Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-23
MILADY'S MOTORING
By FREDERICK C. RUSSELL.

When hubby gets new siren for his
car 1t doesn't necessarily forecast q
divorce.
Adjusting the controls of the car for
more appropriate At is not merely q
matter Of enjoying greater bodily COM
fort in driving. as many women imagine.
There also is the question Of safety.
If the seat is adjusted too far forward.
there may be tendency to apply the
brakes so vigorously as to throw the
car into a skid. The adjustment of the
accelerator pedal, where this Is pro-
vided, has much to do with the way the
engine operates.
There are other things to be ad-
justed when taking the wheel besides
the seat cushion, steering post or pedals.
One of the most important is the rear
view mirror. 1t is surprising how many
drivers go along assuming there Is
nothing following them when the mirror
isn't focused for a rearward view. Cars
equipped with adjustable viSorS to cut
the high lights and glare are not as
safe as they might be il drivers took
advantage of this feature.
Because she plans to jump out Of
the car again to close the garage doors
after backing out, many a woman fails
and ends up by allowing 1t TO strike
the side of the garage on the way out.
If the front doors swing forward, it is
apparent that the act of moving the
car backward causes uncaught doors
to swing open.
Women who take pride in their cars
and who are mindful Of all the little
things that serve to depreciate an auto
mobile may be int crested in the tip
that calls attention to that section of
the chromium-pla ed rear bumper
which gets the full benefit of the ex-
haust gases. TheS1l long exhaust pipes
have a way of stee ming a good deal in
either damp or ccld weather, with the
result that one spot on the bumper is
more or less in a constant bath of
vapor. Inspection of the bumpers on
many cars will show them to be ruSting
because of the exhaust, and will Sug-
gest the wisdom of rubbing the affected
spot with dry cloth when putting the
car away for the night.
A new convenience that seems to be
especially suited to woman drivers is
an accelerator that operates through q
roller device instead of a pedal. Addi-
tional gas is fed to the engine by NOV
ing the foot forward over the roller
instead of pressing down on it. The
greatest advantage lies in freedom from
uneven running of the engine wher
the car goes over rough roads and wher
1t is difficult to keep the foot steady.
It isn't necessary for a woman to be
mechanically inclined to offer a Sug.
gestion to the willing but perhaps ex.
perience-Shy youth who volunteers Il
try to free sticking valve in order to
make the engine run smoothly. She
will help considerably by suggesting
that he look for the trouble around
those valves nearest the carburetor.
A car, like milady's fair hair. otter
reaches point where you cant do q
thing with it" Immediately following q
wash. This is because wetting thE
brakes affects their performance fol
lowing the trip to the wash stand.
When all cars carried exposed brakes.
drivers often found themselves unable
to stop when applying the brakes Just
after a wash. Enclosed brakes do Just
the opposite, so that if streets are slip
perry the car may go into an unex-
pected skid. This is because the damp
ness causes the brake lining to grab q
bit, upsetting equalization temporarily
and bringing about a condition that may
be troublesome, if not actually hazard
Gus.
Why is high" so much easier to shift,
to than the other gears? The ques.
ton is on the minds of thousands o.
women, even though few have actually
voiced their curiosity on the point.
Some light may be shed on the sub.
! ject when it is explained that the shift
| to high is accomplished without actin.