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

 HOW TO DRIVE A MOTORCAR where the driver is suddenly confronted with an almost impossible situation, when the car refuses to acknow- ledge control through the steering gear. Prevention is, therefore, better than cure, and one steel-studded non- skid tyre on the off front wheel, maintained in a reasonable state of efficiency so far as the studs are concerned, is enough to guard against the trouble in the large majority of circumstances. When taking a right-angle turn on a greasy (greasy— not merely wet) road, always exercise a certain amount of care in case a- front-wheel skid should develop when part of the turn is made, and, speaking in general terms, learn to have a regard for the steering gear when on greasy roads, more especially if both the front tyres are of the plain rubber type. Another point which should be remembered is not to adopt that common phase of bad driving, overtaking a vehicle at a good speed in a direct line behind it, and only starting to steer out at the last moment. Start to get to the offside of the vehicle which it is desired to overtake in good time, and then, even if a front-wheel skid should occur, there is plenty of time to correct it. Rear-wheel Skids As already indicated, this type of skid is far more frequent, and luckily it is also far more easily corrected. So long as both rear wheels are driving equally (we are referring to skids caused by progression) all goes well. If, however, from any cause whatsoever, such as sudden acceleration or a difference in the road surface, one wheel suddenly starts to revolve at a speed considerably " in excess of the rate of progression of the car, then cer- tain circumstances are set up which render the vehicle susceptible to rear-wheel skidding. On consideration, it is seen that, with the wheel spinning round faster than the car’s progress, the adhesion between the wheel in question and the road surface is less than it is at normal times, and conse- quently the car is more susceptible to a lateral thrust, or, more likely to slide down a camber of the road. Opinions rather differ as to the precise cause of this 103