Evening star., 1932-10-16
DRIVERS SKEPT|CAL
| OF FREE WHEELING
Much Criticism of Innovation
Is Not Based
on Fact.

t,,at seems to be the question in motor
| dem.
i 1t appeared to be no question at all
when a Majority of the car makers de-
cided to offer this feature as standard
equipment. but now that the public has
sampled automatic coasting the picture
has changed. Thousands OF drivers
definitely do not like to free wheel.
Are these drivers acquainted with
the advantages Of free wheeling? Have
they had enough experience with free
wheeling to know whether they are
sacrificing any advantages by not using
t it? Are they, through their action,
definitely checking the spread of this
development and forcing the engineers
: back to more conventional practice?
Situation Clearly Marked.
| The situation has become so clearly
marked 50 far as the public's attitude
toward free wheeling Is concerned that
what was once selling feature is now
nearly detriment. Salesmen report
they frequently have to explain that 1t
is not necessary to use free wheeling
and that the addition of this feature
does not complicate the business of
driving.
Recently an educational campaign
has been inaugurated for the purpose of
| informing the motorist why free wheel
ing can be an advantage. Previously
the motorist accepted free wheeling as
an obvious gain. Now he questions its
value and needs to be educated to de-
| sire it.
Does this presage the elimination of
| free wheeling from the automobile of
tomorrow? Does it open the way to
| the substitution of other features which
the manufacturer is eager to offer but
which he cannot supply at present low
prices? Motorists who are thoroughly
sold on free wheeling are not disturbed
over the prospects Of the elimination OF
free wheeling as standard equipment be-
cause they feel they can always pur-
chase equipment that would add free
wheeling to a conventional car.
One thing that may automatically
solve the problem is the growing popu-
This device includes free wheeling. For
the driver who doesn't like free wheel
ing this may be likened to serving
distasteful medicine along with tempt
ing soft drink The driver gets free
wheeling whether he likes it or not,
lust because the idea Of not having to
use the clutch at all appeals to him so
strongly.
No Particular Groups.
Free wheeling is preferred and
spurned by no particular groups. Many
a driver who never knew any other
kind of motoring thinks the thrill OF
coasting along is perfection itself. Many
an old-timer finds it just the thing ne
has been looking for. With 1t he OBJ
tains variety in his driving. new enects'
increased economy. Among the con-
scientious obiectors one is just as likely
to find the timid woman driver as the
automobile salesman himself
There have been many unfair crltl-
cisms of free wheeling. The most COM
mon is the argument that its advan-
tages are offset by the need for in
creased braking. The truth is that
where a driver has to use his brakes
considerably more he is free wheeling
unwisely. The original idea OF this de-
velopment was to provide way TO
utilize momentum that is stored up by
the motion of the car. Those who make
the most of free wheeling do not overtaX
their brakes because they coast only
where it is reasonable to do so.
It Is also true that many thousands
OF drivers overlook the fact that the
modern car is intended for use through
out the country and that if free Wheel
ing is not especially desirable in one
State, it may be great advantage in
another Long distance tourists are in
better position to judge the merits
of such features. and they have been
especially favorable to the free wheeling
idea.
\ Saves Moro Fuel.
1t is not generally appreciated that
when a car free wheels it is saving
more than fuel Oil consumption shows
marked decrease, largely because the
pistons are not forced to suck up oil
from the crankcase whenever the
throttle is closed at speed. There Is
saving in axle strain. Recently 1t has
been demonstrated that spark plugs
last longer and operate more efficiently
when the car is driven more in free
wheeling
Advocates of free wheeling say that
the present attitude of the public Is
merely a stage and that in the develop
ment of all major trends there is
point where the motorist can't quite
make up his mind whether he likes or
dislikes a thing 1t has been said that
if the car makers took off free wheel
ing, there would be protest even from
those who do not free wheel regularly.
Motordom doesn't like to step back
ward