How To Drive A Motorcar
A Key To The Subtleties Of Motoring

HOW TO DRIVE A MOTORCAR arranged that a deliberate pause is quite unnecessary and the movement can be made almost as quickly as one cares to make it. This question of pausing must not, of course, be overdone, as, if it is, it is often a more difficult matter than it is when going too quickly. Occasionally one does do this, and finds difficulty in making the change up, and under these circumstances the only thing to do is to leave the change speed in the neutral for a moment and slightly accelerate th© engine and have another go. As to the precise moment in which to make the change gear upwards, it is rather difficult to lay down a definite law. The writer makes a practice of changing up on what may be termed a “ rising note.” That is to say, observe if the “ hum ” is on a rising scale, and the change should be made shortly before this becomes a fixed tone. If the car is kept on the low gear until such time as the fixed tone is brought into being, the gear change will always prove a difficult one, and one that necessitates a fairly considerable pause. Briefly, this means that on the level the low gears are not left in engagement for very long, and, excepting on a very steep hill, it generally means changing up again before the actual summit is reached. In conclusion, always remember that, under any circumstances, if the time of changing gear is not suc- cessful and a grinding noise is the result, do not force the gear in, but try again gently. If the cause is through too long a pause it is better to go back into the gear which one is endeavouring to get away from, and make an attempt to change into the next one over again. Never force the gear lever. Trick Changing As a general rule it is safe to say that the clutch should always be partially or wholly disengaged for gear-changing. As a matter of fact, however, gear- changing can be effected without disengaging the clutch, although the writer would certainly be the last to advocate a general adoption of such a manœuvre. For the sake of example, however, one can, whilst the 94