The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-06
MANU- ACTURER IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR
M0T0R|ST SAFETY
Efficient, Reliable Brakes Are
First Essential Of
Safety

EVERY automobile manufacturer
says C. L. Darby of Ewart-Brewer
Darby Motor company, assumes the
responsibility for the safety of thous-
ands of people when he places mo-
tor car on the market
This responsibility can only be
fully lived up to by exercising the
utmost care in construction-in pro-
viding wide margin of safety
throughout the car.
"Of particular importance in this
Connection is the braking system.
Hundreds of times in the career of
even a very careful driver only prop
ly functioning brakes stand between
the occupants of his car and more or
less serious injury.
Every motorist should make GER
tain that the car he drives, or the
one he is thinking of driving Is
brakes. and he should see to it that
his brakes are kept in good working
condition. This is something, fur
thermore, that a car owner should
attend to personally. 1t is too closely
related to his own safety and that of
his family to be left to others.
Proper manipulation of the brakes,
too. has a distinct bearing on the
control a driver has over his car A
slow, even pressure will bring bet
ter results than jamming the foot
pedal clear into the floor-and there
is less danger of the tires sliding.
When car starts to skid, the brakes
should be released momentarily and
the wheel turned in the direction the
car is slipping. inexperienced driv-
ers often get into more trouble by
locking their brakes than they would
f1,nx- no 1aft oil
An even application of the brakes
prolongs the life and service of every
unit in car. Sharp brake applica-
ton places an abnormal strain on
all moving parts. 1t is quite as es.
sential to know how best to use them
as it is to drive car equipped with
brakes that insure complete safety.
"A driver should try out his car,
so as to determine the distance he
needs for stopping. The average car
should come to a standstill from a
speed of 20 miles an hour in a space
of 81 feet. Some drivers need more
than this, but few can safely depend
on less.
The Columbia Six has devoted un-
usual care to the braking system.
] do not want to feel" continued Mr..
Darby. that we need ever blame our
selves for injury to a Columbia own
er through the failure of his brakes
to function"
Our engineers have followed the
principle that brakes cannot be too
positive in action nor can they be
controlled too easily. 1t is even
more necessary for car to have a
good stopper than an efficient starter
In our final inspection, we are overly
exacting in our braking tests. I am
very sure that we have provided
against any such emergency.
THE brakes of the Columbia Six
are unusually large for car of it's
weight The service brake drums on
the rear wheels measure IA inches,
which is Il considerable oversize.
These brakes are very positive in
action, and are easily adjusted and
kept in condition.
The emergency operates on the
propeller shaft. which provides the
surest method known for stopping a
car quickly. with an equalized dis
tribution of braking pressure. 1t is
possible to operate the Columbia
"Of course the light and well dis
tributed weight of the Columbia Six
is an added factor in the ease of
control.
1T is especially essential that the
steering wheel be free from excess
play which frequently leads to ac-
cidents. BY keeping the front tires
properly inflated-a car is more
readily steered, more completely I'M
der the drivers control.
"All in all, L feel safe in saying"
concluded Mr.. Darby, that in build
ins the Columbia Six, we have gone
to unusual lengths to insure fullest
safety for driver and passenger"