Evening star., 1935-04-21
HELPFUL ADVICE
GIVEN FOR WOMEN
Distance Average Car Trav.
els Without a Mishap Held
Remarkable.
BY FREDERICK C. RUSSELL.

ears should shortly be averaging at
least a half dozen antique shops to
the gallon.
One of the truly remarkable things
about motoring is the mileage the
average car is able to travel without
mishap. All is not as hopeless as ac-
cident statistics suggest, and it is
well to pause to see the picture In its
broader aspects.
Watch the trafhc at any busy in
tersection and note the hazards that
permeate the entire situation; then
recall that ordinary stairways are a
more fruitful source of accidents than
many of the dangers that lurk along
the highway. People have been using
stairs for centuries; motor cars for
less than SO years.
Death claims listed by an inSur-
ance company show violence as TAX
ing the same number of lives as
gastro-intestinal ailments in the age
period between 40 and 60. Three times
as many deaths were from heart and
arterial troubles. While in the age
group below 40 deaths by violence
was about twice that of hear. and
gastro-intestinal conditions, a break
down of the figures would show that
many of these deaths were from ac-
cidents encountered in the pursuit of
sports. not to mention falls. mishand-
ling of firearms and drowning.
Do not tolerate front wheel shimmy
even though 1t may not bother you.
1t is injurious to the entire steering
assembly. Lack of wheel balance is
a fruitful source of front end vibra-
ton, the resulting action being SO
violent as to pass beyond the springs
and extend to the steering assembly
and often to the entire car. In hav-
ing the wheels balanced and the front
end Systematically checked over, the
thought should be that you are hav-
ing this done not merely to prevent
shimmy but to avoid the hazards and
expenses which shimmy entails.
In shopping for new car never
fudge color when the new model Is
under artificial light. In recent ex-
periments it was found that cars
change color radically under certain
lights.
Automobile dealers are as progress
sive lot as any group in business,
so If they do not become enthusiastic
over gadgets to pep up the motor, to
save gas or end the carbon nuisance
there's good reason to be conserva-
tive. What is needed in majority Of
instances is regular service. not make
eli that
old-fashioned ways are frequently
best. This is we'll illustrated in the
case of gum solvents which are most
effectively introduced into the motor
directly through the spark plug
openings. If fluids to check gums and
to oil valves are introduced through
the intake manifold there is no as
surance that distribution will be even.
This varies for different makes and
models of cars. of course, but 1t Is
invariably effective to introduce such
mixtures directly.
If the service man who comes to
your rescue prefers to push your car
to start the engine, instead of tow
ing it, don't think he is trying to
take things easy. He is simply trying
to avoid further trouble. 1t is harder
to handle a car that is being towed
than to operate one at the end of a
towrope. So few drivers have had
any real experience at the end of a
towrope service men do not expect
skill from a woman whose car needs
a start. An advantage to pushing is
the fact that as soon as the motor
- nr%r %Ian 4avtc haprfNe IN
ahead under its own power and the
service man needs no further warn
ing that his job Is finished. If the
pushing is done carefully the rear
bumper Is not likely to be scratched.
:. No woman expects to start her car
without switching on the ignition, but
how many women realize that in cer-
tain emergencies it is important to
think of the ignition switch as a
means Of helping to stop the car?
If, for instance, the throttle should
stick in wide open position or the
accelerator pedal should be held down
to the floor by the carpet the motor
is apt to speed up the car until the
latter seems to be beyond control.
A broken throttle return spring will
also cause the motor to pull ahead
unreasonably and race madly If the
clutch is disengaged. In all such
contingencies simply switch off the
ignition until you can determine what
Is wrong.
In reviewing details of an accident
between two cars the judge was in
terested In the statement of woman
that her cars stop-light signal was
working. How" asked the judge,
"did you know the light at the rear
was flashing warning to the defend
ant?" It is a question that might
easily have stumped most drivers, but
not so with the woman in question.
She won her point in the argument
by saying that whenever she pressed
her foot on the brake pedal she no.
ticed that the ammeter pointer flick
cred little toward the discharge side.
A new racket being praeticed by
gamins in tough neighborhoods in one
of the larger cities is the stunt of
jumping on the running board and
snatching the pocketbook which mi
lady usually carries on the seat be-
side her. The way to meet this prob
lem is to snap the lock on the inside
of the right front door and to keep
the window closed to point where no
one can reach in.
News that 10000 motorists annually
fall asleep at the wheel and wake up
In the hospital suggests the advisable
ity Of keeping in mind various ways
Of staying awake Thirteen sugges.
tions have been. offered to meet the |
hazard of the sandman. Taking a
short nap before proceeding with the
trip sounds like a sensible remedy. |
Having a radio in the car is good
second. In the event that there is no
one in the car to talk to. singing is |
said to be an effective means of keep |
Ing alert. Most of the other schemes
have to do with drinking coffee. suck
Ing on cigarettes, chewing gum or eat
Ing various foods that keep one busy. |
I understand that truck drivers are |
offered a special brand of pill which |
Is said to keep them from doing while
they chew.