Palisadian., 1923-09-07
DRIVE CAR WITH
EASE and Grace
Motors Show to Best Advantage
Under TuteIage of the Good
Form Driver.

tBy ERWIN GREER, President of Greer
College of Automotive Engineering. Chi
cago)
When the ponies are Gathering in
on the home stretch, all other things
being equal, it is the >headiest rider
that brings his mount first under the
wire. Just as Kentucky filly re-
spends splendidly to the rein of
bred Of motors show its mettle to the
best advantage under the tutelage of
the good form" driver.
Pleasure in Motoring.
Half the pleasure in motoring comes
with learning to manipulate your car
with consummate ease and grace. Corr
rect form in driving means minimum
strain on car mechanism and inciden-
tally minimum drain on the pocket
book. Velvety stops and starts pre-
vent unusual strains on the motor,
clutch, transmission, aXles and tires
They also cut down the consumption
of gasoline and OIL A well-made mo-
tor, like a Swiss watch, Is a sensitive
thing. 1t resents abuse but responds
willingly, capably to gentle handling.
Starting an automobile is an art
Simple though 1t may be, nevertheless
there are hordes of drivers who never
acquire it. The master driver aims
to create a steady pull on the driving
mechanism from the moment he slips
into first speed until the car Is under
full headway. To wit, a homely for
mula for starting which may be taken
after the entree of gear shifting:
Learn to Accelerate.
Learn to accelerate simultaneously
with letting in the clutch. The me-
chanical act of gear shifting can be
learned In five minutes.
AS soon as you have the car in
high speed, assume a natural. com
Portable position. Avoio a strained,
high-tension grip on the wheel. Driv-
ing a car is not tiresome If one sits
In an easy upright position. The
driver who slouches in his seat must
be constantly shifting. He cannot
apply the brakes without sitting erect.
He must change his position to shift
gear.
1t is quite as essential to know how
to stop the car quickly and smoothly
as 1t Is to know how to start it. The
operation of braking is one of the
most important in driving.
Worshiped at Shrine of Speed.
The highways are strewn with the
wrecks of cars whose drivers wor-
SHIPPED at the shrine of speed When
the crisis comes the green driver is
apt to forget the counselsl of his glib
instructor and another accident is
chalked to the toll Of II didn't know"
If you must test the spirit of your
car, wait until you are perfectly sure
Of your ability to drive, until you
would be willing to be the man in the
tonneau
You have heard many an enthusias-
tic owner boast that his car could
take such and such hill on "high."
Doubtless it will, but at the same
time he is putting an unnecessary
strain upon his motor when he forces
such performance. The intermedi-
ate speed is placed on the car to use.
1t is a mistake to allow the motor to
labor.
Good Accident Preventive.
Second speed is a good accident
preventive when threading the maze
Of city traffic. The car is easily held
under leash and may be stopped gently
without jamming the brakes
Only an amateur will allow his mo-
tor to race unnecessarily. Motor rae
ing consumes gasoline in appalling
drafts, and is also hard on the engine
After you have learned the A, B. Cs
Of car manipulation, adopt the accel-
orator instead of the throttle-lever on
the steering wheel.
When you come to a stop in traffic,
don't forget the man behind The
hand held up in warning may save
rear-end collision. Show your in
tention of swervlng off into a side
street by holding out your arm hori-
zontally. These signs have become
accepted among motorists as a uni
versal sign language. It's these little
courtesies that help to make motoring
a pleasure.