Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-24

The motorist who desires to get the
fullest measure of enjoyment out or
his car must have an inQuisitfve turn
OF mind. In these days of the popu-
larity of the week end motor tour. too
many motorists are content with
playing follow the leader, once they
are started on the trip.
Who has not seen myriads OF cars,
one following the other, proceeding
along some highway on a Saturday or
Sunday afternoon? Moving at a
snails pace, the occupants of every
car 'inhaling the fumes and dust OF
the machine ahead. they all are trying
to get away from the turmoil ana
traffic of the city for restful, pleas
ant ride. But instead of getting away
from the traffic and congestion of the
city they get into even worse difficult
ties. Instead of recreation and rest
the motorist who forms 81 part of this
procession gets nothing but worry and
care, and he returns home utterly
worn out.
knowledge OF Roads.
But the motorist who is wise. who
knows how to get the utmost pleasure
out of his car. is the one inquisitive
to the point where he knows all the
roads near his home, where they lead
to and which to use, and takes real
advantage of his knowledge. The mo-
torist who is new at auto touring and
camping must learn that the first rule
of the game is to get off the beaten
tracks and find the good roads which,
because perhaps they are not con-
structed of concrete or macadam, are
avoided by most drivers.
BY sane use of the secondary sys-
+ar 81 Il ;oI
crowded, a motorist will make far bet
ter time than by constantly adhering
to the main arteries.
One trouble seems TO be that many
motorists, in planning their week end
tour, first consider the looks of their
cars. Automobiles who hesitate to
get mud on the tires and dust on the
hood cannot be expected to be led to
the land of the open sky and the
pitched tent with any degree Of sue
cess, unless the process is gradual and
logical. That is why many motorists
who are traffic wizards are beginning
to appreciate the fact that in order to
make the break they must first learn
to plan their Sunday drives with more
consideration for Nature and less for
the artificialities of highway traffic.
Aut~ Fashion Par de.
To the majority of motorists the
week end spins are nothing more nor
less than parading of highly polished
hoods, painted spares and dappar
sedans. When occupants aren't breath
ing their own air all over again in
their unseasonably snug cars they're
breathing in carbon monoXide from
the exhausts Of cars in front of'them.
Scenery consists of bumpers and mo-
tor-cycle officers, with an occasional
mo Parking" sign for good measure.
It isn't what recreational motoring
should be, nor what it needs to be.
Motorists who seek the crowded
highways for recreation are not only
doing themselves an injustice, but
represent a serious handicap to those
long distance tourists who must use
the main trunk lines for the sake of
hurried travelling.
If motorists who have no need OF
monopoliZing the main highways
would seek the side roads for recre-
alton they would be taking the first
and most important step toward the
greater motoring that lies beyond, and
they would be considerably simplify
Ing touring conditions. There will
come a time when they will wish that
the highways were not cluttered up
with people who are just killing time.
Selection of Media.
A very strange notion persists in
most motor circles to the effect that
one can only get out of the range or
city or suburban traffic by going a
long distance away from home. A IS
mile drive is understood to mean Is
miles of traffic, but so miles Is often
considered as sufficient to initiate one
into the real country"
Unfortunately the idea doesn't work
out with any degree Of success. Many
a motorist who goes so miles from
home finds himself in the throes Of