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Show TEST REVEALS LARGE TIRE NOT DANGEROUS Wide-Spread Eelief of Peril Shown to Be Erroneous. Big English Vehicle Run Over Sharp ened Spike Making Perfect Blow-Out, Blow-Out, But No Damage Done Except to Tire. One way to overcome a prejudice Is to remove It. ' The introduction of the large size pneumatic tire for busses bus-ses in England, was hedged in by many difficulties because of a widespread wide-spread belief that the use of these tires was dangerous. In case of a blow-out, men argued, the tremendous concussion of the escaping es-caping air would thrust the car off the roadway. The difference In height between the two sides of the car after one tire had bevn deflated would be so great as to threaten to over-turn the vehicle, was another argument. Pedestrians standing near might be blown from their feet by the force of the escnplng air from the tire, it was said. The driver, himself, might even be in danger, In case of a blow-out while the car was travelling at rapid speed. " To meet this situation, E. R. Preston, Pres-ton, managing director of an English tire company, in co-operation with two of the leading motor Journals of the country, devised a unique test. "We'll stage a blow-out of a tire while the car Is In motion." Mid Preston. "You can go along and see what happens." A narrow and rutty dirt road outside out-side of London, was selected for the test. A heavy plank was Imbedded In the roadway, fitted up with a big iron spike. sbnnened to a razor edge and set so that It would strike the tire at an angle Just outside of the tread. When all was set. a big bus. In w hich rode the representatives of the twe motor Journals, came flying down th road at 30 to 35 miles an hour seed. As the big sharpened spike struck tlie side of the tire It ripped a Jagged hole through carcass and tube. It was a perfect blow-out. The tire wn completely flat within 15 feet. But no damage had been done except tc the tire Itself. , The men riding the car felt only e Tery slight Jolt as the car struck th Impediment. Examination of the sur face of the road Immediately after showed that there was no poroept'hlf lurching of the truck from the road The wheels carried through straight ahead. There was no relaxing of tin rar. Examination afterwards shower that one wheel stood about an inct and a quarter below the other as tht result of the tire being deflated. The test has gone a long ways to ward correcting the erroneous Impres slon as to the performance of tbes large tires In case of a blow-out. |