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

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER MOST of us are aware of a common human failing which is to be traced in almost every walk of life, namely, that when a person attains to a mediocre efficiency in the execu- tion of any given work or sport, he (or she) is inclined to think that the sum knowledge of the subject has been acquired. Most of us suffer from the same com- plaint in a greater or lesser degree, but somehow the motorist seems particularly susceptible to this human weakness. It is, perhaps, a little unusual to start in the intro- duction to a book a tirade against one’s readers, and really no such unwarrantable attack is intended. On the contrary, if we admit, for argument’s sake, that some few people who imagine that they are expert drivers are not really such in all phases, then it is hoped that some of the information given may be really useful. It is also thought possible that some of the points may be instructive even to many experienced drivers, whilst a certain confidence is felt that the book will prove valuable to the bulk of motorists. It is not proposed to start with the literal A B C of driving a •car, and the reader is assumed to have some average knowledge of the means of conducting a car, although here and there elementary matters may be referred to, so that even the absolute novice will not be at sea in reading the book. More particularly, however, it is desired to lay down the ways and means to be adopted to enable the ordinary driver to become an expert, both as regards the treatment of the mechanism which he controls and his conduct of the car when driving. If these desiderata can be successfully attained, a good work will have been accomplished. In the first place, the correct care of the car and its appurtenances 1 A