Page:Motors and motor-driving (1902).djvu/87

Rh It is surprising to find that if a man who has been used to driving cars which go slowly up-hill changes to a high-powered car the temptation to rush down-hill vanishes. One's view of the road is reversed. Whereas in the under-powered car the temptation to rush down-hill came on one as a relief from the monotony of grinding and groaning up-hill, and consequently up-hills were dreaded and down-hills welcomed, with the high-powered modern car one pines for up-hills on account of the pleasure of annihilating them, and having arrived at the top the car is allowed to meander leisurely down the other side. Horses, bicycles, railway trains go slowly on up-grades. The modern motor appears to disregard the laws of gravity and to fly up-hill. The sense of conquest is glorious. The temptation to 'scorch' down-hill is gone. Undoubtedly the high-powered motor removes the temptation to excessive speed down-hill, and consequently removes a great danger. This is illustrated by referring again to our example. Supposing that the driver of the modern car wished to descend very cautiously, he could do so at six miles an hour and yet arrive at the foot of the hill a minute in advance of the old-fashioned car which ascended at four and descended at a speed of thirty miles an hour.

These illustrations will, I hope, bring home to buyers the necessity of purchasing a car which will ascend hills at a good speed, and of not being carried away by statements that a car will ascend 'one in four' without first ascertaining at what speed it will ascend 'one in ten.'

If a buyer finds that the car he is inspecting has not been submitted to the Automobile Club's 100 miles trial in which the speeds on hills are ascertained, he should insist on the seller carrying out a hill-climbing test in his presence.

Near London he cannot find a better ascent for this purpose than Petersham Hill, which leads from the Star and Garter Hotel at Richmond down to Petersham Road. The motor-car with its full complement of passengers should be timed from opposite the Dysart Arms in the Petersham Road,