A DRIVING TIP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 January 1940, Page 6

A DRIVING TIP

WHEN THE ACCELERATOR STICKS A stuck accelerator is a disconcerting thing. The fact that a car does not slow down when the pressure of the foot is released from the accelerator is apt to take one’s attention off the road for a moment, and there is no doubt that this has been the cause of many accidents. The first impulse is, for many, to look down to see what has gone wrong, not that anything can be done by looking while travelling. Pressing down the clutch is the first action which conies to the mind of many, but the racing of the engine is apt to call for a quick reengagement. This may have the effect of causing the car to leap forward more swiftly than before, with, possibly, an accident as a result. The correct procedure in most cars is to declutch and switch off the ignition. There are two things to watch, however. Firstly, do not look down and fumble for the switch while still in motion, and. secondly, do not switch off while in motion if the car is one on which the ignition lock works in conjunction with the locking of the steering column. There are some cars using this style of lock, and a disaster may easily follow the locking of the steering while under way. In many cases the sticking of an accelerator may be cured, temporarily. by flicking the pedal smartly, depressing it to the floor, and letting it snap up as the toe is removed. It is all a matter of keeping one’s head when the minor emergency comes along.