How To Drive A Motorcar
A Key To The Subtleties Of Motoring
År: 1915
Forlag: Temple Press Ltd.
Sted: London
Udgave: 2
Sider: 138
UDK: 629.113 How
Written and illustrated by the Staff of "The Motor"
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TRAINING THE EYE
Now let us take the case of the other type of driver
who has not trained his eye to picture these possibili-
ties. He in turn goes merrily along, and if such a set
of circumstances should arise he has first of all to grasp
the situation in his mind, which takes a small portion
of time, he has then to get his hand to the horn, to de-
clutch, to steer out, and to apply the brake. The ac-
complishment of all these movements takes a certain
amount of time, and in such circumstances where it
would be no exaggeration to say an accident might be
missed literally by inches it is not a second which
counts but one-fifth or one-tenth of a second which
makes all the difference.
On another occasion one may be overtaking a cyclist
on a greasy road; in such a case the average driver
thinks that, so long as he gives him sufficient room so
as not in any way to inconvenience him, the whole of
his duty is done. The eye trained, however, intuitively
to picture possible circumstances as well as probable
occurrences sees a mental vision of that cyclist
sprawling on the road as the result of a skid. Conse-
quently, if the circumstances are such as in the least
way to make the possibility of such a skid approach the
realms of probability, more room is allowed, and the
mind is absolutely waiting to direct the muscles to
make the necessary swerve at the very first indication
of such an event portending.
That, then, is another example where an accident
can be missed literally by inches if the eye is so trained,
and the body synchronously harmonizing with every
action; on the contrary, if such possibilities were not
present to the eye, the circumstances, if occurring,
would be such that with the best of intentions in the
world art accident could not be avoided, although it
may be only caused by the lack of a fifth of a second of
valuable time.
Some Further Examples
Even at the risk of further examples appearing
supererogatory, it may be well to quote some in order
adequately to drive the point home and to show the
lines on which the driver should train his eyes to
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