El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-10-02


ners should read the following ar
ticle written BY Frank Manning and
printed IN recent issue OF Motor:
IRVING 20 the experienced motor
lsl resolves Itself into a series OF
movements which 70 him have become
mechanical One might say that driv-
ING 70 him IS a habit and the opera
tons OF acceleratlng and gear SNIFF
ing ana nra<lnE al the proper time
are accompanied by little actual
.9lnl.inE. Practice at the wheel and
ABOVE al adherence 70 every rule
promoting safety have made him a
5000 driver 10 IS characteristics OF
ne good driver, that he IS careful
ne urlres slowly compared with the
beginners he drives down steep grades
IN second or first speed: he turns
slowly he starts and stops gradually
All OF these things that the exnerI-
enced driver does are good for him.
the other users Of the road and for
the mechanism OF the car.
How to hold Steering Gear.
Take such a simple matter as hold
ing the steering wheel While many
uilterent positions OF the hands are
possible. the good drivers say that
the wheel should be held 20 that the
hands indicate twenty minutes after
ten assuming the wheel to be the
race OF clock Some drivers find
that the wheel held IN another POSI-
ton IS easier for them
IN watching a great many good
drivers the writer has found that
the position indicated at the TOP Of
tnis page Is used more extensively
than any other. This IS not 70 say
that you must hold the wheel IN that
fashion n you have already accus-
TONED yourself TO a more comfortable
one. The beginner grips the wheel
at opposite sides: the lazy driver
holds the wheel ct the bottom only.
~ lille acquiring the driving habit
one may as well get things right.
II IS not uncommon for the repair
bills 70 be IN direct ratio 70 the
number OF different people Who drive
the same car Much money can be
saved by proper handling and that IS
way the begiuner IS apt TO injure the
engine ana gears IN a very short time.
The clutch should never be ENGAGED
harshly, that Is with a Jerk ~ the
jerk Is severe It Is likely TO cause
breazaEe OF a bevel gear and besides
u strains every other part OF the
driving mechanism. Starting from a
staudstill should Be very gradual
There is no need for attempting to at
tain 30 miles an hour IN a few sec
ouds, Just for the sake Of the speed.
Starting should be slow and the gear
changes made slowly and without
c1ashing.
Some drivers. even after years a.
the wheel have not learned to shift
gears without clashing. I have talked
with number OF women drivers
lately TO learn why they cannot over
come this bad habit. discovered
that none OF them knew that . could
be stopped. II the engine IS ac-
tolerated Just slightly. that IS the
pedal barely touched for an instant
while the shift Is being made. the
gears win usually mesh freely.
Cause OF Repair HuIs-
recently had a talk with a num- ]
Der OF car owners whose wives drive I
heir cars These owners stated thar I
Turing the early life OF the ear the I
repair bills were high because OF the I
'act that their wives could not start T
he car smoothly. and shift gears I
without clashinE. Two OF these own
ITS had 20 pay for new ring gears i
1ecause the hand brake was applied I
when an attempt was made 70 start I
larsh clutch engagement.
Driving up and down grades IS. 70 .
the experienced driver. no more J
.rouble than driving along a level !
1tretch- There IS no need 20 burn I
lrlke lining unnecessarily when go
ng down a grade. As a matter Of .
act many grades do not require the ]
use or the brakes 1r all though most /
rivers use them There are two I
.orms OF resistance which can be nut /
INTO use 20 retard the motion OF q /
ar the brakes and the engine (Wheh /
c IS not flrinE). The greater the I
.nEine speed when the engine Is not I
firing the greater the resistance it I
lffers 90 that n the gears are IN sec
md speed the car VIII roll down a hill .
Hover than IN high. In first speed D
he speed viii be slower than IN sec
md. The brakes should not be used 4
IN long grades unless the car travels .
90 fast IN first speed. Then the /
lraneH may be called unon merely as l
.uLiliaries- The next time you have i
occasion TO travel down a very steep /
I'LL shift into first speed. turn the .
gnition switch to of position and T
iold your foot on the brake pedal.
tut do not apply the brakes. You wiz I
ind you have the car under complete ]
control and that the brakes win not /
10 oue-tenth the work they formerly 4
we're called upon 20 do.
Change Gears Offeuer-
In ascending grades many drivers
-eep the gears IN high until the en-
zine begins TO labor and then the !
hlft IS made. believe that this Sc 3
wrong, that the shift should be made
'etore the engine labors- some drlV-
srs insist upon their cars taking
very hin on high with the result that ]
he engine simply knocks until the 7
rest is reached There IS no need i
or this The European driver with I
four-speed trausmissi uses the
gears quite frequently
% avoid any undue stress on the en-
zine and other parts OF the car.
A mistake often IS made by many
rivers IN assuming that they are
letter or ~ a rough grade can be !
made IN high when the car Is going
last think you VIII find that
where the road is rough as a cobble
Dad. the slower you ascend the bet