The Hand Brake.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 253, 6 September 1928, Page 7

The Hand Brake.

AN ILL-USED CONTROL. cheapest cars are fitted with fouriwheel brakes as standard equipment, many motorists are inclined to rely (entirely on the foot brake. When driving in traffic, where smart acceleration and efficient braking are essential, there is no time to reach for the hand brake each time the car in front abruptly stops, and in consequence the foot brake is very roughly Jjsed by too many motorists. Too many drivers follow just on the trail iof the car in front, and aye compelled to push the foot brake to the floor hoards to avert a collision, each time the other car stops. If motorists were to allow a little more space between cars, they would have time to use the hand brake in conjunction with the foot brake, instead of disregarding the one and overtaxing the other. The average driver finds difficulty in starting off on a steep hill. He usually jams down clutch and footbrake, engages low, races the engine with the hand control and lets both ‘ pedals come up with a rush. This bad habit is created by the presence of the hand throttle. In the absence of this auxiliary control, the driver is compelled to operate the accelerator with the brake-foot and to brake With the hand lever. The necessity

produces a skill in uphill starting which cannot be attained by footbraking. When coasting down long grades the average motorist releases the accelerator, slips into neutral and checks the whole weight and momentum of the car with the much overloaded foot brake, instead of pulling the hand brake a couple of notches to compensate somewhat for the excessive use the former gets in traffic. Even on steep slopes very few motorists use the hand brake, although they may change down into second, and use the engine in conjunction with the foot brake. The diregard for such a useful brake is probably explained by the fact that many motorists look upon the hand brake merely as an apparatus for holding the car stationary. The average owner-driver, on coming into his garage, applies the handbrake tight and leaves it on. Thus the coil springs controlled by the lever are stretched to their fullest extent for perhaps twelve or fourteen hours, an occurrence which must obviously effect even the best springs in time. Yet when a motorist leaves a car weighing perhaps a couple of tons on a steep incline, he would be astonished if he returned to find that it had run down the hill and would believe that it had been tampered with. He either disregards or is ignorant of the misuse of the hand brake which has eventually told in the sudden breaking of an over-taxed rod or spring.