DANGEROUS PRACTICE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 368, 1 November 1932, Page 2

DANGEROUS PRACTICE

FALSE ECONOMY TO RUN ON. WORN TYltES. ACCIDENT RISKS. There have* been'' several instances in England recently where motorists have come into- conflict with the traffie police owing to the tyres in- use being deemed ' unsafe • under> the regulations7 of the- Road Traffic Act, which makes it a* punishable offence to didve motor 'vehicles with tyres in a worn-out condition. The contentious point appears to be. When does a worn tyre become defeetive and a source of danger ? A motor, cover that has the tread pattern worn off and the traction ar.ea of the trye quite smooth may be quite safe under certain road conditions, but on wet roads such tyres may be conducive to skids, particularly if brakes are suddenly applied. Covers with smooth treads on the back wheels are at all times wasteful, inasmilfch as there is considerabfe wheeDspin, owing to lack of road grip, with consequent waste of power and petrol. Covers that are so worn that several plies of cord casings- are cut through are approaching the danger mark, beeause they are likely to blow out when put under any undue stress. Covers in such a coiidition are a definite risk, particularly on hilly roa'ds or when cornering at speed. Under no circumstarices should tyres thiat are obviously nearly worn through be used on the front wheels of a motor vehicle that may be driven at even a f ast touring pace-. If they must be used, then it is better to reduce the risk by fitting such coVers on the back whieels, and high speed should be avoided. Tyres are now so low priced t'.iat it is really false economy for- any owner Of a motor vehicle to try to get the lasti few miles ovit of tyres that are not fit and safe for further use. A wrecked car, with possible harm to occupants, is a heavy penalty to risk just for the salce of obtaining extra miles, which, after all, only represent a few pence, based on the modest outlay that nowadays will purchase even the highest grade tyres.