1928-04-18 — Page 10

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MOTORING NOTES

(CONTD.)

THE WHITE LINE. HOW ROAD RACES

MOTORISTS WHO IGNORE

THE WARNING.

[BY THE CORRESPONDENT OF THE LONDON MORNING POST."]

The warning which the Automobile Association has recently jesued to motorists that they should keep well within the safety white line on corners in well timed.

When these lines were first adopt ed on dangerous cornere they were treated with great respect, but late ly motorists have not been keeping within their boundaries to the same extent, and it is understood that the authorities will take action if this negligence continues.

There is, of course, no actual legal ability for a motorist to keep inside the line, but as those lines are presumably only put down at dangerous points, it is obvious that any prosecution that y take place will be for dangerous driving.

The original idea of the white line, was extremely sound, and no exception could be taken to its ap- plication to dangerous corners, as it its commands were properly observed, that most fruitful cause of all accidents, namely passing on corners, would be definitely stopped. Excessive Exploitation,

HELP.

THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18th, 1928.

THE CLUTCH.

SOME HINTS AND WARNINGS.

THE NOVICE AND GEARS.

SOME PRACTICAL HINTS.

When your car shows a decided lack of power on [[BY PROFESSOR A. M. LOW-immediately jump to the conclu-new driver and the delight of the a bill, don's The gears are the bugbear of the

Profeur Low, the well-known scientist, who is a consulting motor

ginger, here explains to Daily Mail" readers how the general motoring public benefit by road

racts.

tary's words when

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sion that the mixture or timing is out of gear. The fault may be a slipping clutch.

MOTOR-CYCLING NOTES.

A TRIAL COURSE AS IT SHOULD BE.

WATER-SPLASHES, -MUD, AND STEEP INCLINES.

experienced. A lot of the joy in

[UY LONGSTROKE) driving arise from a mastery of

Siner the recent Trial organised gear changing.

Do not shirk the initial diffcul." by the Hong Kong Volunters, A faulty clutch can cause quite ties, them. The art will simplifynwtor cyclists are all looking for That there are people who did

lot of trouble. Most of the itself in a short time, and when you they all enjoyed the previous one ward to another. Needless to say not appreciate the Homo Beere nightmare gearchanging can be

can double declutch and dange ho compared Captain Malcolm Campbell with laid to the action of the clutch. It down noiselessly without loss of Frobisher and Drake shows that re-

immensely. cord-breaking is not quite undering gears that the clutch be fully achievement that slovenly, careless is absolutely necessary when shift-speed there will be pride in the stood by the public.

stops spinning when free from both with the gears or who have to come disengaged, and that it slowly drivers, who just worry through the engine and transmission. almost to a halt before effecting the

change, do not know,

simists who used to state that all The deependants of those pes speed on land, son, or water was dangerous may be heard to remark: Who wishes to travel at 900 miles per hour think twenty is quite enough"

A Torture.

drive in a motor-car of which the How would such persons enjoy a maximum speed was the legal limit The experieure would be a torture. The car would be lacking

When the clutch fails to complete ly disengage, it is said to "drag," and it is very difficult to change from one gear to another.

#

+

A spinning clutch will cause a clash, or grinding of the gears when going from neutral to any gear.

NO USE FOR OLD TRAFFIC LAPSES ON RACE

DAY,

CARS.

U.S. MAKERS PROBLEM.

4,300,000 THIS YEAR."

NEW YORK.

CHARGE AGAINST EUROPEAN DISMISSED.

A MISUNDERSTANDING.

An amusing picture hangs in the Mr. H. H. Lennox appeared be offices of the National Automobile fore Major C. Willson at the Cen- Chamber of Commerce." A member tral Magistracy yesterday to answer is seen dancing round with pleasure a charge of disobeying a traffic handed him by a telegraph boying waving in one hand a telegrara just signal during the Easter race meet-

The lad looks at the man with

riders are wandering whether it would be possible that a Trial be

The Kowloon sections of the Trial astonishment, for the mesange reads, Your garage destroyed by fire, 200 used cars burned up."

held somewhere in Kowloon, not ly aa chance to score a revenge on the Hong Kong section of the riders but to pick out a course with

trials at Home. difficulties similar to those in the

trial course was perhaps a little too Many riders think that the recent tame; though to negotiate some of the tests which have later been pro- posed one would have to take a machine. chance of seriously damaging the

4

A European Sergeant stated that" the defendant drove his car from the Monument to the entrance of the Jockey Club along Wong. Nei The story is an old one, but it Chong Road contrary to directions. has special significance in the On receiving the signal to turn American motor-car world to-day, round, defendant made a movement because in the present year the as if he were going to carry out Changing Up.. “Changing up is a simple

industry is planning to sell the order, but instead he drove. 4,300,000 new cara, and it will bave straight on Witness on his motor matter, and will be learned, if not perfected, probably at the first

thë aame number of used cars to, dis- cycle chased, defendant, who stop- pose of. The great automobile in-ped at the entrance to the public essay Obtain a sound knowledge of the various positions in which

dustry of the United States has enclosure. Defendant said he was the gear lever should be placed for

bean created to supply new markets, sorry for what happened. first, second, third, and fourth

not to replenish the old. Yet when In a statement to the Magistrate,

defendant said that a customer buys a new car he in-the gear, and, depressing the clutch

However, two very enthusiatic a little time is allowed to elapse with the left foot throwing out " The modern small car, with its

Kowloon motorcyclists set out ona variably expects that his old ene had apologised to the witness. He high efficiency engine, is the direct before making the shift, there will the clutch, which in general lank end to seek a new tiials will be taken in part exchange. misunderstood a signal given by an outcoms of speed competition. Re-bene screeching in the gearbox.guage means detaching the car from make the run interesting. Nearing made to find fresh fields, either by Monument. He had been driving

course with all the requirements to

Every endeavour, of course, is Indian sergeant on duty near the gulations are made for motor-

Castle Peak they came Across a engine capacity as the maximum Designers concentrate upon the

worth expbring. As the week main road and which appeared to production of an engine which will

end" in question was just alter a give maximum power for size, and the result has been a small engine

rainy week the pathway was not one for mother, 'and one apiece for

found their back wheel spinning in curly what could be termed firm and the children. But this extravagance negotiable Often they has its limit, and the largest

acceleration, it would be tnost uncomfortable, and above all, it would possess no reliability.

The Small Eagize.

Spinning can be distinguished from dragging by the fact that if

he

tendency to ignore these lines, and racing events specifying a definit. But when the clutch drags the the engine), push or pull the gearittle path branching off from the enforcing the need for two cars in for many years without any fault.

During the last few months, how. ever, there has been an increasing again and again on the road one comes across cafe passing each other on blind comers quite regardless, of the warning of the white line and far on the wrong side of it.

for this has been the excessive ex-to be propelled along the road Undoubtedly one of the reasons which now enables four passengers ploitation of the white line by some faster and with greater reliability local authorities The mame thing than was accomplished by the 40

screech is set up while changing handle into the desired position. irrespective of whether the opera

At first it will be easier, perhaps, tor delays or not.

to halt for just one second at the The clutch must stop spinning neutral position, but with a little furnished to stop the spinning to put the lever from first to second gradually, and the brake which is practice it will be found, quite easy must not be too powerful, or the

really up-to-date, one for father, police orders. one family or, if you wish to be and had no intention of disobeying

happened with regard to road dan hip, roaring monsters which ste up operation of changing gears will bo/And second to third right away passed" over sections which con- mains with those customers who

erected

ker signs of one period in the road, tyres, and petrol 20 years difficult. For this reason, the shift history of motoring. These were

The small engine of any orceivable place, racing car is reflected in the ordinis easier on some cars, when the

Its size made it clutch pedal is not pushed complete and when a motorist found that ary runabout. many of them were totally unneces. Possible to cut down petrol con ly down. However, such a car is sary be naturally began to ignore sumption and the cost of construc those which were necessary;

tion, and the smallness of the en-

an exception: Much the same thing has happengine has been of immense beneft to Faulty adjustment of the re- gulating mechanism between the ed over the white line. These have the coachbuilder when providing

pedal and the clutch is usually been put down indiscriminately in the comforts of a modern saloon. places where they are often unneces- It is only because power has been the cause of spinning, dragging, the watchword of the racing

and slipping. sary, and, in my opinion, in some eases where they are actually dan manager that overhead valves have gerous..

been fully tested and brought to perfection. Again, the twisting roads of the Continent and the need for rapid deceleration called for some better method of braking dur-

brakes.

For instance, to put a white line in the centre of a narrow street in A provincial town where the chief danger is from pedestrians, who, quite naturally, step off into in a race. the road to allow others to pass, is asking for trouble. The proper place to drive in this case iqwards the centre of the road, as then the driver has a chance of pulling up in time or avoiding people who step off the pavement.

Cross Boada,

Hence front-wheel

When Racing. ia It is essential in a race that can-

trol should be perfect, that steer ing should be light, and that skid. ding should be reduced in order that safety and absence of tyre wear can be relied upon. These very de tails have been produced in the whirlwind of racing, where methods of suspension have been tested until the smallest, lightest car can be reasonably comfortable upca the roughest roads.

Again, with regard to cross-roads, It is perfectly true that it would be extremely dangerous for anyone to drive over cross-roads on the wrong side of the road. The proper way is to cross more or less on the crown, as, if one keeps well to the left, one is completely blind" to any traffic that is emerging on that side. One can, in fact, turn what is normally a fairly stie cross-road into a dangerous ore by keeping too close to the left-hand side.

The first duty of any motorist who goes over a cross-road is to as certain whether any other vehicle is about to cut his path at right angles; he has a far better chance of doing this, provided his speed is moderate, if he keeps near the centre of the road than if he keepa close on the left-hand side.

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Methods of carburation have been improved beyond all compare. in order that engines may respond quickly to throttle movement and in order that comfort may be o tained for both pilot and the work- ing parts of the car.

One great problem of the speed.

*

without that momentary pause.

Study carefully the movement across the gate. It will be noticed that at least one of the movements will entail putting the lever from one line of movement or slot into another parallel line or slot, Thus, in a car where the first gear is in the front of the left-hand slot the second may be in the rear of the right-hand slot. This means that on the way the lever will have to change from the left-hand slot to the right-hand slot.

Keep your foot off the clutch pedal until you are ready to shift gears or stop the car. Otherwise, Remember this carefully, and be- slipping may soon develop, and ware of shifting the gear lever into

have you will

trouble the reverse gear position while the with your car than you bargain-car is in motion. Come to a dead ed for.

stop before doing this.

more

The slip may be slight at first, but wear is sure to develop Eventually, it will slip so much that it will have to be scrapped. Slipping glazes the surface, and the clutch spring loses tension.

Pressure on the pedal also puts & strain on the clutch release bear- ing.

214-MILES-AN-HOUR HERO

HONOURED.

TRIBUTE BY AMERICAN AMBASSADOR.

Major Segrave, at a congratula

man was always that of tyres. He tory luncheon given to Captain

Most care have a protection catch in prevent this, and the movies should see that this catch is in position, so that it will be impos sible to move into reverse until the protection is moved with the foot and the way to the reverse position is clear.

the teacher-if the learner is having

two

The Art Of Double Declutching. Changing down is not so simple a matter. The instruction book or

lesions will probably give methods, but the better is by what is known as double declutching.

Although it really consists of six different operations, these will be come so simple with a little practice that the apparent complexity of the movements will not be noticed either by the driver or a passenger. Here are the six movements to

1

provided himself with a four-speed Malcolm Campbell (holder of the change from a higher to a lower gearbox to achieve acceleration,214 miles per hour motoring speed gear: found that tyres were hard put to stand the atraio, and "introduced the detachable wheel to reduce de lay caused by trouble.

It is undoubtedly' for this reason if someone with an actual know that many motorists have como ledge of driving conditions could to breat the white line with con- be made responsible for putting tempt, and it would be a good thing these lines down all

(untinued on next Column,) country.

Prest Lite

BATTERY

over the

Scientifically Constructed. for Long, Efficient Service

PREST-O-LITE storage batteries are the result

of years of constant study and research. Every battery is made the very best trained engineers can make it.

A Prest-O-Lite battery in your car is a guarantee of long satisfactory service and freedom from all battery, troubles.

We have a size for every automobile.

THE HONG KONG HOTEL GARAGE 25, QUEEN'S ROAD CENTRAL (THE HONG KONG & SHANGHAI HOTELE, LTD.)

THE OLDEST SERVICE TO MOTORISTI

record) by Sir Charles Wakefield, 1. Throw out the ditch. announced that he intended going to Daytona next year to try for still greater speeds. He'threw out the hint also that Captain Camp beli might be going with him.

2 Slip gear lever into neutral. 3. Let in clutch and rev. up the engine with a slight pressure of the toe.

4. Throw out clutch.

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the mud, and before long they had market for the "manufacturer re

tained every possible requirements

Remarking that there appeared to have been a misunderstanding his Worship dismissed the summons.

Uhinese Driver's Lapse. Another race day summons was against a Chinese driver for reck-

in the way of pot-holes, slimy return for another car provided less driving. Mr. P. P. J. Wode

they are relieved of the old

house, C.I.E... informed the Magis trate that defendant was driving

about 30 miles an hour on the mora- ing of Easter Monday. He appear

sections, steep inclines, and last, but not least, a few water splashes.

Destruction Yard Plan. Much to the dismay of the riders the pathway came an abrupt md,

What to do with all these used and they were obliged to retraco cars in "the manufacturers present on the wrong side of the road et their way back along the pathway problem. A destruction yard run- to the main-road, not without find- | 3* ing difficulty in coming down the by the industry on a co-operative steep gradients which called for basis is the latest suggestion fered to be making an attempt to over- frequent foot-balancing. It may limiting the numbers of used cars, also be mentioned that on their way up these gradients feet-slogging had which threaten to flood the market to be used quite often so the slimy As one dealer puts it," It would be pathway caused their back-wheels to

good business if there were a co- akid.

operative destroying yard with a bonus."

The course, by the way, was found to be the military, pathway over. which the guns for gun-practice

The plan has already been tried were hauled, and was several miless in one State, the manufacturers long with no other possible way receiving Certificates of those curs back but along the pathway.

This unfortunately could not be of their own make which have been used as a Trial Course, but should destroyed. Agencies that finance the instalment system in America any riders care to explore it, they would naturally lee al: used cats may see for themselves what is really required, and should they to disappear in smoke. They make know of any other similar pathway 15 to 20 per cent. on their money, the suggestion would always bead on last year's cars sold by the welcome.

instalment plan the public ower £300,000,000.

The change down should, of course, always be made before start- ing down a hill that is of doubtful gradient, thar throwing on the gears much of the braking strain. Way and how, the new driver will learn soon, for he will see that a car runs at a speed: regulated by the gear involved.

DO WE NEED VISIBLE PETROL PUMPS?

PUT THEM UNDERGROUND.

take another car.

Defendant WAS fined 825 and

warned not to repeat the offence,

or he would lose his Nicence.

WHIPPET RECORD. IN MOUNTAIN CLIMB.

A NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVE-

MENT.

Hurtling up the steep, twisting Mount Baldy, California, road from the toll gate to Ice. House Canyon,

3

distance of 84 miles, a four. cylinder Whippet touring car, set a new record of 11 minutes, 46 eecond for the high gear climb. This is 50 seconds short of the former record held by a six-cylinder automobile.· The Whippet was awarded the Efforts are being made "to erect silver trophy offered for the Mount petrol stations which are more in Baldy speed record by the Ponoma keeping with the local surround- fags, but, remarks The Motor Progress-Bulletin. The dash was form in this direction will not be officially timed by Mr. R. O. Day, play a much less conspicuous part Peirsol, advertising manager of the effectively "achieved until pumps automobile editor, and Mr. J. K. than they do now."

The Great Adventure. Now then for the great adventure, Starting up in lowest gear speed is approaching the maximum speed up the car by the accelerator till it that such low gear can attain.

Suppose, the maximum" is tem miles an hour, Rey, up to, say,

No pump that is not unsightly Progress-Bulletin; Mr. LA Mac eight miles, then throw out the appears to have been designed at Kelvey, who rode with Nr. Hughes, present, and wo are wondering the driver, as a disinterested ob clutch and change up by putting whether the pump itself could not server, and Los Angeles newspaper the lever into the second gear be hidden away. Its advertising rep. notch. Once more speeding up,

Rules governing the event pro presently throw the clutch out again value is evident, of course, but it and press the lever into third gear.

is a question now whether the oil vide that it must be made in high The saine for the fourth, if such publicity in the interests of the ap: dera is permitted for zalety's sake. concerns could not sacrifice the gear. The removal of top and fen- gear is available. Do not be in a pearance of the station by dispens- Otherwise the car must be strictly our own soil. He travelled faster on top and change down noiseless, hurry to do these things. Try a lewing at soine future date with the stock model as is sold to the gen

3. Let in the clutch.

5. Push lever into required gear. It looks an appalling job, does it A great crowd of motoring ex- perts and enthusiasts attended the not1 But, believe me, it is as luncheon.

simple as A B C. Get it right at the start, and you will glory in wards. To be careering up the hill your gear changing ever after-

.

The American Ambassador said: "Captain Campbell beat us fairly nad squarely and definitely, and en

fiad to.

fident, on the lowest gear first, and altogether. perceptible

comes,

ing of speed makes a man, or woman, feel good for miles after by degrees, as assurance I notice that he hopes to travelwards. The clever artist simply move up into the higher gears. faster than he did. I am glad. I welcomes hill like a good tenor am of opinion that he will find his loves a top note. need of any increased speed that he may have had up his sleeve. I suggest that from now on he sleeps with cur eye open.

3

"I hope I betray no secret when I-my that we intend to bring the trophy (given by Sir Charles Wake field) back to Ameries."

im

Practise In The Easy Chair. There is no need to wait foz

practice till the halls coase. Learn to do it at home. Practise it like the

seventeen-year-old daughter hall, so as to be proficient when it practises the Charleston in the is needed.

A Pov Hora Hints.". Choose a level road if possible early in the morning, before traffic is about. Keep on the left hand side-the tendency generally at first, is to veer to the right."

Do not lose

again. That will give more prie the engine to stock out, you allow

tice in simple essentials. Aim not at speed, but simply to control the car and to know how and why it is, being controlled.

now and

Having in mind the Whippet showed that it conformed fact that the tanks containing the to the rules. spirit have to be sunk well under "The Mount Baldy run is a real the ground, why, asks our contem feet of the speed, stamina and porary, should not the pumping up power of any motor-car that makes paratus itself be placed below the it in high gear at good speed," de surface? The space taken op by cared. L. V. Starr, vice-president the actual operating mechanism is and general manager of J. W. Les not great.

vitt & Company, Whippet and How It Might Be Done,

· The Willys-Knight distributor. ties pumped into the car tank could stretches which are very short and The dials indicating the quanti course has but few straight be worked by a handle or inconspi speed must be kept up on the cuous lever. The spaces for the curves, which tests a car'a road various brands of spirit might be stability and high gear climbing marked out in sections, and the ability to the limit. It is a continu- The engineering and science of name of the spirit could be paintedous climb, very steep in places and the mechanism need not be worried on the ground in each section, so some of the heaviest grades aro en- about for soms time. Many skilled that the car could take up its postcountered on sharp curves. drivers never know just the how tion for filling in the place mark- and why" of the internal mysteries ed out for whatever brand is re- for the most part, is fairly smooth The roadbed, which is of dirt they control. You can ride a horsequired. If it is necessary to carry but the curves are not banked for without being a veterinary surgan. the arm and hose to a height, this high. epeed so that a fast running

Practice stopping as often as you would be less disfiguring than is

"Evil Prophets."

How? I suggest that good prae Bir William Joynson-Hicks, the tice can be obtained in the easy Home Secretary said that the chair at the fireside. Bit well back, achievement of Captain Campbell and try the movements with an must be a severe shock to the kind imaginary clutch and gear lever. of evil prophet who, when England Start slowly at first and increase tost a ping-pong championship, de. the speed as familiarity comes. It clared that the nation was decadent is a good, practical idea, as I have The old Elizabethans would have proved.. classed Campbell with Drake, Fro clutching will become an onay, Changing down by double do bisher, and Raleigh

automatic matter Captain Campbell, in acknow couple of seconds. The whole of the step than how to proceed.

occupying like. It is safer to know how to. the actual pump standard itself; motor-ear negotiating these sharp ledging all the compliments paid

but it would be better if this could turns must have a low centre of to him, said that the record was a combined effort. La faci a akrilled beautiful. Engand is almost within The suggestions, of course, apply,

will appear just as one The glorious, gliding tour through be rendered quite inconspicuous weight to be able to stay on the

road... joint achievement, and he gave en- diver forgetting the details will your, grasp. gineers and mechanics their due. not be conscious of any complicated

in the main, to those stations "The Whippet achievement is On one of his Daytona rums he was effort at all..

Go carefully, bave patience, the which are set back. Should such noteworthy inasmuch as the six and travelling at 220 miles at the

roughly master the method of pro- scheme not be practicable, might eight-cylinder cars establishing pre- ment the Bluebird left the mile to gain proficiency at this. In the road-learn to do every movement actual pumping apparatus could be of greater rated horsepower. The It is well worth a little trouble cedure. Never take the eye off the not, the design be such that the vous racords over this course wern The strain of driving, he had dis improbable circumstance of the without looking at the gears and enclosed behind doors or shutters? Whippet engine, however, is noted covered, was physical, not mental. brakes not doing their full work gadgets; if anybody is

He paid high tribute to American when a hill is being descended, alongside do not turn the head in inconspicuous petrol pump which cleration and stamina. The car's Certainly, the first designer of an for its amazing power, quick acr sportsmanship and whole-hearted knowledge of double declutching conversation, and remember, if the will not render a service, station a low rate of gravity and handling hospitality.

new car does not respond at will. disfigurement to the countryside ease give it safety at all speeds on that the fault in these days of will deserve the gratitude. of all kinds of roads and additional motor car perfection is not the motorista and of the community as safety is provided by the efficient

a whole.

mechanical four-wheel brakes.

Mrs. Campbell was presented with a diamond and capphire brooch model of Bluebird.,

will help you to get into a lower gear, and thus possibly save an awkward situation.

(Continued m next Oolumn).

maker's.

siting

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