Auto Gossip

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30976, 4 February 1966, Page 11

Auto Gossip

A.J.P.

and tried to go in forwards. She then proceeded to go backwards and forwards on the same lock in a hopeless attempt to straighten up. All by Ear

Fortunately she moved quite slowly, for she proceeded to park by ear. I was not surprised the first time she hit the car behind, but a little alarmed when she hit it a second time. I was unable to go to her assistance, and had to watch while she hit the car ahead of her once and that behind her a further four times before she finally had her vehicle positioned to her satisfaction. Judging from the extremely battered appearance of her car’s bumpers, it was not the first time she had parked by this method. Fit to Drive Surely a person who is unable to park in a large space without striking other vehicles half a dozen times is hardly fit to be on the road? Perhaps this driver was

quite safe given room to manoeuvre, but in today’s driving one does not always have much room. There is a surprising amount of damage caused by these minor parking bumps, and it is obvious that too few drivers know enough about parking. We can all make mistakes, but there is a limit.

Carlessness

Another example of bad driving, more a case of carelessness, was described to me by a friend. Approaching a laned intersection controlled by traffic lights, he moved into the left-hand lane. Without any warning a car in the right lane pulled suddenly to the left. By running his left wheels on to the pavement—fortunately there were no posts or deep gutters at this point my friend was able to avoid a collision. The other driver made no attempt to look for other traffic, nor did he bother to signal. This sort of carelessness leads to accidents. Quote of the Week “I find it a great advantage if one is pernutted to nip up to a good speed in third gear, well above 50. It is not safe driving to creep past other traffic and remain for a long time on the right.”—By “The Scribe,” in “Autocar.”