Evening Star Newspaper, January 12, 1930, Page 58

6 WARNS MOTORISTS OF ROAD HAZARDS Standards Bureau Official Says 30,000 People Killed Annually by Autos. “With 30,000 persons being killed an- nually in automobile accidents in the United States and three times that number being injured more or less seri- ously, it behooves us to take radical steps, it such are necessary, to lessen the hazards of driving,” declares H. C. Dickinson, chief of the heat and power division of the United States Bureau of Standards, Washington, D. C. Dr. Dickinson has made a deep study of the subject and his proposed plan | for reducing the number of automokile accidents has attracted the attention of the American Road Builders’ Asso- ciation. Its committee on safety, head- ed by M. O. Eldridge of the Washing- ton (D. C.) Trafic Bureau, will con- sider Dr. Dickinson's ideas along with other suggestions at the convention and road show of the association, to be held at Atlantic City, January 11 to 18. Advises Substitute Ruling. Instead of arbitrarily limiting the speed of a motor vehicle on highways or city streets to a certain number of miles per hour, as is done at present, Dr. Dickinson would substitute a ruling defining the distance within which the vehicle must be capable of stopping ‘This distance would, of course, vary with conditions. The legal speed would then be determined by the following simple rule: “No vehicle shall be op- erated at a speed such that it cannot be s within the assured clear course ahead.” For speed, according to Dr. Dickinson, is only one of the factors that determine the stopping distance, and the stopping distance with relation to the clear course ahead, and not speed, is the most important factor of safety. “The Ten Commandments are a strik- ing example of simplicity and direct- ness,” comments Dr. Dickinson. “One of them says ‘Thou shalt not kill’ It does not say ‘Thou shalt not drive fast- er than 18 miles per hour on a certain plece of road because we, the lJawmak- ers, estimate that if you do not travel faster you probably will not kill any one’ So why can't we say ‘Thou shalt not drive at a dangerous speed,” and then very, very forcefully make it clear what is a dangerous speed by means of enforcement? Safety Easily Regulated. “Under many typical conditions the safe stopping distance is readily deter- mined, and when that is done an officer may require an alleged spteder to stop within that distance, thus furnishing immediate f of whether or not he is within legal speed. Then if a man is involved in an accident, it is safe to say that he was in the wrong unless some one else violates the rule by _entering his traffic lane.” Dr. Dicl would have drivers rely less on their speedometers and more on their instinct, knowledge and experi- ence. Today if a man is involved in an accident while he is driving 18 miles an hour if the traffic laws allow him 22 miles an hour in that particular dis- trict, he is absolved from blame. Dr Dickinson contends that a driver is equally guilty whether the accident oc- curs when is driving 10 or 40 milcs an hour, as long as it can be proved that he was not in position to stop within the clear course of his vision. Speed Law Difficulties Defined. The adoption of the clear course|be ahead as the basis of a speed law, how- Mm.l 'mnof d neessmmmm 8 change in wa , according to Dr. Dickinson. {‘he present right of way he says, are so confusing that even the courts are unable to in- them. They could be simplified by providing that & driver may have the right of way as long as he remains in his own lane—i. e., along a straight stretch—but that any action interfering with traffic such as stopping suddenly, making a crossing, pulling out from a curb or turning a corner first requires 8 signal which must be answered by the driver of the other car most con- cerned before the first motorist can proceed. The left-hand right of way at inter- :«;’;l'onol is :hd:oenud :lmh:lvlhnz advan- ver nt t-hand rule. From the !tln&fl;:i;eu of visibility, ease of hand signaling and avoidance of other vehicles it is contended that the left-hand rule is far superior. ‘The American Road Builders' Asso- clation is actively interested in the safety movement, and its traffic com- mittee, in charge of Mr. Eldridge, has been making an intensive survey of conditions during the past year, the findings of which will be outlined at the coming convention. — 2,000,000 DEFECTIVE AUTOS ON HIGHWAYS Public Safety Menaced by Condi- tion, Says Bulletin of Re- search Foundation. CHICAGO, January 11.—Two million automobiles are traveling the highways of the United States in a defective con- dition that constitutes a menace to the ublic safety, according to a bulletin ued here by the American Research Foundation. “Defective equipment on these motor cars ranges from faulty brakes to im- proper lights and defective steering mechanism,” says the bulletin. “But of these, faulty brakes are by far the worst offenders. “Estimates of the number of auto- mobile accidents attributable directly to improperly maintained cars show a wide diversity, -Many reporting agencies agree that from 3 to 6 per cent of all the automobile deaths annually are di- rectly due to faulty maintenance. over and above this is an indefinite per- centage, estimated by some authorities as high as 25 or 30 per cent, of acci- dents in which faulty brakes or other defective equipment are important con- mhuaindg ‘causes. Many accidents ascril to failure to observe the right of way at intersections are in reality caused by inability of the driver to stop quickly because Ris brakes were not in good condition. “Brakes bear the greatest burden of any working mechanism of the average car in these days of fast driving, traffic congestion and quick stops. Careful maintenance of the brakes, with tests and adjustments at least once each month, is the best insurance against the accident hazard. Many safety experts recommend also that after every 10,000 miles of driving the brake drums should be trued up and the brakes relined.” A Seven-Foot Street. Probably the narrowest street in the ‘world is to be seen in Quebec, which thoroughfare is known as Sur le Gap. It is just 7 feet wide from wall to wall end icturesqueness of the It is not only narrow and uite steep. Quebec has none_quite so French and know nothing of English and the children assail the tourist with cries of “penny, penny,” which is the only English word they know. The city t on several levels and a broad But | THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTOXN, AMERICAN HISTORY BY MOTOR— MILADY’S MOTORING By Frederick C. Russell. Cars that change colors may seem to be the newest thing in fine finish, but many a careless driver has succeeded in changing flesh color to black and blue. Every now and again milady’s own personal car needs service, and it falls to her lot to drive the bigger, heavier machine usually reserved for friend husband. She takes the wheel confl- dently and finds even the biggest of today’s machines handles easily, but she may head for some difficulties through overlooking that size itself makes a difference. She may find that she bumps the curb by turning corners without proper regard for the length of the machine. She may not know that while a heavier car does not skid as easily as a light one, it skids more distressingly once it starts. If she sets forth on a shopping expedition, forgetting about the in- creased wheelbase, she may be caused delays trying to place the car in im- possible parking spaces. ‘The second person to start out a-wheel in the two-car family should be par- ticularly careful to guard against car- bon monoxide. In Winter the first one out smokes up the garage and then closes the doors. When the second car is taken out a little while later there is likely to be a good deal of poison lurking about. The gay nineties may be history, but there still is a thought in the song “After the Ball” Nowadays we mod- ernize it by pointing out some special cautions to observe “after the turn is over.” Many women seem to have too much trouble with the car following completion of a turn. Perhaps it would help them to know that steering gears are of two kinds— those that straighten out of their own ened out by the driver. In the former type the best rule is to accelerate a little and let the lmflnfi wheel slip through the fingers unti wheels are straight again, while with the latter type the steering wheel should turned rather rapidly back to the ahead position, but without accelerat- ing as much. ‘Women who feel that they are not “cut out” for driving may derive some encouragement from the fact that & New York millionairess well up in the sixties drives a convertible coupe with top down all around the town, even though she is to be seen evenings sit- ing her life away in a Westchester County hotel. She scarcely ever walks, cannot stand her Park avenue apart- ment because it is too noisy, and is considered by her friends as being on the shelf. with a foot on the accelerator. When a mechanic starts discussing piston rings he often is talking over the heads of woman customers, but it need not be so. Pistons and rings are complicated from the service = point, but not in principle. A flmn is_the moving mechanism of & cylinder. It is a round cast-iron or aluminum part, somewhat on the order of a tin can. The pressure of ignited gas forces the piston to go downward, and since it is connected to a throw of the crankshaft through a rod, it serves to rotate the engine shaft. On its way up the piston either pushes out the burned gas or compresses gas that is ready to be ignited, doing one or the other on every other upward trip. On every other downward trip it sucks in fresh gas vapor. Slots are cut around the sides of the piston, and into these fit the piston rings, which are free to_expand so as make a better seal. If it were not for the rings, the piston either would have to be made so loose as to rattle when cold or seize in its cylinder when hot. The rings also control the amount of ofl that is fed to the cylinder walls. Naturally, when the rings are not in good shape there is loss of compressed gas and too much ofl working up past them. The rings also help the piston run quietly without knocking. Let the repairman worry over the job of selecting proper rings and fitting them. Your part of it—understanding the principles involved—really is the simplest of all. One is well on the road to knowing how to drive a car once one has mas- tered the art of cranking the engine and operating it. I wonder how many women have ever thought of this. It's the ability to handle the engime, to keep it running at the right speed and to recrank it if it stalls that mean so much in actual driving. Have you ever noticed that rear-seat passengers often note conditions ahead better than the driver? It is an ob- servation well worth making, because it suggests a useful idea in driving. ‘The driver is so close to the left front body post that it becomes a more effective blind spot than it is to those sitting farther back. Usually when such a blind spot is pronounced you see the driver trying to look around the post, whereas her best bet is to hold her head back as far as possible. The farther back the less the post obscures the road. As a rule women do not press as vig- | orously on the brake pedal as their male cotemporaries at the wheel. Usually this is an advantage, but not in Win- ter. At this season brakes need to be applied with a vim in order to warm | them up and get them working equally. This brake exercise, however, should be taken immediately after starting out, and not when an emergency arises. SIMPLICITY 'IS DROPPED. 0il Drillers Now Study Technicali- ties. DES MOINES (#).—Mellow sim- licity has fled from the well-drilling usiness. In the good old days the well driller had merely to sit and sing, or dream away the days, the while his bit bored into the earth’s bowels in search of liquid to fill the crystal cup. At a recent well drillers’ convention here the delegates were addressed upon “Relation the Geol United States now > | tlon. accord and those that must be straight- | p But she 15 one of the crowd (O [ERE ate old. Teche in the that take one bellum days, called The Shadows "and whs used. an exquisite motion, in Flming ‘pictise, The White Rose.” Temperature Makes BY H. CLIFFORD BROEAW, Automobile Technical Adviser. ‘When a person becomes owner of & new automobile, about the most im- portant thing to know is how to oper- ate it. One of the initial performances in this direction is the starting of the engine. To do this one usually ceeds as follows. The ignition being ary to have the proper key and to insert it, unloek the car and turn on the ignition. The next ure is to the throttle slightly, then pull ton &1 open out the choker but- ufficiently to allow for a quick start of the engine. The distance will vary with the temperature and the season of the year, but the owner will find from experience how to get the best results in this connection. The driver is now ready to step on the self-starter pedal. This will start | the engine and the foot should be re- leased from this pedal the instant the engine has begun to fire. The next matter of business is to readjust the choker button, so that the engine pro- ceeds to run smoothly. It is not a idea to pump the choker button back and forth. As soon as the engine is warmed up sufficiently to operate with- out the choker button being out, this button should be pushed in. In warm weather this can be done in just a few seconds after the engine started. The throttle should next be closed. The engine should then be running in proper condition for the operator to roceed to where he wishes to go. Stopping Engine Simple. ‘The process of stopping the engine is simpler, but there are essential matters to know about. When wishing to sto) the engine, be sure that the gear t lever 15 in neutral position. The igni- tion switch should be turned emergency brake should be set, ::.léy if the car is on any kind e. ‘The choker to which the choker con- trol button is attached is in effect a damper, which shuts off the supply of air to the carburetor and permits the engine to draw in a gas mixture, very rich in gasoline. The choker is usually the essential asset to quick starting. After the engine is thoroughly warmed up and the ignition switch is turned so that the car is stopped or by chance the engine is stalled, it is not necessary to use the choke in when starting. Improper use of choker results in the engine and ac- tually delays its starting. More im- portant, it also contributes to crank case dilution and rapid wear of piston and cylinder walls, resulting in piston slaps. Excessive choking causes the oil to be washed down from the cylinder walls. The result of this is greatgr fric- tion and wear between pistons and cyl- inder walls for a few minutes after along the oty bk Lo The e | var B D. C, JANUARY 12 (Title registered U. 8. Patent Office.) Lraveler g e, {ow. The remains it Sinin, gab tn he +ight, located in the - b B g e diétnmm ot N ) Woven i the fair w: Y Spanish Trail. ©'A—hmmwmi.hjmu» STARTING ENGINE OF AUTO REQUIRES LITTLE EXPERIENCE Judgment Important Factor, and Choker Button Ma.y Easily Be Overworked. sta cylinder walls. It should be emghuhed that under no circumstances should the engine of a new automobile be raced. By racing i meant the opening of the throttle or pressing down on the accelerator pedal and allowing the engine to run at a very high rate of speed while the car is standing still. The admonition is particularly important in cold weather when the lubricating materials are somewhat thickened, for then it re- uires a few minutes of running before e ofl is warmed to a point where it will thoroughly cover the bearings and rubbing surfaces. Lack of Lubrication. One familiar with the mechanism of a motor car can readily see that, when the engine is raced soon after it is started, it is possible to create a con- siderable amount of friction without proper lubrication. The result will be the ruining of a highly polished bea: ing surface so essential to long we: and_satisfactory service. This par- ticularly true of piston and cylinder wall bearing surfaces and is a contrib- utory cause of piston slaps. ‘Warning should be given to all auto- mobile drivers to be sure never to start an automobile motor in & garage with the doors closed. To do is almost certain death, as the carbon monoxide fumes can not readily escape into the open air and are deadly poison to hu- man I s by chance the self starter refuses to work, it will be nec- essary to use the starting crank to get the engine under way. In using such a crank, always pull upwagd on it. If by chance the engine should backfire when shing downward on this crank, a broken wrist is likely to handicap the success of an automobile experi- ence. ‘The headlights and parking lights of modern automobile are rated in various ways, but usually by 'some lever or button convenient to the driver when seated at the wheel. There are usually three ways of using the lights. One is for parking purposes. ese are smaller lights and are designed so as to indicate the location of the auto- mobile in the dark, and at the same time consume a minimum of electricity. The parking lights show two white lights ahead, one on each side of the car and one red light in the rear. For traveling after dark there are two larger lights, one on each side of the car at front, which {lluminate the highway ahead sufficiently to drive without _inconvenience during the night. When these lights are on, the red light in the rear is also showing. There is usually a simple device for turning on the parking lights and and for switch- ing from the parking lights to the larger lights for night driving. When these larger lights are on the parking lights are off. TRAFFIC SAFETY CAMPAIGN URGED Henry Declares Vigilance Is Re- quired if Toll of Accidents Is to Be Cut. The dawn of 1930 finds the country still confronted with a highly unsatis- factory condition as regards the ques- tion of safety on the streets and high- ways, according to Thomas P. Henry, president of the American Automobile As;““v}wn' A olnting = ou approximately \30,000 deaths and more than 700,000 | personal injuries will represent the toll for 1929, Mr. Henry appealed for the wholesale mobilization of national re- sources for a determined battle for safety in 1030. Only through careful driving on the part of every individual motorist can the situation be remedied, he asserted, and it behooves all, car owners ana pedestrians alike, to resolve to make 1930 a year of safety. He continued: “Although the human element re- mains the strongest factor in the fleld of natlonal safety, there is much thav can be accomplished in overcoming the | conditions that contribute to deaths | and_accidents. “Diversity in traffic rules and regu- lations is one of these. It results in the motorist finding himself in a maze of unfamiliar rules and plays no smai part in subsequent accidents. To over- come this the National Conference on Street and Highway Safet: pro: mulgated the uniform vehicle code ana the model municipal traffic ordinance. | Together they r one of the most hopeful signs in the direction of safety. To date 23 States have enacted legis- lation based upon the code, while scores of cities are reaping the benefits of the model ordinance. A greater measure of safety can also | be built into our highways by elim- inating dangerous curves and grades; by protecting hazardous railroad cross- ings and programs to eliminate those | most dangerous; bottle-necks at the entrance to cities can be widened; traf- fic_diverted into arteries where travel is less heavy, all of these being factors against safety.” Other safety factors, he said, include a curb on the reckless and the in- toxicated driver and periodic inspection of brakes and headlights. Front Tires Need Watching. If it seems harder to steer the car toward the end of a long day’s run, maybe the air pressure in the front tires has gone down. Check it with the gauge. And you might as well check the rear tires while you are about it. Foreign Auto Use Growing. Automobiles in use uut:hlgp of uu.‘f in this county in l'll.l\ TIRE SERVICE SHOP ADOPTS REMINDER Cards Sent Customers Each Satur- day, Asking ‘“Have You Tested Your Tire Pressuref” Dentists have been doing it for years. Why not tire doctors? So reasoned the owner of a tire service shop in a Middle Western town who found himself weary of alibling perfectly good rubber when the real trouble was in the heads of his absent-minded customers. Within a month this service man had three requests for adjustment in cases where the real trouble was the fallure of the motorist to keep his tires prop- erly inflated. Theoretically, of course, the customer is always right. But prac- tically, the service man decided, it would save & lot of trouble, expense and hard feeling all around if some method could be found of reinforcing his customer’s memory. A method was found—a very simple one—and it works. Every Saturday morning the cus- tomer gets a post card in the mail with nothing on it except the scrawled query, “Have you tested your tire pres- sures?” and the stamped signature of the tire shop. Sometimes the customer heeds the suggestion and sometimes he does not. But he is always grateful, and if he does learn to check up at least once & week on his tire pressures, stands an excellent chance of doubling the wear of his rubber. 1t is estimated that improper infla- tion causes 80 per cent of premature tire failures. This particular dealer now has about 30 of his regular customers on his “tickler list.” The cost of this new wrinkle in tire service is negligible and is more than paid for by increased sales of tire gauges, caps and valve insides. And the increment cf good will, popu- larity and new business is invaluable. Exact Pressure Important. You will notice than any list of the pressure prescribed for balloon tires of different sizes gives the figures in odd pounds. That shows how impor- tant exact pressure is. Ignition System Needs Care. ‘The great majority of breakdowns on the road are due to ignition trouble. Have your ignition system checked regulariy. Swift Driving Cests 0il. Some people have to change the ofl in the crank case oftener than others because they habitually drive faster. At 50 or 55 miles an hour oil consump= tion is more than twice as rapid as at 30 miles an hour, l 900,000,000 ROAD BUILDING PLANNED Many States to Promote Ex- tensive Highway Cam- paigns This Year. BY JAMES W. BROOKS, Director American Highway Educational Bureau. Highway departments in 44 States have completed their estimates of ex- penditures for road construction and ganeome B e D af not yet repol Y, = mates have "been based upon funds available for 1928. The total estimated amount to be expended in all States during 1930 slightly exceeds $900,000,000. Even at this rate, as Samuel Eckels, State high- way engineer of Pennsylvania and pres- ident of the American Association of State Highway Officials, pointed out at Tecent hearings before the House com- mittee on roads, road building is not keeping pace with the increased use of the automobile. Considering the fact that 1930 high- way construction and maintenance will involve nearly one billion dollars, all of which will be spent under State super- vision, the speed with which the esti- mates have been prepared and sub- mitted before the House committee on roads indicates that practically all State highway departments are ready for vigorous and efficient action, and in hearty response to President Hoover's cnllktor full speed ahead in public work. To Be an Investment. Viewed in the light of results so far assured in placing a check upon ex- cessive road repairs and motor vehicle cperating costs through the construc- tion of substantial highways, this vast sum of nearly one billion dollars will become an investment rather than an expense. The degree of returns, how- ever, that will accrue to the public in this investment will be in direct ratio to the degree of durabiilty built into the road. Upon the passage of the present Federal-ald measure before Congress, States will be able to carry out enlarged road-construction programs as follows: Virginia Program Large. Virginia has $11 to match every $1 of Federal funds. An increase in Federal ald will aid greatly in the road-con- struction program of that State, which fixes its estimates for 1930 construction and maintenance at $18,818,260. In Delaware road work for 1930 has been estimated at $1,705,000. West Virginia has § 1930 and 1931 to co-operate with Fed. eral funds, and the passage of the measure now before Congress will greatly enlarge the construction pro- gram for that State. Estimates for 1930 construction and repairs in West Virginia have been given at $17,298,000. Maryland reconstructed 124 miles of road last year and received Federal as- sistance on but 52 miles. An increase in Federal funds will provide for a larger tpmzrun. ‘The Maryland est!- mate for 1930 has been given at $8,418,561. AMERICANS PRAISE EUROPEAN SIGNALS Uniform System Offers Contrast to Driving Conditions Here, Official Says. Motor travel on European highways is being greatly facilitated as the re- sult of the adoption of uniform road signals instead of lettered signs, ac- cording to the foreign travel division of the American Automobile Associ- ation. i A. A. A. motorists returning from Europe have been particularly im- ith the advantages of the ignals, which relieves them of all linguistic troubles with lettered signs as they pass from frontier to fl!-n:mer. the national motoring body states. Thomas P. Henry, president of the WHERE TO MOTOR AND DINE “The Place to Eat” MILLER BROS. 119 West Fayette St. Baltimere, Maryland GRAY'S HILL INN Overlocking the Potomac Formerly a part of Mt. Vernon Luncheon Dinner Special Parties ington-Rich: d Boulevard T lerFione Lorton 3.7 [ PENN-DAW i - from Grand Pré 1{e rear of an old ¢hurch at St. 'New Iberia on the Old. 15,000,000 _for | Homt CooKin Quncheon or 1930—PART FOUR.~ —BY rature lmzt' to the American Automobile Association, points to this European development as affording a sharp contrast to the |signs. JAMES W. BROOKS. (Sketches by Calvin A. Fader.) this hotne, alt {t‘}s its oviginal form.It folrgg for it was built prior and was the home of last Spanish Viceroy in. America. chaotic_condition which still prevails in the United States in regard to road 1929 PARK VISITORS BREAK ALL RECORDS Yosemite, Platt, Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone Continue to Lead. . ‘Trave] to the national parks and monuments broke sll- records in 1929 and motorists comprised by far the larger number of those enjoying the scenic and historic outdoors, accerding to George E. Keneipp, manager of the District of Columbia Division of the American Automobile Association. Mr. Keneipp said the total for both parks and monuments was 3,248,264, | and was 223,420 above the 1928 figures. “Of this number,” he said, “2,680,507 visited the national parks and 567,667 the monuments, compared to 2,522,188 entering the parks.in 1928 and 502,656 visiting the monuments. “Eleven, or more than half of the national parks, passed the 100,000 mark, the Hawali Park for the first time Substantial increases in travel also were shown in Yellowstone, Sequoia, Crater Lake, Glacier, Rocky Mountain and Grand Canyon National Parks. The new national parks, Bryce Canyon and Grand Teton, had, respectively, 21,807 and 51,500 visitors. The principal in- creases in travel to the national monu- ments were at Carlsbad Cave, Capulin Mountain, Casa Grande, Devils Tower, Papago Sagraro, Pipe Springs and Scotts Bluff.” MARMON FOR 1930 FOUR EAT IN FOUR GREAT PRICE FIELDS Marmon has the cars for 1930. . . If you want to see the most complete line of modern automobiles in the industry —call on Marmon. Every one is a straight-eight—the Big Eight, the Eight-79, the Eight-69 and the Marmon-built Roosevelt . . . High-price, medinm-price, low-price ... Efficient looking, but large and roomy. Style that’s on the crest of the wave. . . Smooth, quiet Marmon-built engines that like hard work . . . Easy riding qualities that seem to re-surface bad roads as you ride along. . . The five- passenger sedan, in any model, really seats five—not four - ... Some of the other cars you’ll see will match some of Marmon’s features—but no car can match all of them « « . And no manufacturer can match the fact that Marmon has built straight-eights exclusively for nearly four years—knows what to do about that type of motor, and does it—efficiently, expertly, and thoroughly. NEUMEYER MOTOR CO., Inc. Salesroom 1517 Connp. Ave. Phone Dec. 1762 Distributors N.W. Service Station 2021 17th St. N.W, Phone North 4010