The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-10-12
GEAR SHIFTING
Ry BARNEY OLDFIELD

{ How few are the really good gear shifters among all the millions ot those who drive motor cars in this country. It makes my ears burn sometimes to hear the terrible things that drivers are doing to a perfectly inoffensive set of transmission gears. The wonder IS, not that we have transmission troubles, but that we don't have five times as much. I'll say that the transmission makers do a good job in the stuff they turn out.
 Of course, it is hard to make good shift. That is, it takes time or rather practice to acquire the knack of making n quiet shift. The driver must learn to gauge the speed of the two shafts on which the gears are placed and make the shift when the speed is relatively the same. This sounds hard, but prac- tice will bring it more quickly than you might be inclined to hope at first.
 Many drivers make the shift from first into second too quickly. This IS evident on any main travelled road, any afternoon you want to listen. This shift sbould be made with a brief pause in neutral, before throwing the lever into second. As a matter of fact, changing gears should not be a nasty operation. It should be carried out deliberately, so that if the gears start clashing, the lever may be moved to obviate the trouble. A quick shift may injure the gears, without your having time to avoid It. The new driver should try the various engine speeds, making the shifts slowly and very soon he will find that he IS almost instinctively gauging the speeds so that he can make quiet and safe shifts. There are drivers who have become so skillful in doing this that they can make the shifts without throw ing out the clutch, but l don't adVlse anyone to attempt this stunt without long practice.
 If is an undoubted fact that shifting down is more difficult than going up the scale. The shift from high to second is the one that gives trouble to most drivers, even to some of those who have been on the road for a considerable time. This shift will not bother the driver after he has acquired the sim pIe knack of it. In shifting down from high to second, throw out the clutch pull the lever into neutral, let Tn the clutch, press the accelerator an ln- stant. then throw out the clutch again and throw the gears into second. Try this on your car on nice qulet stretch of road. very soon you WILL haNc tHe operation so accurately gauged that there will be not the slightest clash as the gears slide into place. As matter of fact, the driver who has once learn ed to shift well, rather enjoys the Op- eration.
 It is very important for the driver of car in these days to learn to shift gears we'll Our roads are carrying such a heavy volume of traffic that constant shifts must be made and the man who is unskillful avoids shifting when he really ought to do it in the ln- terests of safety.
 Another thing that sometimes makes gear shifting somewhat of a nuisance is the fact that the gear levers of some cars are not the right length for com fortable operation. A short gear lever, a high seat and short armed man, make a bad combination. In cases of this kind it is an admirable plan to get one of the lever extensions that may be. bought in any store. These exten- sions are screwed on the end of the lever and they make shifting very much easier.