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Show DRIVE GAR WITH EASE AND GRACE Motors Show to Best Advantage Under Tutelage of the Good Form Driver. (By ERW1N GREER, President ot Greer College of Automotive Engineering. Chicago.) Chi-cago.) When the ponies are clattering In on the home stretch, all other things being equal, it Is the headiest rider that brings his mount first under the wire. Just as a Kentucky filly responds re-sponds splendidly to the rein of a skilled driver, so does the thoroughbred thorough-bred of motors show its mettle to the best advantage under the tutelage of the "good form" driver. Pleasure in Motoring. Half the pleasure In motoring comes with learning to manipulate your car with consummate ease and grace. Correct Cor-rect form in driving means minimum strain on car mechanism and Incidentally Inciden-tally minimum drain on the pocket-book. pocket-book. Velvety stops and starts prevent pre-vent unusual strains on the motor, clutch, transmission, axles and tires. They also cut down the consumption of gasoline and oil. A well-made motor, mo-tor, like a Swiss watch, Is a sensitive thing. It resents abuse but responds Willingly, capably to gentle handling. Starting an automobile is an art Simple though it may be, nevertheless there are hordes of drivers who never acquire it. The master driver alms to create a steady pull on the driving mechanism from the moment he slips Into first speed until the car Is under full headway. To wit, a homely formula for-mula for starting which may be taken after the entree of gear shifting: Learn to Accelerate. Learn to accelerate simultaneously with letting In the clutch. The mechanical me-chanical act of gear shifting can be learned In five minutes. As soon as you have the car In high speed, assume a natural, comfortable com-fortable position. Avoid a strained, high-tension grip on the wheel. Driving Driv-ing a car is not tiresome If one sits In an easy upright position. The driver who slouches In his seat must be constantly shifting. He cannot apply the brakes without sitting erect. He must change his position to shift gear. It Is quite as essential to know how to stop the car quickly and smoothly as It Is to know how to start It The operation of braking Is one of the most Important in driving. Worshiped at Shrine of Speed. The highways are strewn with the wrecks of cars whose drivers worshiped wor-shiped at the shrine of speed. When the crisis comes the green driver Is apt to forget the counsels of his glib instructor and another accident Is chalked to the toll of "I didn't know." If you must test the spirit of your car, wait until you are perfectly sure of your ability to drive, until you would be willing to be the man in the tonneau. You have heard many an enthusiastic enthusias-tic owner boast that his car could take such and such a hill on "high." Doubtless It will, but at the same time he Is putting an unnecessary strain upon his motor when he forces such a performance. The Intermediate Intermedi-ate speed Is placed on the car to use. It Is a mistake to allow the motor to labor. Good Accident Preventive. Second speed Is a good accident preventive when threading the maze of city traffic. The car is easily held under leash and may be stopped gently without Jamming the brakes. Only an amateur will allow his motor mo-tor to race unnecessarily. Motor racing rac-ing consumes gasoline In appalling drafts, and Is also hard on the engine. After you have learned the A, B. C's of car manipulation, adopt the accelerator accel-erator Instead of the throttle-lever on the steering wheel. When you come to a stop in traffic, don't forget the man behind. The hand held up in warning may save a rear-end collision. Show your intention in-tention of swerving off Into a side street by holding out your arm h"ri-zontally. h"ri-zontally. These signs have become accepted among mniorsts as a uni- vers.il sign language. It's these little courtesies that help to make motorinz pleasure. ! |