MOTOR WORLD.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 December 1924, Page 14

MOTOR WORLD.

NOTES.

‘ The owner of a two-door coupe, with a single’ dobr on each' side, found; hihifather arfnbyi'ng' pf^4i6’amfe < ht recently . He had "backed his‘ ; caf ’ jirtt to the frame of" the” garage door for gine stoppedr Gn trying'to open the doors he found that each was too close to‘the frame of the garage, door for Him to get out. As a result he was imprisoned in the car for more than hhff An hour, until he succeeded in attracting the attehtioii of : a passing cyclist, who started his engine for him. There should he no’ ’difficulty in persuading this gentleman to have a self-starter fitted to liis next car.

The series of signs and direction posts' at the entrances, north, south and west of Hawera, will serve to bring tourists through the main; streets of the town and give them' an idea of the town and its buildings and attractions which. otherwise many of them would fail to secure. It was an excellent suggestion, and has been well carried out by the sub-committee set up to carry it into effect. The result is bound to be good for the town and for the people. It will dead to a knowledge of the town which hitherto has -been largely , missed. The district is being supplied with more notices, which cannot’ fail to be a valuable service to’ the touring public. Many no doubt have had to go through districts which are new to them, and have had the experience of having at some points in a journey to choose between two likely turnings, and perhaps to find that a'wrong turning means a delay of an hour, besides the waste of benzine and oil and the 'extra wear and tear. This experience will serve to make the signs'’doubly welcome, and the facf that they Have been? ready in most cases by the time the Christmas and New Year trippers are -just moving makes them most timely? They are certain to be appreciated.' The automobile industry in the United States is now making twentyfive miles of cars a day. Although there are fifteen and a half million' motorcars and trucks operating in the country, and this year’s production will aggregate three arid a half million vehicles, tlie industry will expand, when more highways and parking acreage are provided. Because the French people pay over 1,000,000 - francs* annually for. petrol, imported from -foreign countries, the. Government is interested in substitutes for petrol. Among recent discoveries is an apparatus for producing charcoal, gas. Carbon monoxide is created by the contact of air with incandescent charcoal. The gas is mixed with air and then transmitted to the motor cylinders. From then on the process is similar to- that in a gasoline engine. The engine can be started only a few seconds after ', the charcoal''has been fired. -Whether /this new type of engine can be practical can be determined only by actual use. Engmeei's of the Bureau of Rublic Roads of’ tlie .United States Depart, ment of Agriculture; who. have made a close' study' of the causes of highway accidents iii order that Federal eid roads may be built as safely as possible, have listed the following causes of accidents: Blind curves ana road intersections, sharp curves on embankments, unprotected embankments, narrow bridges, sharp convex vertical curves, suppery road surfaces, - steep grades, narrow road surfaces, loy or rough shoulders, steep crowns, sharp curves at bridges, and ,up ‘ depressed approaches, grade crossings, uiisuper—elevated curves.

SEASON’S GREETINGS. All the good wishes' of the season are sent by motorists in thi© district to fellow travellers fn every parttof the .Dominion. • We hope to be able to quote after the New Year some of the, experiences of travellers by- highways. ;and byWays. ’/They 'willf he : of v 'interest and of decided, value to travellers latei; on in'tfie, year, or at aijry during the next year. MOTOR CYCLING. One great event of the year in this district, if not' in the Dominibh, is the annual reliability trial to Te Kuiti and back, which is completed’ to-day. The way is a'stern and’ arduous, trial for machines and. riders, arid brings out the best ip both. The'' result is; always, .with keen, enthusiasm. • 1 • 1 REVERSING IN THE; DARK. Reversing in the dfark-'iq one of the most prolific causes of bept miidgliards and broken tail, lamps in cases where numbers' of, are garagecl!"tege,tricr in the dark, as, for instance, at a dance or concert. It is, therefore.'always a good plan, when opportunity pefriiits, to leave tlie cay with its radiator facing homewards. Thus, w;h,eh the function concludes, with the usual scramble for cars, the mail who has taken this precaution can manoeuvre •his way out of the squash under the best conditions. Those who have to reverse out, - Or turn round in a-restrict-ed drive, not only delay everybody else, but often damage their own vehicles oi;.” those belonging to other people. POINTS FOR THE MOTORIST TO ‘ REMEMBER. Most people start to live for their health when they have none left. That is one thing that holds; good for your body as well as your automobile. 'lf you don’t take care of it, but let it run down, you lose —always. Change the oil often. Grease it frequentlv. -Have it tightened up now- and. then. Have it cleaned; —it will feel better ; cars, have feeling. Keep the tyres properly inflated; they will last longer. Keep water in the radiator. Keep gas in the gas tank, too. If you don’t you won’t go far- —many an owner lias found tliat out. Keep your brakes adjusted. It’s ex pensive to pay for taking dents out of the other fellow’s car. ' Keep cool, and your car will do the same. When it becomes necessary to prime an engine, and one finds himself withnit an oil can, a piece of v-aste can be held under the carburettor drip-cock pistil it is soaked, with the liquid, and 'then squeezed into the cylinder cocks. Careful and sensible driving is regarded as tlie oiilv real solution to skidding. ' ' . ..

MjOTOR-CYCLE HILL CLIMBING SPECTATOR INJURED.

The evidence and statement 7 by judge, and the police in a case where an injured spectator sued for and got damages will be of, interest. The London Times reported as follows : Counsel Vvas addressing the jury on the point that the plaintiff had taken the risk upon himself of an injury by being nresenf at the competition, and that the police were present. When his Lordship said that, in the absence of clear statutory authority! the police had no Light to restrict the use of the high wav to any of liis Majesty’s subjects. People had a right

to pass and repass along a highway and to make a’‘reasonable delay bh’’it. But no one had a right to use a highway for racing. * It had been laid down that a right ef highway did not’uiclude a right to" face (Sowerby v. Wadsworth (1883} 3. F. and F., 734). And further, it might well.be unlawful for other to edrry out races at a maximiim speed! M l '. Cotgfoye. said: that his speed was between 35'and 40 miles ap hour. The contest was held fn a- by-road, arid, any traffic which wished, to pass through •lvas always allowed, to. 1 A defective .axle washer caused, the accident. Before the race he had' overhauled, the lriaehinb and it seemed, to be in perfect order.

Captain A. Unett, the Chief Constable of Essex, said that he was presept at the contest, and that lie 'had permission for it to be held. When applications were made for permission he always said, that he had no authority to allow hill-climbing contests, but that the police woifld not take action for excessive" speed provided the contests were carried on on a , whicTf' war 'little" Vsed.’ that the permissjon of the local authority responsible ’for 4;he upkeep” of the road had- hepit obtained. "anti 'that the residents in the’'meischboiirhddd, rased ho objection. The•Hott©'Office’had*not is. 'med iiieniorahdurn on the matter, leaving 'it to''"fhe discr'e.tibrr df Constables whether’ permits should he granted. _ '■ V ; The, iury returned a verdict for the plaintiff for said thtit he did not intend to 'take f ahy v nsk hpoh hiiiiself hy Being present.,'’ ”

"I DON’T.” Most motorists are blooming fools, They trifle with the traffic rules. ‘ I DQNIT. man should tiw tp gep the drop Qn any seaspn’traffic coj>,'' v Nor fail, to needdiis’ sign to stop. ; ;■ For Safety First should bp bis creed, To’' drive' 'a ' ear’ at WcklesT speed. : ,r ‘‘ i’■ A mail should never lose his bean When pilbting a gas-mhehinb ' ' ;T V "' ■■■" T DON'T. On city street or open road, A man sliopljCl; nevfer' breat tlip code, Nor fellbw-favers incommode. / He should nof scare equestrians, Nor chase the poor.’ l pedestrian^! ■ ,; • i don’t. ; ; ?■ In fact I have no car to run, I’m shy thp coin, fo purchase one, You’d, think I wouldn’t havb'much fun. > I DON’T.