Evening star., 1937-08-15
HIGHWAY GUARDING,
Touring Vacationist Must Be Prepared for
Special Dangers Due to Local Gus
toms Thought Demand.

~RAMMING the touring desires
OF the entire year into IA days
OF high pressure automotive
recreation creates special
hazards which can be met safely only
with ample forewarning, according to
Frederic C. Russell, automotive expert.
Statements to this effect, says Mr..
Russell. are being offered by those who
are struggling for greater highway
safety. A summary Of the high spots
of these hazards is suggested by those
who battle for greater highway safety
as something which every vacationist
should ponder well before taking.
Persons who suddenly jump from
10-mile jaunts around town to 1000
mile tours over mountains, across ex-
press highways. through camp trails
and into the thick of strange traffic
may find themselves sadly unprepared
without q working knowledge of the
special dangers which must be guarded
against. Lack OF familiarity with their
new environment is the outstanding
hazard, but there are many insidious
forms OF risk which are not apparent
even to fairly experienced drivers.
This year many thousands of tourists
will run on the ragged edge, through
trying to keep up the speed standards
set by the latest cars. A car designed
to operate normally at 35 may be
travelling beyond its braking capacity
if forced to keep pace with the As
and so mile gait of the more recent
products.
Front wheel shimmy should be
watched for by all vacationlsts who
want to travel safely. Older cars are
especially prone TO this hazard, not
only because they are pushed too hard
over the road, but also because of wear
on the king pins, steering connections,
wheel bearings and also weakness Of
the front springs.
A car overload will sag at the rear
and change the caster setting of the
front axle sufficiently to encourage
front-Wheel wobble or shimmy.
7 SING blowout patch in front
tire is serious offense against
safety unless this is done in emer-
gency and the driver proceeds at a
very moderate rate Of speed. Patches
unbalance the tires and cause what
is known as road tramp" This is
always dangerous because it disturbs
control and frequently ends in a pure
shImmy
Multiple hills" are constant
source of danger to those who are not
familiar with the special hazards of
touring. The driver goes down one
hill without shifting to second on the
theory that the grade is not steep
enough to oVertax the brakes. I'M
mediately following this hill is an
other which causes the trouble be-
cause the brakes have not had time
to cool of
Few motorists seem to realize that
their internal expanding brakes are
different from the external contract
ing variety formerly used on most
cars. The overheated internal brake
DNtOlIICS IcSo eutlt4Ne, SlI4Ct lie OI ulIlS
expand away from the shoes. Sud-
denly the brakes are found wanting
if recklessly used The older type
brake usually started binding and not
infrequently caused the car to stop
in its tracks
The habits of other drivers are
something to consider seriously when
touring far from home. 1t is a fact
that in different parts of the country
people drive by different standards,
signal differently and are nodded into
certain customs through sectionalized
laws and ordinances. There are some
places where the driver who is about
TO make left turn looks as if he is
about to turn right. In one hilly town
drivers run faster than would be ap-
proprlate for the visitor. This is be-
cause the former keep their brakes