Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-11
It took the American woman to make
The family automobile truly used car.

In watching beginner trying to play
the new musical instrument that works
by waving your hands in front of an
tenna rods, picked up q thought for
the woman who Is jaast now struggling
to acquire the knack Of handling the
car. When q beginner watched the
piano keys Of her accompaniSt she
could do nothing, but just as soon as
she learned to listen to the music from
the loud speaker-the results-the thing
became surprisingly easy. Some one
happened to remark that it was just
like driving a car. If you look at the
controls, you get nowhere. Watch the
road ahead, however, and you quickly
adjust the controls to obtain the results
you need.
How many women "horn" with their
lights when driving at night?
The trick is accomplished by switch
ing from the near to the far focus Of
the headlights, or from the cowl lights
to the driving lamps, in order to attract
the attention of another driver. It is
very important to have the headlights
on when approaching an intersection,
the light being a more effective warn
ing at night than sounding the horn.
Headlights always should be on when
you are about to overtake another car
II you have slowed down to let the
driver of the car ahead make left
turn, be sure to switch to the DINNERS,
or cowl lights. That act is as good as
a signal to the driver to go ahead with
the turn.
Space doesn't permit going into the
technical features of it or presenting
the arguments against the usual no.
tons, but for maximum protection when
parking on hill, whether the car faces
downhil or up, slip the gears into
reverse.
1t probably Is safer to allow the en-
CINE to run until the car Is properly
placed In the private garage than to
coast in with the ignition of. The car
Will suck In certain amount Of ex-
hauSt fumes, anyway, and If it Is neces-
sary to move it in q little farther. re-
crank1ng the engine may I'LL the garage
with exhaust smoke.
The automobile isn't 20 mechanical.
after all. Consider the mechanics who
were discussing the pros and cons Of
split skirts for pistons and the woman
motorlst who happened to learn that
the slit provides means whereby the
piston can expand without binding in
its cylinder. One of the Partisan fash
ion kings would explain to mademoi-
selle that the slit gives greater freedom.
And that's all the slit does as applied
to the automobile piston.
II you are one Of many who explain
everything in the universe in terms Of
vibration, you probably know the adj
vantage Of keeping In tune" with other
vehicles when driving in congested
trah1c. It's the person who gets out
OF step by trying to get ahead where
there is no possibility of it, or who fails
TO Keep. up with the procession, that
causes the discords.
When junior comes riding home from
school on his bike" his worn shoes
may be a painful reminder Of the need
for a shopping expedition. But more
thoughtful observation OF his feet will
provide a very useful explanation as to
movement to the shaft Pistons have a
vertical movement, while that of the
engine shaft Is rotational.
How Is one movement converted into
the other?
Watching junior pedal" we see that
his thighs correspond with the pistons
OF the engine. His legs are the con-
necting RODS. The pedals are the
throws OF the crankShaft, and the CEN
yer OF tne sprocket wheel is the engine
smart itself. He pushes the pedal as
1t nrst starts downward; never right at
the top or as the pedal is coming up.
Inns, In addition TO explaining how
one type OF movement is converted into
another, also explains why timing is so
important. If junior starts pushing at
tne wrong time, with respect to the
position OF the pedals, he slows down,
sSopS. ana can't start again unless he
changes his timing" Timing of the
automobile engines spark is adjusted to
enable the expanding gas to push at
the right time, and a certain range of
control Is provided for the driver SO that