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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ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY BACKFIRES
studiously doing thia for a short time, it will, like the
other things already advocated, soon become an instinc-
tive movement. Do not then be discouraged if, at the
first effort or two, it is found very much harder.
Persevere with it for some little time, and see if it can-
not be successfully acquired; if it is impossible to
acquire it after reasonable effort, then it is time to give
it up as a bad job.
Backfire-caused Accidents
It is, of course, well known that the majority of acci-
dents caused through backfires are those which occur
when pushing down on the starting handle, as it is but
rare that a backfire when pulling up has any serious
effect, unless the engine swings backwards to such an
extent that the starting handle comes round and strikes
one on the back of the wrist.
We are dealing, therefore, for the moment with, the
accidents caused by a backfire on the downward motion
of the starting stroke when “ swinging ” the engine.
Now for the reason. It will simplify matters if the
reader will take hold of a circular ruler, or anything
which can be held as typical of a starting handle. Now
grip this in the ordinary way, with the thumb one side
of the ruler and the fingers the other side : hold it firmly,
in the same manner that would be adopted if going to
hit something (or somebody) with the ruler in question.
Now look down on the hand and study the grip. Ad-
mittedly it is excellent.
Suppose, however, that some power—in the case
under consideration a backfire—were, whilst one is
pushing down on that handle, suddenly to put the boot
on the other foot, so to speak, and jerk it up towards
you. Obviously there is a great strain put on the
sinews of the thumb and on the wrist, the result being
that, in most cases, either the thumb or the wrist is
strained—not infrequently both. The reason is fairly
obvious, as, of course, the hand cannot be removed
quickly enough against the reversed pressure to dis-
engage it from the grip, nor can the thumb be removed
from the region of danger.
Now, however, put the thumb round to the other side
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