Evening star., 1926-11-21

car owners do assume that
they know all there is about the ar;
OF being safe. Many others, how
ever, do not. They still are on the
alert for the little tricks that go to
make for skilful driving, safe driv
ing. sane driving.
Plenty OF evidence OF this is found
in the response to recent article
IN this section which asked a series
of questions relative to some of the
finer points OF car operation. No
sooner was the article read than a
great many drivers, some OF them OF
long experience. others less familiar
with car operation, wrote to ask the
answers.
They did not know They admit
ted fheir lack of knowledge with
frankness
To those who look beneath the
surface this is spirit that will go
far to lift notordom out of its repu
tation for selhshness, carelessness
and inefhciency.
1t is d fitting answer to the cynic
who declares that the reduction of
traffic accidents is a futile dream.
Here are the questions asked in
the previous article. together with
the answers. They can be par
ticularly helpful in safer and more
efficient driving.
.. How can you get your car out
of mud without calling for outside
assistance?
A. Back up little, slowly. This
will make a track over which to gain
speed and traction when again trying
to 60 forward. If baked both ways,
try going ahead in low gear with the
emergency brake set. Setting this
brake will lessen the wheels tend
ency to spin. If neither plan works,
try putting brush in front of the rear
wheels, if any is available.
Once in motion again. keep in low
spinning the wheels. A spare tire
chain. wrapped around a rear wheel,
makes fairly good mud hook.
Q. Can you double clutch" in or
der to shift up or down on hills?
A. Double clutching" or "de-
clutching' means controlling the
speed of the clutch and the clutch
gear of the transmission by chang
ing the speed of the engine while the
gears are in neutral. Here is the
process for shifting from high to
second. as, for instance. when start
ing down hill: Press out the clutch
and shift to neutral. Let in the
clutch and race the engine. Again
press out the clutch and follow al
most simultaneously with shift
into second. This process is neces-
sary for smooth shift for practi-
cally all cars when shifting down"
when going down hill 1t should be
praoticed in order that each driver
will know how much his particular
engine should be accelerated while
the clutch is in and the gears are
in neutral
Many cars will shit down" to
second while ascending a hill by
making the shift simultaneously with
pressing out the clutch. Others need
a modified form of double clutch
ing"
If the car has been descending a
hill in second and the driver desires
to go up to high again. he can
make the change by double clutch
ing" if he is too slow to do it more
directly The clutch and transmits
sion clutch gear must be brought up
TO speed to match that of the high
speed gear. The theory simply is
one of matching engine speed with
car speed
Q. What would YOU do to slow
down the speed OF the car if both
emergency and service brakes failed
you when descending hill?
A. Shift to second and then to
low. double clutching" for each
shift. 1t will be necessary to press
afl the way down on the accelerator,
while the clutch is engaged and the
gears are in Neutral, before shifting
into low II actually takes courage
to do this, but it is positive safe
guard, for il will bring the car down
10 a speed of below 20 miles an hour.
At this speed car is relatively con-
trollable under any conditions.
Q. If the engine stalls on rail
road crossing. how can the car be
driven from the tracks without get
ting out and without losing more
than few seconds time?
A. Place the gears in low and step
sn the starter button. There is
enough energy in a battery to pull
the car surprising distance. Leave
che ignition switch on. If the engine
fires and starts TO pull so much the
better.
O. How can you tell if left turn
is permitted at crossing in
strange town when there is no other
car ahead Of you making such
turn?
A. Look for left turning tire
marks on the pavement. If the CEN
ter post says Keep to the right
YOU can turn left around it.
q. How fast must your car be
travelling in order 70 pass. within 200
feet, A car that is going IS miles an
hour?
A. Not less than 40 miles an hour
ior safety. II you could run neck
aud neck with the other car at the
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