Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-14
MILADY'S MOTORING
BY FREDERICK C. RUSSELL.


The real humor in the time honored
wheeze about the woman applicant for
a drivers license who, when asked
which car had the right Of way at
an intersection. replied, 1.-The one who
was right.
Recently an observing woman no
ticed that, while her brakes were not
especially effective, her car never skid
ded or slid during the stopping process.
She was just interested enough In the
observation to want to know why this
was SO.
I explained it by calling attention to
the fact that Skidding in stopping can
always be avoided by preventing the
wheels from locking. Some cars are
now equipped with regulation of
is attended to automatically. but in
most cases the driver herself has to
guard against applying, too much
braking power.
Thus If the brakes themselves are
not up to par the driver may be safe
guarded against a skid in wet weather.
demonstrating that even a diSadvan-
tage can be an advantage under GER
tain circumstances.
No experienced driver ever waits In
traffic with the car in gear and the
clutch pedal pressed out, because
should the foot slip of the pedal-it
happens now and again-the car might
leap ahead and injure pedestrian.
Speaking Of clutches reminds me to
add that in return for the manufac-
turers' thoughtfulness in making the
clutch pedal easy to press out, owners
should reciprocate, to their own adj
vantage, by not pressing out the pedal
more than Is necessary. Clutch springs
are not as strong as In the old days,
and thus are weakened more easily.
Another reason why 1t doesn't pay to
wait in traffic with the clutch held out.
The helper at the filling station may
seem to be very painstaking when he
fills the radiator up to the brim. but
caution him against 1t. II the level is
too high much of the water will
syphon out when the car gets into
motion.
what do they mean when they say
that car Is driven through the
springs?" asks a modern woman who
wants to become better acquainted with
the machine she pilots. ANY one
would imagine that an automobile is
driven through its wheels"
When statesmen and mechanics speak
of the drive they refer to the method
of transferring the push" of the ro--
tating rear wheels to the frame and
body of the car. Everything above the
springs tends to remain at rest while
the rear wheels are driven forward. SO
there has to be some sort OF coupling.
Engineers are not in agreement re-
garding the method of doing this. In
some cases there are RODS from the rear
axle to some point of the frame, gen.
orally around the center OF the car.
Another plan Is to use q metal tube.
Still another method is to run brace
from the rear axle to the transmission.
The simplest plan of all Is to let the
rear springs do the job.
However, in this case the springs
must be of the type that run parallel
with the frame. Most makes OF cars
are of this construction.
A French automobile manufacturer
employs women to test out its products,
the theory being that they have
keener sense of hearing and can detect
trouble quicker. On one of the proving
grounds in America drivers are selected
who are thought to be unSkilled in or
der to find out just what the cars would
do in the hands of the average buyer.
No women are employed. There's some
thing to tell the husband.
Up-to-date service stations spread
covers over the seat cushion and the
front doors when work Is to be done
around the driving compartment, but
women who want to be doubly sure
there is no stray grease around should
be careful to have the rim Of the steer
ing wheel, as well as the spokes. wiped
off with clean cloth. This part often
catches a smudge Of grease from the
mechanics Jumpers.
Hetty Green used to take nap In
her $4,000 car on those fair afternoons
when she went riding. It may explain
the phenomenon to add that there was
no husband at the wheel.
Some drivers file small notch under
the steering wheel at the point nearest
the body to mark the STRAIGHTFORWARD
position of the front wheels. 1t is
handy as means of avoiding scratched
tenders when handling the car in the
garage. Incidentally, the steering
wheel Of the near future is expected to
have only three spokes representing
an inverted Y. At a glance you will be
able to tell the position Of the front
wheels.