. or bination OF thcm
the good driver. the capable. but dis
courteous or selfish: the reckless and
careless: the hcadlcss: the incxpcri-
enccd. and the driver who is mustered
by his car. instead Of being the mas
ter of II.
There are many people who handle
their cars well. who know "h.rc to
expect being placed in difficult po-
sitiOn and how To be prepared for it,.
but VINO, they drive. will practical
~ have "chip on their shoulder"
When they think they have the right
of way they Will Insist upon il. even
II by doing they cndaEger the
other fellow and themselves. They will
insist on their fun share Of tho road.
and q little moro. They win. at the
slightest provOcation, "bnwl-Out other
drivers, and. IN short. while possibly
most lovablc and courteous people out
OF car. Will seldom do u courteous
or scn,lcmanly thing when driving
a large proportion of accidents are
due TO this type of driver. and while
In the majority OF cases Tie other icl-
10" * MADE to suffer. lac eventually
will meet his own Kind and himself
come TO grief.
Those who have been driving FOR
Six months or a year are especially
liable TO be ot IN. above type. and,
In fact, IL Is ihc six -,nontns-to IA ear
driver who is the dangerous one. He
makcs III the largest proportion Of
reckless drivers, for whl. he IS row
at homo al ;he wheel and possibly
can handle his chr we'll, he lacks eN.
pcri"ucc and has not had his heart
in his mouth" often en- onEh.
Experience ~ driving an auto is
usually obtained by having near acci
dents. When one has nearly ben il
collision. because of failu,es to
SLOW down at 4 cross road. or L. watch
blind alley, because Of trying 20 PASS
another car on curve. around which
one cannot see, bccau9c of a failure
to sound the horn when passing a
blind road or alley or when making
blind turn. when passing two
cars which are going iii The oppos! t.
direction and are one behind the other
because OF L failure to hcci waruin,
signs or when one has nearly run
over pedestrians who have stepped
from behind trolley cars or standing
vehicles. or when child, apparently
without rime or reason. haS suddenly
daTtcd into the road-.hcn one viii,
tnstinctively expect these things. viii
be under absolute control ana will
watch with eyes and ears for a rccur-
renee Of them.
Experience. often costly. will cure
the SIX months reckless driver, bu,
forbidding the born reckless or care
less driver from driving is the only
cure for him The same is true OF the
hcadlcss driver
There are many drivers. who. instead
Of being masters OF their car. are mas
tered by ii. They viii appear to be
reckless drivers, as they will travel
through crowds at "a dangerous speed
VIII go around curves fast. will con-
stautiy get into trouble. and Will al
most give those riding with them ner-
Nous prostration. They are not reck-
loss drivers. but, because OF timidity
or Lack OF proper instruction and prac-
tee dread shifting from third 10 sec
ond, are constantly afraid OF incapa bio
OF driving slowly. 1t is easy TO drive
fast. but IL takes good driver to go
slowly.
New drivers and those who do not
feel that they arc masters Of their car
should practice the following They
should make the car start very slowly.
without jerk, and be able TO drive
IL for a long distance at "a snairs pace
This - done By letting the clutch in
slowly until the car begins 10 move
and then holding the clutch at this
position, at the same time giving the
engine a little gas. Holding the clutch
stationary when the car begins TO move
Is the entire secret OF making IL move
at Il creeping pace
They should shift from third to sec
ond. There should be no hesitation
when doing this. If. when the gears
touch they make a noise they should
be driven into mesh without a stop
Stopping the shift because Of the noise
Will make IL more difficult. will cause
more noise and will do more harm
than If the shift Is driven through
with one short sharp crash
All drivers should be able to start
the car from standstiil up the steep
est hill. To do this hold the car with
the foot brake. throw out clutch. shift
to low with hand lever. give the en-
CINE a little gas, then let up on both
the clutch and brake pedal slowly until
the car shows signs Of wanting to
move forward. and instantly let off
the brake and slowly let up more of
the clutch pedal
Before turning a sharp corner, shift
TO second. The law says four miles
Is the maximum allowable speed for
this. Even though YOU can go through
crowds on high, shift to second You
VIII haze better control and 1t is bet
ter dItzS -
In the writer's opinion. no one has
moral right to drive a car on wet
pavement, especially asphalt, brick or
cement, without having at least one
~ VIC icpi NHtcIS win anti
SKID chains. Skidding cars often get
out OF the control of the best drivers.
When car skids. the thing to do
is TO instantly throw the front wheels
81 as TO make the front OF the car
move in the same direction as the
rear is skidding. Thus in the illus
tration. II the rear of the car were
to skid In the direction of the arrow,
the front wheels would be thrown as
shown. The wheels must be straight
cred again the instant the skid Stops
Do not apply tho brakes.
In descending a wet hill it is best
to check tho car by using the engine
ms Il brake, by shifting TO second or
low and leaving the clutch engaged
Summing up, here is some advice
to the new drivers:
BE courteous to and considerate Of
the other driver. He will recognize
your intention and reciprocate
Blow your horn freely. not only to
wake up pedestrians. hut when APP
preaching cross roads. on blind turns
stt,N,r 81 s..1.