The Washington times., 1929-04-10

Yet, in spite of their knowledge
that skidding is something that may
enter ones experience with sudden
and sometimes disastrous effect,
very few motorists ever forearm
themselves against 1t by learning to
master this maneuver of the car.
Those veterans who have learned
how to bring a car out of skid
safely often have acquired their
knowledge unconsciousIy and quite
by accident.
Now comes a British authority
on driving with the novel sugges-
ton that everyone who drives
car should master skidding just as
he does steering, backing, stopping
or any other driving gesture. This
being the season when so many
thousands are initiated into the
motoring fraternity. his suggestion
has met considerable of a response
on this side OF the Atlantic where
cars skid quite as we'll as they do
anywhere else.
Sometimes Is Useful
Skidding really is a fascinating
subject. The writer recalls it as
the topic of one of the most spirited
gatherings of engineers he ever
attended Before the session ended,
toy automobiles were racing down
an inclined drawing board with a
seemingly hewitched crowd Df eX.
pprts studying their every move
ment as they slid, whirled. pivoted
and otherwise acted as good cars
should not.
It may strike many as strange
that skidding actually can have its
advantages. Yet dirt track race
drivers use skid to turn each time
they strike a curve. The best
skidder has a decided margin on
the worst in any race of this char
acter. 1t is not alone on the speed
way, however, that mastery of the
art is valuable. The writer has
recorded an instance in which a
serious accident was averted only
because the driver who was the
hero Of the occasion knew enough
to skid around another car which
had skidded directly across the road
in front of him.
This case. of course, is reproduced
too infreu lently to regard it as typi-
cal, but all motorists are likely to
skid and, many declare, wisdom sug-
gests knowing what to do under the
circumstances. This knowledge, OBJ
viously may he the difference be-
N
failing to avert one. Every motorist
must have seen the truth of such
an estimate.
Many Causes
An ANALYSIS of skidding reveals
that, in combination with a wet high
way surface, a number of factors
may cause the car to slide out of
q straight path. Unequal brakes,
unequal pressures, L" ven tire
treads, sudden hard application of
the accelerator-all these are causes
that may be found in almost any
car at any time. Oversteering and
excessive speed rounding curves or
corners are two other prolific causes
of the same >trouble.
1t is not the cause Of skidding.
however, that is the important fac
tor in mastering it. so much as what
to do after it starts. Ordinarily.
one does-or 81 uld do-two things
simultaneously. If the car has been
put into slide by the use of the
brakes, the pedal pressure should be
removed at once. At the same time
THE front wheels should be turned
in the direction of the skid.
Counseling a driver to turn the
steering wheel "in the direction OF
the skid" frequel. tly leaves him con-
fused. He often is not quite certain
Just what is meant by direction of
the skid" Here is the simple ex-,
planation; if the rear of the car
slides off to the right, AS it does
in a majority of cases because or
the Gambler of the road. twist the
front wheels around to the right.
OF course, if the rear wheels slide to
the left, the front wheels should be
turned in the same direction.
That is steering into the skid
Anyone who ever, as a youngster.
played "crack the whip knows how
this will straighten out the car. An
other way to learn is to take toy
automobile and demonstrate 1t to
oneself.
Brake Release Important
Remembering to turn in the dlrec'
ton of the sliding rear wheels, for
many drivers. perhaps majority, is
not nearly so difficult as remember
ing to release the brakes. Every i'm
pulse is to apply them the harder,
particularly if traffic is slightly con-
gested and the possibility of striking
another car seems imminent. Keep
ing ones foot on the brakes, how
ever, is the best way to exaggefate
the wild maneuver, regardless of
how ridiculous it may seem.
Especially is it imperative to re-
lease the brakes if the car is in that
most treacherous of skids-one that
involves the front as we'll as the
rear wheels. In a slide of this char
acter, the chances are that the front
wheels will be locked, and a locked
wheel is always more difficult to
steer, though steerable to a certain
extent-much as a bobsled is.
With millions of motorists touring
during the next few months, driving