PRACTICE SKIDDING

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 420, 31 July 1928, Page 7

PRACTICE SKIDDING

HANDY THING TO KNOW ! Skidding results in two ways. It j is due to a slipping of the wheels when j the brakes are applied or a slipping of { the wheels when power is applied—the j former type of skid being most com- j mon. When the car begins to skid release the brakes immediately. Even if some : obstruction is in front of the car. it | will be almost useless to hold the brakes down hard while the car is ! sliding. It is much better to release j them, allow the wheels to turn and | endeavour to steer or dodge out of the ! way. The ability to do this cannot be de- ! developed on the spur of the moment, j but it should be learned, for skids are j bound to happen where cars are driven \ in all types of weather. It is, there- ; fore, better to practise skidding on a i broad street where there is no traffic. ! than to be ignorant of its causes and remedies when an emergency arises. If the street is wet drive at about 10 j miles an hour —no faster. Look back i and ahead to make sure there is ! no nearby traffic. Then apply the brakes vigorously. The instant the car gets out of a straight line and begins to go sideways, release the brakes j and straighten up the ear by means of the steering wheel. Repeat this practice until it becomes ! instinctive to release the brakes. | straighten up the car and apply the brakes again.