Evening star., 1925-12-06
ART OF DESCENDING HILLS
NEGLECTED, WITH DANGER
Driver Concentrates on Simpler and
Safer Problem of Climbing, But Should
Seek Higher Test of His Skill.

member in going down hill 10 to be
able to judge a grade accurately. This
applies TO climbing hills as well. but
here the accuracy Of ones Judgment is
a matter of safety rather than of en-
Eine performance. 1t has been noticed
that motor tourists who travel
through unfamiliar country frequently
shift Into lower gears on hills which
are not really steep at all, and then
run to the opposite extreme BY rely
ing entirely upon the brakes to hold
them on hills which they cannot
climb in high gear.
There is one safe rule governing
the extent Of the downgrade. II II
becomes necessary to hold the brake
pedal down continually the hill Is too
steep for high gear. and shift to sec
ond should be made Immediately.
Often cars coming up the hill will
serve as clue to its grade, for IL
making much speed in high, one can
he reasonably sure that 1t is a sec
ond-sear HILL" going up as we'll as
going down.
Gear Change Called For.
In applying the brakes to see just
how steep the hill really Is. the driver
also discovers tho condition Of the
brakes. Should he find them taking
nOld Detter tNdH USUAL, tIlc cltuAIiOii
Is somewhat the same as II would be
If the hill were not 20 steep or II the
passenger load were not SO great. On
the other hand, II the brakes do not
take hold well, a hill which Is not so
steep calls for a lower gear.
The condition Of the engine also
plays an important part in assisting
in saving brake power. Just as com
preston is an important factor in
climbing. so is it important in de-
scending hills. A new car Will not
down hill simply because the valves
seat perfectly and the pistons are
tight 1t Is dif1icult to crank because
it Is so stiff Tight bearings COM
bine with maximum compression to
make the engine an effective brake
In itself. and all the driver has to do.
II he desires to keep the car under
full control when going down a mod
erately steep hill. is to close the
throttle. |!
The ignition should never be
switched Of when descending hills.
all advice to the contrary notwith-
standing. Aside from the possible
damage to the car by reason Of
switching of the ignition. It has been
demonstrated that one cannot tell the
difference, so far as retarding the car
goes. between descending with igni-
ton on or off. The closed throttle Is
conveyer to a brake. With the igni-
tion still on. it is not necessary to
clear" the cylinders in order to avoid
a backfire in the mufier.
Leave Ignition On.
Advice formerly given to the driver
had to do with switching OF the igni-
ton and opening tho throttle wide. A
wide throttle without ignition does In
back the car little more under GER
tain circumstances, but the motosist
should remember that with a closed
throttle the pistons are held back by
suction. The pistons cannot get as
much air as they want to suck in.
and are thus retarded In their motion.
With the throttle wide open the
driver Is apt to switch on the igni-
ton and find that he has blown OFF
exhaust manifold and in the mufYier
In such quantities as to present a new
and entirely unnecessary hazard.
Drivers who have not mastered the
gears should stop just over the top of
the hill and shift into second. This
saves a lot Of trouble and often a lot
Of expense. For those who prefer to
shift after they are part way down
the hill the following rule applies:
Press the clutch pedal down to the
floor and place the gears in neutral.
Let the clutch come back to normal
position and step on the accelerator
until the engine races. Press the
clutch pedal down to the floor and
shift direct into second.
The quicker this is done the better
the shift will be, because the car is
gaining momentum while the gears
are In neutral. and that makes shift.
ing increasingly harder.
Copyright i825.)