MOTOR NOTES

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 300, 1 December 1936, Page 3

MOTOR NOTES

BEING TOWED. . Hints For Motorist Who Strikes Trouble. Although modern cars are very reliable, the necessity may arise at some time of having to be 'towed home. There is an art in being towed, and if the proper technique is not followed there is a possibility of 'the car chassis being badly strained, and in certain circumstances a nasty accident occurring. In towing the distance between the two cars should not be more than 15 feet. The most important thing is to keep the connecting rope taut at all •times. As soon as the car ahead begins to slacken its pace, the tow rope will begin to droop to 'the ground, and that should be the signal for the brakes to be applied so that ■the rope tautens again, and the brakes should be kept partly applied until the . towing car accelerates again. On no account at a stop should 'the towed car be allowed to run ahead close to the other vehicle. It is almost certain that one of the front wheels will run over the rope, and/ ■when .the other vehicle goes >ahead again the best thing that can happen is that the rope will break.

The driver of the car doing the towing should move off gradually when the rope has been attached to the ’two vehicles, until the slack has been taken up. Thereafter he can, within reason, drive almost as fast as he likes with perfect safety, provided he can depend upon 'the man behind. However, he should remember that the speed must be kept constant as far as possible, and when any' alterations in speed becomes necessary they -should be made as gently as possible. Thus change of gear should be made quietly and smoothly, with little noticeable interruption to the car’s forward movement.

In attaching the tow rope to the two cars, care should be 'taken to avoid points of attachment with sharp edges which might cut through the rope, while if possible, the rope should be attached at points in the centre of the two cars. If this is not possible the dumb irons are as good as any other places to which to tie the rope, but use the same side of the car in each case. If the rope is arranged diagonally across the roadway from dumb irons on opposite sides, the steering of the car being towed may become rather difficult, and the arrangement may' tax the skill of the car under tow to keep it immediately behind the car ahead.