Evening star., 1927-04-03
MOTORING
BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.
Mistaking many a motorist at
By WILLIAM ULLMAN.

indicate that the public is taking new
cars at about the same rate MAN
tanned at this season in 1920.
After looking askance at several
factors that appeared earlier in the
year. dealer confidence has been
quite completely restored. More IN
telligent and aggre essive handling oi
the used-car situation is to be noted
quite generally. and other forms OF
sales resistance also are meeting
with stouter opposition.
The important fact in bolstering
the spirit of the manufacturer, how
ever. is the keenness with which the
public has taken to the new 1917
models.
Given something superior, more
desirable and different from the
product he owns. the motorist will
buy He has proved this before and
is proving II again. II It takes more
aggressive selling perhaps. than be
fore to make him buy, the dealer
may know that he has the best ar
guncnt he ever has had in the form
OF the best automobile ever built.
Widespread attention to the auto
mobile industry by the public has
impressed upon many millions OF
American citizens the great eXpanse
of automobile manufacturing as
whole SO much attention has been
given to the national picture, how
ever. that few have stopped to CON
slider the size of local automobile
business Every city i'll the country
has its established automobile row.
a veritable industry IN itself.
In one city of 10000 $500 persons
are employed in the selling or serv-
icing Of automobiles. This, OF course.
includes allied lines. such as battery.
tire, accessory, truck. painting and
upholsterine blishments The
weekly pay roll is more than $4,000,
while the capital invested runs to
more than 100000 Altogether,
there are over 200 automobile estab-
lishments
Every one who has looked at
traffic during the last year is aware
OF the fact that the roadster is COM
ing back. Figures which reveal how
far back this model has come, how
ever, may be surprising, In 1870
nearly 100000 roadsters were manu-
factured. The roadster represented
one-third of the open-car output for
the year.
This is quite i'll contrast with the
day, not so long ago, when dealers
took roadsters with considerable
1t is apparent that this particular
model meets a taste that had been
unsatished for several years. Its
comeback is of real importance to
the automotive industry.
Now that traffic lights have be-
come rather universal in large cities
as we'll as in small towns. il is i'm
portant that every automobile driver
get behind the movement to use
these signals to the very best advan-
tage They are not perfect. by any
means, but with little cooperation
from the progressive car owner and
driver, it is obvious that many OF
the present difficulties will be ironed
out and the situation cleared to the
advantage of every one.
One thing to remember in driving
through a city in which traffic Light
signals are employed is to stop on
the far side of any street intersec-
ton when it is possible Very fire.
quently when driving along the
street one sees a friend and stops to
give him lift At other times it is
a case of allowing passenger to
alight Whatever the occasion may
be for stopping, other than those
halts required by the exigencies OF
traffic itself and obedience to the
traffic lights, il is best to stop on the
far side, so that when one is ready
to start again it is not necessary to
wait for the signal Also it obviates
the possibility of stopping some
other drivers who may be following
Headlights as we'll AS taillights
have become regular part of the
equipment of street cleaners of Port
land, Greg, who work at night.
These have been provided so that
l
motorists.
A law requiring motorists to equip
their cars with ''life-saving de
vice SO that upon hitting a person
the automobile will pick up the pc
destrian instead Of passing over his
body" recently was introduced in
the California State Legislature. 1t
is said thar this device probably
would resemble cowcatcher on
locomotive.
Instead OF "bawlinp out" the driver
whose tactics are disconcerting and
confusing, try laughing at him. Ac-
cordrnG to one observer Of motor
doms vagaries, no better weapon is
available as a reprlmand.
x
Just why it is that so many motor
lists think of their brakes alone in
connection with skidding remains a
problem. Experienced drivers have
said time and time again that they
can take a car with bad brakes and
prevent ii from skidding through
sheer good steering But the aver
age driver still clings to the idea
that the skid is all a matter of
traction and braking. When the
streets are slippery and in danger
Gus condition. careful consideration
always should be given to steering.
with avoidance OF quick movements
in steering as the outstanding point.
Make changes III the cars direction
As carefully as YOU would apply the