Evening star., 1927-09-18
DRIVING AT NIGHT AND IN RAIN
DECLARED TO HAVE ADVANTAGES
Better Speed, Fresher Air and Smoother
Running Engines Possible on Highways.
Care Held Advisable, However.

Any minor repairs 10 tne car nat
urally will he more difficult to make
in the darkness. To overcome any
such difficulty an auxiliary light
should be carried along. Even tire
change assumes the proportions of
much more serious problem when one
has to tumble around in pitch black
ness to find elusive. lug nuts and a
still more furtive tire stem. A spot
light that can be disconnected and
carried to any part of the car, or a.
fiashlight, will eliminate this possible
difficulty.
Whether one is travelling by night or
day, it is the part of wisdom to keep
an eye on the instrument board. Be-
cause the tendency is greater at night
to concentrate ones gaze ahead of the
car. this vital feature may be ignored
in travelling through the dark. Obvi.
ously, this is wrong. The oil pressure
gauge may be trying to tell an i'm
portant story of failure in the oil
pump or crankcase lubricant supply.
The ammeter may be recording the
first warning of n malady in the elec-
trical system. The motor heat indi-
Gator. if the car has one. may have n
message of importance in connection
with the cooling system of the engine.
They should be watched.
NNd w
II the light on the dash is extin-
guished as il is by many drivers when
it becomes so alluring to all the in
sects of the countryside. it should he
switched on from time to time for
thorough study of what the instru-
ment board is reporting.
Another demand of night driving is
that the motorist pay close attention
to warning signs along the highway.
In the darkness it is easier to miss
| these important notices, and the mo-
torist may find himself confronted by
dangerous down grade or sharp
| curve when travelling at high rate
of speed. The possible results of sit.
| uations of this kind are obvious. The
! situations can be avoided by a close
| scrutiny of warning signs. and the
| temptation to travel at high speed
should be tempered by the knowledge
of its potential dangers.
If these points are watched. one
may count with safety upon achiev.
| ing the special advantages which are
to be found by confining, or continu
ing, the touring drive to the hours of
darkness when the roads are clear.
| Driving in the rain, contrary to the
theories of many. also offers an op.
portunity to make fairly good time,
| for traffic generally will be found to
be lighter on a rainy day. Touring on
such day. however. makes it's spe.
cial demands, just as does night driv.
| ing. 1t offers advantages, in addition
to that of saving time, that too often
are not considered.
Cars Run Better I'm Rain.
For instance. it will be found that
/ the car runs better when the atmo.
! sphere is saturated with moisture.
The engine will run with less ten.
| dency to heat. and car noises that
have an annoying effect upon ones
nerves most likely will disappear. In
addition, drive through the rain can
be counted upon to be cool, and if one
has travelled for several days through
the hot sunshine, the relief it affords
| will be welcome.
The precautions one takes under or.
dnary conditions when driving in the
| rain should be followed and reinforced
| to cover up ones unfamiliarity with
| the road. AS in night driving, par
| ticular heed should be paid to caution
| signs which warn of hills and curves.
One may "get by" ignoring the warn
ing which urges 'go into low, steep
hill," if the road is dry. The task is
much harder if the surface of the
highway is slippery.
I Travel should be at a slower pace,
| except where the highway is wide.
straight and generally free from other
vehicles.
On the whole, darkness and rain
| fall need he no barriers to the motor
| tourist. The automobile manufac-
turer relegated them out of the pic
| ture when he introduced four-wheel
| brakes, balloon tires, powerful en-
| gines. superior headlights, low center
of gravity and other features that
have contributed to the splendid safety
of the car in which the tourist sets
forth on his Autumn holiday.