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Show IWORSTFAOLT i OF MOTORISTS Costs Mount When Brakes Used Too Frequently in Driving The greatest fault with American drivers today is that they drive With their brakes, according to George H. rfannum, president and general man- j Sger of the Oakland Motor Car com-pany, com-pany, Pontlac, Mich. "It may be due to the fact that llfo, in America Is .speeded up to a dizzying I pace," explains Mr. Hannum. 'that our great cities are. congested with automobile au-tomobile traffic; and that the brakes aro actually built so mechanically i sOUnd that even in spite Of the abuse thej are subjected to they stand up under the strain. i "Every time you hear a traffic officer's offi-cer's whistle In a largo city, you almost al-most immediately hear a crunching of brakes and scraptng of dry tires on the pavement. "And even In long crOSS-OOUntry dri es. where hilly country is encoun-teredi encoun-teredi some drivers constantly Jam on ;heir brakes when slowing down Instead In-stead of allowing their cars to slow down beforo tho brakes are applied Every tire mark on tho pavement costs some automobillat money, sooner I or later. The motorist should tako thlng;j easy in driving, whether in a crowd or out of a crowd. Fast driving between short city blocks, followed by a sudden jamming on of the brakes, gains little time and is expensive. In j : the wear and tear on the tires, the ' ournlng out of the brake lining and ' injury to tho brakes and other mc- I chanlcal parts of the car. Never put more pressure on the brakes than is absolutely necessary to stop at the point you wish. "In going down hill, take your foot i off the accelerator, and the motor s-t at a safe pace, will hold the car back. If the grade is very steep, shift to j second or first speed as tho graie ; may require before starting. "Under no circumstances Is it ad viable vi-able to throw tho clutch out when ac-J tually driving down hill. To do so may mean absolute loss of control. It is not good driving, either, to shut , of tho sparlc completely It is a safe, practice to have the motor running in order to have power on tap In case of emergency, "There Is no question at all that j brakes are extremely Important for the purpose for which they are built, , but simply because they aro efficient ! and reliable Is no reason for their I abuse abuse which results In damage to other parts of the car as well." |