Novice and the Car

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 818, 12 November 1929, Page 6

Novice and the Car

Being some elementary hints I on driving for those who are j just learning.

At this time of the year a big number of people buy their first car, so as to be ready for the summer touring. For these new drivers ‘‘Headlight” will publish each week a few remarks on the first principles of driving and looking after a car. LEARNING TO DRIVE M6st novices, and not a few who have learned to drive, believe that taking charge of a car is something ■which represents the same method of procedure in all cases. In other words, that all cars are to be handled alike. Of course it is not so. That is why trouble is experienced on occasion by a novice, acquiring a given make of car, seeking instruction on how to drive it by requesting a friend who owns quite a different sort of vehicle to accompany him and tell him what ] to do. Therefore,- the first thing to have in mind clearly is that the driving of each type of car is a proposition distinct from the handling of the other type of car. Even if the actual controls of the car are disposed for operation in the same way, neverthe- ; less the results obtained from applying a given degree of force or length of travel to a lever will be different as between one type of car and another. Hence it is as well to begin bystudying the makers’ book of instruc- j tions. But if the reading of the book leads to a confused state of mind on the part of the beginner, as is not unlikely, the best thing he can do is put it aside and proceed to learn driving by the opposite method —rvith the assistance of one who knows how to handle the particular make of car and who is requested to explain each point only as it arises, so that the mind of the pupil may be concentrated on me thing at a time. PERSONAL COMFORT First it is wise to sit in the car while it is stationary- and go through the series of movements that have to be made to start it, beginning by releasing the hand-brake. This will serve two purposes—to impress upon tile learner the order in which each thing should be done, and to ensure that he sits at ease when doing anything. Nothing makes learning to drive more difficult than tlie very general practice of neglecting the comfort of the pupil. If one is undertaking a variety of quite strange actions in circumstances where the mind is apt to be obsessed with the idea that the time factor is all-important, and one is not seated in a position normal to the individual, everything will prove at least trebly difficult, because one will never be in a position to do anything quite naturally. Sometimes instructors will remember this point, and illustrate the pose their pupils should assume. But they may overlook the fact that the physique of the pupil differs in this detail or that from their own. If aiming at maximum comfort and ease, scarcely two people sit in exactly- the same attitude in a given seat. When the beginner has found out the right seating angle to give him support in those parts of the back where he desires it, the next thing is to begin studying the disposition of his legs. He will see in front of lim the various pedals that have to be operated from time to time. While the car is at a stand he should begin pushing the pedals in and out with a view to discovering “when things began to happen.” Thus, in the case of the clutch pedal, a certain preliminary part of the travel will not result in the actual withdrawal of the clutch.