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

HOW TO DRIVE A MOTORCAR readers it may even sound a little fantastic, but some very bad accidents could have been avoided if the drivers had known how to do it. It is certainly preferable for all to go on the assump- tion that prevention is better than cure ; in other words, always drive carefully and, so far as it is humanly pos- sible, avoid the necessity for such drastic action. However, on occasion, drastic action is the only means of safety, and if all drivers were really au fait with the art of skidding and skidding control there would undoubtedly be a big reduction of minor acci- dents and a diminution of serious ones. The proof of this is to be found in the fact that many really expert drivers take far more risk in driving than the average driver, and yet one never, or very, very rarely, hears of them being involved in an accident. The whole solu- tion to this state of affairs lies in the fact that they do the right thing, and do it in the right fifth or tenth cf a second, instead of only making the superficially obvious attempt to avoid an accident. With regard to the question of skids in general, many people consider that the higher the speed of the car the quicker the tendency to sideslip. They may be correct in this opinion, but the writer does not per- sonally agree with it to the full. For a sudden brake application he is inclined to think that the rear wheels slip more readily at moderately slow speeds than at high speeds, though conversely there is no doubt that the front wheels will skid more easily at high speeds than at slow speeds. In conclusion, it must once again be pointed out most distinctly that these manœuvres are mentioned solely to provide the knowledge of how to act in such eases, and are not in the slightest shape or form intended to con- stitute a part of the daily curriculum of the average driver. No. The knowledge is useful, and an old car and a quiet greasy road, with a little practical experimenting, will teach a great deal with regard to skidding. The information is well worth having. 118