KEEP OFF THE GAS A BIT

NZ Truth, Issue 1239, 29 August 1929, Page 19

KEEP OFF THE GAS A BIT

High Speeds and Expenses Go Hand In Hand

FAST DRIVING A RISKY GAME ■ As the burden of taxation borne by motorists is always increased rather than reduced, it is up to motorists themselves to endeavor to keep down their running costs. One of the first things that a driver should clearly understand is that high speeds form one of the surest ways of running up expenses.

BY this means fuel consumption increases at a surprising rate, even the best engines tend to. fling out oil,. the. life of tyres is. shortened considerably, and if the speed is maintained without any regard to the road surface, breakages may result. Few motorists nowadays have, sufficient patience to limit their speed of travel to 25 m.p.h. An the open road, yet if the experiment were tried for a month, the difference m running costs between driving under those conditions and, say, at 40 m.p.h. whenever the opportunity presented itself, would be appreciable. It is possible, however, to strike the happy medium by touring along at about 30 m.p.h. and 'obtaining thereby the maximum enjoyment from the countryside. Incidentally, it is a surprising but nevertheless true fact that the time

taken to accomplish any given distance at a speed never exceeding 30 m.p.h. is very little more than when one indulges m frequent bursts of' 40 m.p.h. , Probably the governing factor is not relative speed at all, but the obstructions which are met within, the course of an ordinary run and which have a far greater effect •on the performance of the high-speed car than on that[ of the slower-mbving vehicle. A somewhat similar parallel may be drawn between the conditions which arise when violent acceleration and declaration are Indulged in 'as compared with getting away gently and pulling up m similar fashion. In the former case, tyres wear more quickly— it is authoritatively stated that an increase of 10 miles an hour m speed doubles the rate of wear between 30 and 50 m.p.h.— more fuel is consumed, brake linings do not last so long, and a far greater degree of wear and tear is imposed on the vehicle itself. „'.'•.. The actual saving m time, moreover, may, under many conditions, • he hardly appreciable.' If, for.example, a driver, knows ..quite definitely that he will have to slow down behind a large furniture van rumbling along m the distance, he might; just Vas well take his foot off the accelerator and "close up" without using the brake at all. To maintain a fairly high speed until withln ¥ 40 or 50 yards of the van and • then heavily apply the brakes is merely spectacular and decidedly wasteful. In this and other ways, love pf the spectacular costs a driver shillings, if not pounds. Some people make no effort to economise m petrol. They are content to take the car as it stands, and if the consumption is so great as 20 m.p.g., to shrug their shoulders and surrender themselves to the inevitable. If one were to point out to them that they had a leaky tap, or that the garage hand was not over particular as to the way he filled the tank, or when the car was left standing the carburettor habitually tended to flood a- little they might ,take a sudden interest m the problem. ■By giving attention to these points they might 'be surprised to discover that they. were obtaining at least another five miles to every gallon— an appreciable saving m the course of a year. • *