Evening star., 1937-04-25
BY FREDERICK c. RUSSELL.


conception of the hazards involved
IN such accidents. There may be some
heartleSs drivers who still feel that
the poor bewildered animal in the
cars fleet path is "only dog" but
they are due for sad lesson if they
elect to risk running down the animal.
Such accidents can be fatal to the
man at the wheel and to his passengers
as we'll.
Striking small dog caused a COM
plete upset Of one unheeding motor
lists car. The animal usually is struck
by front wheel. This interferes with
steering, sometimes to the point Of
making the car suddenly unmanage-
able
Few drivers realize that because
steering gear ratios have been changed
to make it easier to park, the average
car today cannot be given such a quick
change in its course when running
along the road. In other words, the
driver cannot so easily turn out to
avoid stray animal. At the speeds
cars travel today this might be dan
gerous even if it were possible. Clearly
the wisest course is to think for the
poor animal in the road, sound your
horn, slow down and do everything
possible to avoid endangering him.
Holds Down the Hood.
One OF the welcome features of some
OF the new cars is an easy way to
draw the hood down tighter This is
done on one car by the simple expedi-
ent OF moving the catches down a
little farther where they screw into
the sides Of the cowl. 1t is the mod
ern and handy way Of doing away with
very annoying type OF rattle Where
provision isn't made for tightening the
hood, try inserting thin wedges of
rubber along the lower sides of the
cowl directly under the hood lacings.
Mechanic Joe Speaking.
"It is curious fact that few own
ers, and some mechanics as well, think
of the window glass when searching
for the cause of a door rattle. Usually
the procedure is to replace the rubber
bumpers and check the hinge pins for
wear. Before going to all this bother,
however, I always lower the window
and try out the car. II the rattle
disappears I then squeeze the win
dow channels little tighter and
usually manage to solve the problem"
Three Speeds for Brakes.
In trying out new car, always en-
deavor to test the brakes at several
different rates OF speed. Good brakes
will show up equally we'll at slow, me-
dium or fast speed. In other words,
good brake must be a versatile brake.
Also it is important to take into con-
sideration the forward tipping of the
cars mass when brakes are applied
sharply at higher speed Some brak-
ing systems are inherently designed to
compensate for this to an extent where
they make the car dip down too much
at lower speed stops.
Improving Little.
Apparently safety students are be-
ginning to think little better of us.
At any rate, they now say that 4 re-
action time Of three-quarters of a Sec
ond is just little too slow. They are
willing to credit the average driver
as being able to get down to the busi-
ness Of stopping in five-eighths of a
second. OF course, even with a re-
action time Of f1ve-eighths Of q second,
travelling at a speed Of 40 miles an
hour your car will move SO feet even
before you start pressing the brake
pedal. Then, assuming that every
thing Is in the pink of condition so
lar as the brakes are concerned, and
that the road surface is dry, the car
Will travel an additional SO feet before
1t comes to stop. In all, it takes 124
1eet to stop the car from that speed.
This Is What Happens.
Perhaps you have already noticed
it, but in case you haven't let me re-
mlnd you that there Is tendency
for most Of US to strain the brakes in
an effort to make up for our failure
to react quickly when our eyes or ears
pick up warning to stop. We lose
80 much time just getting ready for
the muscular response necessary to
operate the brake pedal that we end
by giving the brakes all they have.
The danger seems to be coming at us
so fast that We get panicky. In strain
Ing the brakes we usually end bv
sliding the tires and straining the car
generally.
Three Hints for Safety.
good working rule to 20 bv when
you see child dart across the street
from behind parked car is that
there will be another kiddie close on
the others heels. The simple pro-
cess OF play suggests the fact that
where there is one child there is at
least one other.
Gas fumes from the crankcase not
only warn Of need for an engine
overhaul but for special caution in
ventilation Of the cars body. These
fumes are not only obnoxious and
sickening, but they contain a high
percentage Of carbon monoxide, which
induces drowsiness. Most cars are
well insulated 50 that fumes and heat
cannot 50 readily work into the driv-
ing compartment direct, but If the
windows are open the fumes may be
drawn in by way of hood louvres.
| Remember that If the rear of the
car is weighted down with three adult
passengers and their luggage there
will be less tendency to skid but that
q more serious type of skid is likely
to be the result If anything like this
happens. Your lighter car becomes
a heavier one when the load is greater
Many drivers know from experience
that while a heavier car shows less
tendency to skid it will skid with q
vengeance II the driver takes chances
with it.
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