Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-26
MILADY'S MOTORING
BY FREDERICK C. RUSSELL.


Only when a woman can back up
successfully can she really be said to
be going forward with her driving.
They laughed at the woman who
called the clutch the "crutch," but as
a matter of fact that's just what 1t
ought to be called when operated by
some drivers. When the operator
presses out the clutch SO as to slip. it,
thereby giving the engine an opDor-
tunity to pick up speed enough to avoid
the necessity of shifting to q lower
gear, the clutch acts as "crutch" to
the engine. But persons who indulge IN
this abuse soon find they need crutch
for the clutch as we'll.
Don't make sudden stops when driv-
ing over loose stones or gravel drive
ways. Every now and again a good
tire is damaged by one of these NINA
ture stones that has dug into the tread.
Tires are not guaranteed against this
sort of thing. and apparently none OF
them is immune.
Recently overheard one experienced
woman driver telling another that while
it used to be q mark of shrewdneSs to
step around to the rear Of the car TO
be sure the attendant at filling sta
ton pumped in the right amount OF
gas, the thing to do now Is to remain
in the car and watch the gas gauge on
the instrument board. 1t just goes to
show that experience Is not everything;
for, In view Of the fact that many
gauges do not register the full contents
Of the tank until the engine starts and
has been running for while, how can
the owner be sure about her purchase
merely by watching the gauge? There
still are good reasons for watching the
process of filling up the tank. The
owners presence will cause the at
tendant to be more careful not to spill
gas over the car, and there will be less
chance of driving of without the cap
of the filler pipe.
To feel most comfortable at the speed
YOU want to travel it is a good plan to
drive faster for few minutes and then
drop back to the desired speed. II, for
instance, you are running at so miles
an hour, 20 will seem quite slow. But
IL you have been running 30 and jump
to 40, you will be uncomfortable for a
while.
How" asks a woman who Is just
getting interested in the wonders under
the hood. docs gasoline get to the en-
CINE when the car is climbing a steep
hill with the gas tank so much lower
Until recently one manufacturer con-
tinued with an early method known as
the pressure system, air being forced
into the rear tank so as to drive the gas
forward along the fuel line. The
vacuum system came next. In this the
engine suction draws fuel from the rear
tank to a special tank mounted on the
engine side Of the dash. No matter
how steep the hill, this tank Is always
higher than the carburetor, so that fuel
can flow TO the latter by gravity.
The latest Is the fuel pump, a me-
chemically operated suction pump that
draws fuel direct from the rear tank,
feeding it to the carburetor. 1t works
efficiently, regardless of the position of
the car.
There isn't any excuse for damaging
the starter and flywheel gears by try
ing to crank the engine when it's run
ming True enough, modern engines
idle neiseleSsly, and 1t does seem at
times as if recranking is In order. But
no matter how noisy traffic may be,
you always can tell whether the engine
Is running by glancing at the ammeter.
II its needle flickers or wavers, the en-
CINE still is running.
Why is an ammeter?
That's a very natural question to ask.
There was time when this instrument
was considered something of luxury
in the way of accessories, and yet cars
operated rather we'll without it. Is it
frill, or does 1t serve a real purpose?
Here are a few of the things 1t says
to the observing driver:
1t tells whether the generator is
charging too much or too little. 1t
tells IL the stop signal at the rear of
the car is working. If all the lights
are off and the ignition as well, 1t
warns that the generator relay points
are stuck. 1t shows at all times what
balance is being maintained between
charging and discharging. 1t reveals
the condition of the generator.
1t is necessary to be more careful In
! steering on windy day with a car
that carries disc wheels. The wheels
act as miniature sails, and the car has
tendency to do a little steering of its
own accord.
! Copyright, 1929, by The Russell Service)