Evening Star Newspaper, March 30, 1930, Page 59

In the Motor World BY G. ADAM recent controversy be-| tween Traffic Director Wil- liam H. Harland and Rich- mond B. Keech, people's‘ counsel to the Public Utilities| Commission, over the passing to the right or left of safety zones and platforms has not settled any | arguments by any means. | Final settlement of the question will not be made in all probability | .until the courts have renderedi thelr interpretation. In the mean- time, as often is the case, the| motorists are left in a quandary. It all depends as to the conges- tion of the thoroughfare, whether or not the platform is painted, and last, but not least, whether a policeman is in sight, as to what the driver of an automobile may do. S HOWARD. But because it is not necessary to report the accident to the police it does not mean that it is not a wise thing to do. A man might make his identity known, and later have the owner or operator of the other vehicle in the collislon deny it. If the re- port is made at the police pre- cinct, it is down in black and white, and no possibility of the charge of leaving after colliding is possible. A pamphlet recently issued con- taining the laws and regulations pertaining to Government public vehicles for hire and location of stands for public vehicles has an interesting heading. In a long paragraph on the first page is the headline, “Law Prohibiting Crab- bing.” THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., MARCH 30, 1930—PART TFOUR. DOWN THE ROAD—The Punctured Proposal. Mr. Harland says that no one| Now, crabbing in this sense is may disregard an official sign.|pure, or rather impure, slang. It That seems right, all right, but|means a regulation prohibiting just what is an official sign. Is it |loitering of taxi cabs and other necessary or not to have the| public vehicles. However, it is authorship of the Police Depart- | interesting to note just what the ment appended to the painted di- | dictionary gives as a definition. rection to make it official? Opin- | Two are given as follows: 1. “The ions differ as to this idea. If such | act or business of catching crabs.” were necessary to legalize the|2. “In finishing woolen fabrics; a sign, then the painted arrow in-|process that prevents them from dicating a one-way street would |becoming cockled and imparts a not be legal, for the name Police | \ Department is not appended be- neath. Why Bar Lanes? On the other hand, why is it that on every limitation of park- ing sign the words Police Depart- ment are always inscribed? Is it to make it legal? Every one could be saved from this perplexing situation if Mr. Harland would ‘order all the di- rections, “Keep to the Right, takenofftheplatforms. Thesesigns are not on all the platforms and surround none of the safety zones. If there is any danger existing to pedestrians, surely there is more at the safety zones, for it is easier to run across them than a platform. After all is said and done, there no reason at all why there should be any lane barred from motor vehicular traffic and left alone for the street cars. Side-| walks have been narrowed at the expense of shade trees just to widen the street and allow more room for traffic. Residents miss the shade trees, that will take years to be replaced, but give them up without comment, knowing it| is necessary for the advances of the motor age. But after that a Just complaint is registered that a part of the street, and the part abutting the center, is barred from usage. Such a condition does not exist in any of the larger cities of the country. It has been suggested that if the “artists” of the District of Columbia need employment, let them paint pictures of the Capi- tol or White House on the sides of the platforms. This would be far better than the stenciling of “keep to the right.” Report Not Necessary. Many motorists are not exactly certain as to just what the require- ments are in the case of an acci- dent. Of course, the majority know that the first thing to do| 1s to look after any injured party —that fs a humanitarian law more than a traffic regulation. The majority know that one must make his or her identity known or face heavy penalties. In many States it is the duty of the driver of an automobile, whether he is the party respon- sible for the accident or not, to| report the happening to the police. Many motorists of Wash- ington have been told to do that, too, if the accident occurs in this city. This, however, although a| good thing to do, is not necessary. Paragraph A of section 10 gives | the following requirements: “No individual, while operating a motor vehicle in the District, knowing that such motor vehicle has struck any individual or any vehicle, or that such vehicle has| been struck by any other vehicle, shall leave the place where the injury or collision occurred with- out stopping and giving his name, place of residence, including street and number, and registration and operator’s permit numbers to the individual so struck or to the owner or operator of the other| vehicle, if such owner or operator | is present, or if such owner or operator is not present, then to| bystanders. Any operator whose vehicle strikes or causes personal injury to an individual and who | fails to conform to the require- ments of this subdivision shall, upon conviction of the first of-| fense, be fined not less than $100, | nor more than $500, and shall be | imprisoned for a term of not less | than 60 days and not more than six months, and upon conviction of a second or subsequent offense shall be fined not less than $500 | nor more than $1,000 and shall be | imprisoned for a term of not less| than six months nor more than| one year. And any operator whose vehicle strikes or causes|y damage to any other vehicle and who fails to conform to the re-| quirements of this subdivision | shall upon conviction of the first offense be fined not more than| $500 or imprisoned not more than six months, or both; and for the| second or any other subsequent offense be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.” DON'T START OFF WITH A CoLD MoToR ! WHENEVER POSSIBLE ,RUN YOUR MOTOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE STARTING OUT. COLD OIL IN AN ENGINE DOES NOT CIR - CULATE THOROUGHLY TOALL. MOVING PARTS ! 2 lasting luster.” Too Many Cabs. Speaking of taxi cabs, it would seem that there are far too many of them in our fair city. It is just a big parade with them every day, both on Connecticut avenue south of Dupont Circle, and on F street between Fifteenth and Tenth streets. Seven reasons for the renewed activity in the automobile trade | were cited by Alfred Reeves, gen- eral manager of the National Automobile Chamber of Com- merce, at the March meeting of the sales managers of the motor companies, held in Detroit last week. The factors given were: 1. Good Spring weather. 2. Moderate prices of 1930 models. 3. Style ‘and beauty features of current cars. 4. Many mechanical improve- ments. 5. Dealers rapidly stocks of old cars. 6. Replacement market, which will approach 3,000,000 cars this y clearing ear. 7. Rising curve of general busi- ness. LOW-PRIGED GAR PRODUCTION GAINS Other Classes of Passenger Cars Promised Upward Trend Before Long. Passenger car production assumed a decidedly stronger trend during the past week, with the largest share of the ain oceurring in the low-priced fleld, according to B. H. Cram, president of Cram’s Automotive Reports. ‘While no great increases are expected to occur in the other price classes be- fore the 1st of April, incoming orders | received by a number of companies in these flelds are gaining steadily and support the conviction that output will be stepped up considerably within a few weeks, ‘This week the two largest low-priced car producers instituted heavy increases in their daily operating schedules, one elevating its weekly total some 3,250 cars and the other stepping up its pro- duction about 1,000 units for the period. Slight gains occurred in the medium: able proportions was not particularly , however, since the gain merely represented the company's re- turn to its previous levels following a reduction two weeks ago. Production in the high-priced field moved along at unchanged levels, but most of the com- panies reported that sales were gaining steadily and will warrant output gains soon. Several instances of increases in working forces were noted during the week, serving to elevate slightly the employment level. The automotive em- ployment_situation is improving rap- 1dly and now is the source of little dis- | satisfaction. In the truck division several com- panies reported increasing sales and on concern instituted a 10 per cent in- crease in daily output. Production a the remaining plants contiued without change, with the light delivery units claiming their customary majority of the volume. There was little to indi- cate any immediate heavy increases, but the general trend does seem stronger. UST AS THE DREAM OF YOUR (- LIFE IE ABOUT TO BE REALIZED, ——=— A TIRE BLOWS OUT. 1990 by Prank B Becs. Trate Mery, fog. U. 8. Prv ORL) i —By FRANK BECK o', Y MILADY’S MOTORING ‘; When the officer says she can’t turn | oil to such parts as the timing gears, around in a certain street the wise wom- | the camshaft and in some cars the an will not tell him that she’s a better | valve mechanism. driver than he thinks. Some engines are not so positively lu- | — bricated, but are efficiently oiled by a Sometimes these cool, calculating | splash system. The connecting rods methods of driving do not always pay. I| have little tips on the lower ends which | was reminded of this the other day dip into oil troughs. These troughs, | when a woman ahead came up slowly | however, are kept filled with oil pumped behind several cars stopped by a traf-| yp from’ the reservoir below. | fic signal and started to shoot around to the left of them just as the lights changed to “go.” It looked like a neat way to get ahead of the procession without bothering to touch the brake or shift the gears, but just as her trick | seemed to be scoring another car mak- ing e left turn from the intersecting street collided squarely with her, It may seem to be a little more difi- cult to back into a garage instead of driving straight into it, but the process is safer from several standpoints. In the first place you are sure there is nothing behind you as you back in, ‘whereas in backing out you may be run- ning into danger. Another advan! is it the motor is warm while bacl ing in so that the exhaust fumes are less dangerous than wnen the power plant is cold. Just to top it off the backing in way of doing things saves a lot of twisting and turning around the driveway when the car is stiff and not quite up to operating par. A checkup of the complaint of one woman that the clutch pedal was diffi- cult to press out revealed the fact that the front seat was adjusted too far for- ward. She was pressing down on the pedal more than out. Generally speaking, at the wheel ‘women are apt to be guilty of exceeding the conversation limit, but there is something to be said for chatter. I do not subscribe to the idea that chauffeurs | make safer drivers because they do not talc. One of them confessed to me that he nearly fell asleep at the wheel while taking a couple of elderly people for a ride. A little conversation quickens the wits, and, if not too thought provoking, is more likely to be a help to the driver than a handicap. One of the most risky things in driv- ing is to leave the car doors open when the machine has been garaged for the night. A lot of owners think this doesn't matter. The test comes in the morning, when they are in a hurry and forgetful. A half caught door that flies open when the car lurches backward may cause considerable demage. Recently T talked with a woman who volunteered to confess her ideas as to how an engine lubricated itself. She pictured the crank case filled with oil and the moving mechanism of the en- gine splashing around in it. " But that of course is not the situa- lon. In the best designed cars the ofl is | stored in a sump, or reservoir, at the | b.ttom of the crankcase and is never | disturbed by the crankshaft and con- | necting rods of the engine. A pump lifts | this ofl, forces it straight through the | hollow crankshatt to all bearings and | up_through the rifie-drilled connecting rods to the piston pins. Since the excess | oil flies off there is a constant mist of No matter what the type of lubricating | body should be Protection of Pedestrians Is Urged By Building Walks Along Rural Roads “Two million motor cars are being added each year to the automobile reg- istration list, yet pedestrianism is still vith us,” according to E. E. Duffy, high- way educational ~writer. “This fact seems to have been lost sight of, al- though a few cities and other com- munities are giving the pedestrian the consideration he deserves. Los Angeles, for Instance, has built some 40 pedes- trian tunnels which permit foot traffic | to pass under the jammed arteries. Such ‘ thoughtfulness, however, is rare. “In large cities many streets have | been widened for motor traffic simply | by cutting back the sidewalks. In some instances this has been a sacrifice on | the part of foot traffic, and right here | it might be mentioned 'that more than | half of the thousands of automobile casualties are perpetrated among the ranks of pedestrians. It is no more than logical, therefore, that the grow- ing demand for sidewalks along rural highways be given immediate and con- structive attention. “Supporters of rural sidewalks along highways, the most active being the American Society for Municipal Im- | provements, contend that sidewalks | should be provided near rural schools | and near cities, towns and villages along |the way. So far only a few communi- ties have given this matter any atten- |tion at all. Among the notables are Allegheny County, Pa., County, Mich. “Unfortunately, few State highway | | departments are authorized to build | rural sidewalks; the provision of this | facility now rests for the most part with | the local community. However, it is likely that when various States adopt | indicated pavement programs _some | provision may be made for the installa- tion of country sidewalks, which add but little to the total cost. “The first question that arises is the practicability of spending such construction when so 6t roads need 3 ving. course, and Wayne | joney _for &w miles ' in t, of is a question for the community itself to answer. Automobile accident figures | are not growing any less; in fact, they are slightly increasing. Obviously, if money can be made available, where pedestrian protection is needed there should be no hesitancy as to the course of action. “The ideal situation would be, of | course, for State laws to be passed re- | quiring the construction of a sidewalk | along the pavement passing a school- | house or approaching a town, city or | village, If it is felt that the State it- | self cannot do this, provision should be made permitting the local community to provide such a facility. Missouri passed a law as long ago as 1919 mak- ing it legally possible for sidewalks to be constructed as adjuncts to paved highways, with the cost prorated to the property abu&ing on the road. Strange- ly, this law was not taken advantage of | until 1928, when Jackson County lef contracts for a sidewalk.” J A. A. A. FOREIGN TRAVEL. | Motoring Body Issues Booklet for Touring Overseas. ‘The American Automobile Association which handled 25 per cent of the car: | for Americans traveling in Europe dur- ing 1929, has just published the annual | edition of “Motoring Abroad,” an au- | thoritative handbook on touring over- seas. | Touching on all phases of travel, the ,wbuunon of the A, A A foreign | travel division is replete with informa- tive detalls as to arrangements for going abroad, shipment of the car and customs requirements, information on outstanding objectives, cost of tou the various countries, hotel facili- ties, ete. Chrysler ability dinary values. rims to roof—b motor car ever of lower-priced You recognize Executive Offices and Service Boswell Bovee Gitase Comoany. ar, Brown Motor Compiny’ Cashell_Motor C. AR weaver, O0TPAOY 4-Door Sedan (3 window), $625; Coupe, $590; Road- ster, $610; 2-Door Bedan, $610; Touring, $625; De Luxe C There is no reason—now—why any- pride of owning a Chrysler. The new Chrysler Six comes to the public at a price that almost anyone can afford—a splendid tribute to the system used it is apparent that a little time is required to start the oil going to those places where it is urgently needed. That is why the engine should | never be raced when just started. Some- make a peculiar humming noise. Oil mist cannot form until the moving part are overlubricated, and this combines with the fact that oil drains off the ylinders during the night to empha- ze the need for still greater caution in starting. Clothing has a way of making trouble for the driver. one recent instance, where, the lighting switch on the steering post. Being daylight at the time she did not notice that all the lights were turned on by this unobserved act. Returning to the car several days later she found the | battery dead. | times the oil will move so slowly at the | | start that the oil pump will go dry and | Whether you win the prize at bridge | is of little consequence so long as you remember that the business of driving home is also a game. It is surprising how many people trump their driving partner’s aces. If you are having one of the front tires | changed be sure to ask the service man | to match its pressure with the one on | This was illustrated in | the other wheel, even if you have to de- | in getting | flate the tire with the higher pressure. | | out of the car, milady's coat caught in | Unequal pressures may cause the front wheels to shimmy. BY H. CLIFFORD BROKAW, Automobile Technical Adviser. It used to be, not so long ago, quite an event if the family owned a car. One automobile seemed sufficient to take care of its needs, and usually only one member of the family could drive, that member being the father of the household. Those were the days when women were accepted with humor and patience if they expressed a desire td drive, and with exaggerated annoyance should there be any trouble or delay in progress through traffic when women were driving. Gradually a change came. Four or five years ago the idea evolved that the average family could use two cars to | good advantage, a town car and a coun- | try car; or a closed body model and the open touring; or a big family car |and a smaller runabout. Two cars to a family began to be considered the thing. Today, with lower prices and more exacting demands on life, a one- family car won't do. The modern Ameri- can family is arrlving at a point where | every member needs a car to fit in with his or her own particular purpose. In cases where only one member makes exclusive use of the car, when he is away on business or otherwise, the rest of the folks find themselves at a loss. ‘When one has enjoyed the advantages and pleasures of an automobile it is as hard to live without one as to forego yarm and running water in the modern ome. Essential to Own Car. So then we find the family arriving at a stage—in city life, but particularly in rural communities—where it is es- sential that mother as well as father own a car, and the children and the grown-up sons and daughters have theirs. It was an easy matter for women to learn to manipulate a car. They are known to be as careful in driving and as quick-thinking in an emergency as most men; perhaps they are more so, for they have had to overcome the | prejudice against their automotive a tivity. Women, as well as men, have come to appreciate the many advan- tages in owning an automobile to u: at will, and in having a car for chil-| dren to use without interference with | the parents' own particular purposes. | The duties and obligations of modern | women in which they can make excel- | |lent use of a car are countless. To enumerate a few, we find her using the |car in fulfilling social engagements, in | visiting friends and relatives, in driving to town during the day. She finds dis | tance no barrier in the matter of look- ing for better prices or better material | when shopping. She entertains guests | with it, she tours the countryside and enjoys the out-of-doors; she can also relieve friend husband of matters that | he might be too busy to attend to, or' LOWEST-PRICED SIX THE Another great triumpb of great engineering denied the thrill and to turn out extraor- It is a typical Chrysler creation from y long odds the finest to appear in the field sixes. at once| all the subtle Touring = - o oo $835 Royal Coupe Business Coupe - - = $795 You can’t miss the solid substance of Chrysler quality and the precision of Chrysler craftsmanship. Here at amazingly low price are the® greatadvantages of Chrysler engineer- 4-DOOR ROYAL SEDAN, 3-WINDOW, 845 .o = $855 hydraulic brakes; a MORE CARS TO THE FAMILY BECOMES MODERN REQUIREMENT Every Member of Household Drives Now, With Few Exceptions, Contrasting Old Idea of One Automobile. feel indisposed to bother with. The automobile has become so much a part of the veryday life of women-that they are finding it impossible to dispense with this vehicle. School Transportation. In the case of children, it might be a question of taking them to school; in many cases enabling them to attend bet- ter institutions, which they otherwise would not be able to do; such schools being too far from home or too hard to get to with other transportation fa- cilities. The young adult daughter in city or county finds manifold uses for the au- tomobile, as does her grown brother, in keeping engagements, in _driving to town or to school, to the shops, to the theater, in getting to week end parties, in entertaining guests, in performing errands and enjoying themselv in general. Not having to bother th train schedules or the crowded sub- ways is a cause for elation that well warrants an automobile. Of course, it is not advocated that children operate automobiles. But boys and girls 16 years of age and over in most _States can secure a junior opera- tor’s license and in the main drive care- fully. Those 18 years of age and over are really adults and are usually per- fectly competent as operators of an au- tomobile. They have needs for using cars which, as long as they are legiti- mate, should be recognized and some provision should be made for meeting such needs. Preposterous Idea Before. . ‘To sell a car to every member or to several members of a family would have been quite a preposterous idea a few years ago. It is not so strange a matter today. When the family visits the au- tomobile show or views the cars dis- played in automobile showrooms or the windows of such concerns, the salesmen well know that mother is considering a car that will be of most use to her, and son and daughter are making their pick, even though father might decide (to himself only) that one family car will do. Life without an automobile would in- deed be an “empty” round of routine. ‘The narrowed and limited life and op- portunity which made up a part of life in suburbs and rural communities in pre-car days would be intolerable today. And women and older boys and girls as well as adult sons and daughters are as appreciative and conscious of this as are men, who for many years have made use of motor cars. Automobile manu- facturers, knowing well the need and desires of women, are catering increas- ingly to their tastes and desires in the way of automobile design and utility. These makers of cars are wise in viding vehicles which appeal to people of both sexes, all ages and a wide range of pocketbooks. EVER TO BEAR THE CHRYSLER NAME 795 BusINESs COUPE NEwW CHRYSLER SIX ing—such advantages as weather- proof internal-expanding 4-wheel 62-horsepower high-compression engine mounted on rubber; Iso-Therm pistons; low-swung perfectly-balanced chassis; special-type spring shackles and shock absorbers; small base wheels with large balloon tires; and typically Chrysler-styled bodies of new design and construction. Such a car at such a believable, yet here it price is hardly is. We repeat: There is no reason—now—why any- body should be denied the thrill and touches of smart Chrysler designing. 161222 You St. N.W. Skinker Motor Co., 1216 20th St. N.W. Roadster'= - « = « $835 F. O. B. Factory (Special Equipment Extra) DISTRIBUTORS H. B. LEARY, JR., & BROS. pride of owning a Chrysler. 738 Used Car Salesrooms 1321-23 Fourteenth Street N.W, Salesrooms—1612-22 You St. N.W. and' 10th and H Sts. N. OTHER DEALERS Clarence D: Economy G Kavanaugh Garage . Wright Motor Compai Leonardtown Motor & Hardware Co Mount Rainier. M . Boyel ndy Spring. Rockville, -Culpeper, Va. F THE LOWEST-PRICED CARS I PLYMOUT MOT RS R O D CHRYSLE™ DEALERS EV o SOLD BY Chevy Chase Motors, 6701 Wisc. Ave. N.W. Newton Motor Company.. otor € N THE WORLD veT ERYWHERE