The other day I asked Arthur, my young (45-year-old) motor mechanic, what ever happened to “extra air”. Scratching his head he said, “I don’t know Max. What is it?”
Back in the 1920s and ’30s the carburettors of some cars, trucks and buses in Sydney were fitted with a small port located below the main jet. The port was similar to the ports on a clarinet that open up when a small lever key is pressed to change the note. I think the ports still exist on carbies today, but are only used for unscrewing a metal plug and temporarily fitting equipment to tune up the motor.
The idea was that when the vehicle was travelling down a hill the driver would pull a knob on the dashboard marked 'Extra Air' that opened the carburettor port and allowed more air to enter the carburettor throat below the main jet.
The vacuum caused by the Venturi drawing the petrol through the main jet immediately ceased to be, so the vehicle travelled down the hill with the spark plugs still sparking but no fuel squirting through the main jet for the cylinders to ignite. This allowed considerable fuel savings.
It wasn't ‘coasting’ in the true sense – knocking the gear stick into neutral and rolling down the hill – which is positively dangerous and therefore illegal. The normal compression of the pistons was still available, acting as a brake and giving the driver full control of the vehicle.
At the next uphill section of the road the driver pushed the knob on the dashboard back in, the port closed, the vacuum returned and the fuel once again squirted through the main jet via the carby throat down into the cylinders, the spark plugs ignited the petrol vapour and the vehicle powered on.
No great benefit was possible on the open plains, but the extra air feature worked particularly well in hilly country.
I seem to recall extra air fell out of favour due to cold unburnt air chilling the head and causing it to warp and/or crack.
You'd think with the recent price of petroleum it would have made a swift comeback, as electric heaters under control of thermostats being monitored by the on-board computer could easily warm the air sufficiently to prevent the head warping or cracking.
Perhaps the next generation of bright young engineers might like to re-examine this old idea and spruce it up to work properly, this time under the control of the on-board computer and save us a fortune in petrol consumption
M. Bancroft, via email
Many modern cars incorporate fuel-saving features comparable to the one you mention, such as shutting down cylinders when they are not required.
“The increases in fuel consumption rate (and thus greenhouse gas emissions) are greater at higher open-road speed limits than at different levels of urban speed limits. For example, travel at 120km/h compared to 88km/h increases fuel consumption by 50 per cent (and doubles CO emissions and increases emissions of other pollutants of 30 - 50 per cent).” Source: Monash University Accident Research Centre (Report #188)
What more of an incentive do we need to make us realise that we should be reducing the speed limits on our highways?
Obviously, driving at speeds in excess of 90km/h is an environmentally unsustainable practice and such a reduction would surely lead to a drop in the number and severity of crashes, potentially saving millions of dollars.
Every Australian motorist can save fuel, save money and help save the planet and it won’t cost a single cent. How? It’s simple, just slow down!
O. Easby, Upper Coomera
I can't understand why more people aren’t getting their cars converted to LPG. We had our car converted earlier this year and after the government rebate it cost us $500. I save over $60 a week on petrol and believe that while it has no excise on it until 2011, even then it will rise by 2.5 cents per litre to a limit of 12.5 cents per litre compared to petrol which is taxed at over 38c per litre. The one downfall is that my boot size is reduced but this is only a problem when going on holidays.
I hear a lot about hybrids etc, but people don't seem to realise this is a viable option.
B. Hobman, Green Valley
The oil companies tell us the price we pay at the bowser is related directly to the world price of crude oil, which is quoted in US dollars. But when the world oil price happens to come down we are told the price at the bowser cannot be reduced because of the changing value of the Australian dollar!
The economists and accountants among us might be able to watch the news and get today's oil price in US dollars, and to get today's Aussie dollar exchange rate and work out whether the price is really going up or down. But for the rest of us, wouldn't it be nice if the news media quoted daily crude oil prices in both US and Australian dollars? Then we can see if the world oil price is going up or down, but more importantly, we will see whether our oil price is going up or down!
Perhaps NRMA could lean on the media to make that happen? Then the oil companies might have some more explaining to do.
T. Lonsdale, Tumbi Umbi
NRMA has frequently put pressure on oil companies to explain discrepancies in their prices. While petrol price have dropped in recent times, NRMA will remain vigilant to ensure motorists get a fair deal.
I wish to express my disgust at the condition of the roadsides on the F3 between Newcastle and the Central Coast.
I regularly travel along this road and recently, after the bushes and trees were trimmed back, they revealed a mass of litter and rubbish including large Coke bottles, newspapers and witches’ hats.
This is a disgraceful state of affairs. Visitors who travel to this area and use this road would be badly turned off by the way we regulars treat our surrounds and would probably show no interest in returning.
Surely there is some solution to this problem other than having 24-hour surveillance to capture these people, who obviously have never heard of a rubbish bin.
Narelle, Wallsend
When is NRMA going to address the issue of selfish drivers using fog lights as a fashion statement?
I am tired of being dazzled at night with cars using these lights. The police do not seem to be taking any action and if it is like previous issues they will continue to ignore this problem until NRMA starts a campaign.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t the use of such lights illegal unless there is actual fog impairing visibility? They are particularly dangerous on rainy nights (where there is no fog), and something needs to be done to stop their use.
R. Havard, Castle Hill
We receive dozens of letters and emails about fog lights every month. In January, Open Road reported that the use of auxiliary lights, including fog lights, in an illegal manner is an enforceable issue. NRMA cited reports to show that police are becoming more active in this area and had issued several thousand infringement notices in the year to January 2008. In July, Open Road reminded Members that using fog lights illegally can be potentially dangerous and attracts a fine of $79.
I was appalled to read the hire-car horror story about hidden costs (Torque back, Sep/Oct Open Road). There is a message there for us all. We so often read and sign documents without reading the fine print. This is where some of the traps lie. Don't sign any legal document before thoroughly scrutinising every part of it – insurance especially. How often do we read or hear about stories similar to the one described?
K. Crapp, via email
The letter from G. Homer (Open Road, Sep/Oct) reveals a lack of confidence in the use of a type of intersection designed to free us from the tyranny of stop/start traffic controlled by traffic lights or other signage.
If people like Homer realise that when there is no traffic approaching them it is a fair certainty they can proceed onto the roundabout safely, traffic might once again flow freely.
So what if there are shrubs and trees? If you can't see a vehicle, then there isn't one. If your reaction time is so appalling, you really should consider surrendering your licence.
It is immensely frustrating to be baulked by the likes of Homer who, having observed another vehicle approaching a roundabout, considers the only appropriate action is to stop. Or worse, to stop until there is some other vehicle in view, at which time they no doubt feel it vindicates their decision. When they learn that the appropriate action is to ‘merge like a zip’, without causing other traffic to have to take evasive action, we might begin to see less congestion at these intersections and a reduction in the oft-repeated call to do away with roundabouts and return to traffic light controls. Such an attitude is a sad reflection that some road users cannot make decisions for themselves and would rather be led like a puppy.
Do they have the same difficulty when merging onto a motorway?
A. Gordon, via email
As we read in the paper and see on TV, punishment for crimes and offences doesn’t often change long-term behaviour and attitudes.
No matter what our age, we all respond better to praise and encouragement for our efforts and hard work. Now, in no way am I saying we should go soft on people that speed and drag race. I am suggesting a new reward system for good drivers, for example drivers who have never had a speeding ticket in 20, 30 or 40 years of driving. People who drive trucks for a living should also be given special consideration.
In co-operation with police, a number of these drivers could be randomly selected and given petrol vouchers or free registration.
What other ideas and suggestions do people have?
J. Cockburn, Lawson
NRMA could do with a new slogan to embrace the increasing range of services it provides to us Members and the wider community. How about: ‘Our help is more than mechanical’?
M. Morphett, Thirroul
Whenever Alan Evans blames the condition of the Princes Highway for the number of deaths and serious accidents, he omits to identify the major contributing factor, which I believe the deputy coroner has named as “driver error”.
While some sections of the Princes Highway do need upgrading, this will only enable and encourage more drivers to drive faster, with or without the necessary driving skills.
Every time Mr Evans drives “home the message about our deadly roads” (Open Road, Sep/Oct 2008), he absolves drivers of the responsibility for road accidents. He should emphasise the role drivers have in road safety. Remind drivers that it is illegal, and dangerous, to overtake on crests of hills, over double unbroken lines; that the road conditions require concentration and in some sections, lower speed; that caravan/campervan drivers should allow faster traffic to overtake; that drivers should not overtake cyclists with oncoming traffic or over unbroken lines or crests of hills; that a lookout should be kept for animals.
On the Princes Highway, with its many sections of winding road, it should be emphasised that drivers should slow down, stay on the left hand side of the road, and not straddle double unbroken lines around blind curves. Unfortunately, from my experience, this is an all too common driving trait.
Rather than blaming the condition of the road, drivers should be driving to the road conditions.
K. Joynes, via email
I read that you have a climate change (read carbon dioxide) strategy. I have nothing against that; it is popular and known as the ‘feel good’ strategy. But it has no effect whatever on the world temperature.
China is building a new coal-fired generator every week.
Our emissions are less than 2 per cent of the world’s. Man-made CO2 is much less than 10 per cent of the world’s CO2, so there will always be 90 per cent or more CO2 that we cannot touch.
There is no scientific reason or need to reduce CO2. Doubling the concentration of CO2 has hardly any effect on the temperature. It is not possible for CO2 to accumulate to a dangerous level as its maximum time in our atmosphere has been proven to be 10 years, usually quite a bit less. Having done its vital job of feeding our crops, trees, grass etc, the balance of about 55 per cent is absorbed by the oceans.
I regret that our leaders have not yet woken to the correct information, despite a good movie and many books by cosmologists who really know the truth. I own and have read five, which are fascinating because, like most people, I had never studied it in depth before. I am still learning and enjoying it.
D. Davies, Pymble
Having wished to ride and own a motorbike since my teens and having watched Audrey Hepburn ride a Vespa through Rome in a movie, finally at the age of 70 I bit the bullet and bought myself a motor scooter.
The hardest part was getting a licence, but once acquired, I now go round singing the praises of these wonderful machines.
Fancy you could still ride a pushbike? Then without a doubt you could ride a small motor scooter. Fully automatic, marvellous to park, it runs on the smell of an oily rag and you can get to the shops, doctor, a footy game or anything with the minimum of fuss and without a back seat driver. Absolutely ideal for that quick duck down to the shops for a carton of milk, the paper and the odd grocery item.
The negatives are the dopes in cars and trucks – however they are becoming more aware of us because we are increasing. Look at Europe and Asia, where this mode of transport has flourished for years, and they don’t have road rules as strict as ours.
I started small and moved up into a larger scooter and now I can comfortably travel to Sydney or Newcastle in about the same time as in a car.
We started a scooter club on the NSW Central Coast and currently have over 30 members with ages from 30 to 80 and it is nice to get together once a month for a ride for a couple of hours.
Don’t just think about your chances of riding, go out and discover the same joy and fun that I have and it will open up an entirely new world to you.
As one of our scooter club members says, "I have found my future and it scoots."
R. Fountain, Erina
My daughter and I have recently returned from a holiday in northern England. We travelled over 2000 miles by car on roads ranging from the M6 motorway to a single lane track over Hardknot Pass in the Lake District. On arriving and observing the cracked and damaged pavement of the F3 between the Wyong Road and Sparkes Road exits and the general state of suburban streets, we both commented that we could not remember a seeing a pothole while on our travels.
Could it be that road builders overseas still follow their predecessors from Telford and Macadam and back to the Romans and ballast their roads, while our engineers think two inches of pulverised blue metal will do the trick?
A. Shaw, via email
With the ever increasing number of toll roads in NSW, along with the rising cost of government fees associated with operating a vehicle in this state, and now the Harbour Bridge about to go cashless, could I suggest that when any vehicle registration is renewed, that the RTA provides a free E-tag for that car, truck etc. The owner of that vehicle could then put a nominated amount of credit on the tag to be used on our toll roads. By doing this, I believe many more people would use these roads without having to put their hand in their pocket yet once again to pay another fee for the hire of a tag.
Can I also suggest that the RTA sells personalised number plates, instead of charging an annual fee for them?
C. Waugh, via email
See the Nov/Dec issue of Open Road for NRMA’s position on toll roads and tags.
On a recent trip to Queensland we were astonished at the lack of rest stops along the way. There were plenty of signs telling us to take a break, but nowhere to do so!
NSW has rest areas everywhere, plenty of toilets and great facilities. Why is this not so in Queensland? It encourages tourism, but sadly is lacking in this area.
Good on NSW for providing stops everywhere along our travels.
I. De Vries, Singleton
While stopped at a red light on a recent trip to Sydney, I watched a red P-plater turn while talking on her mobile using her right hand and holding a thickshake with her left hand.
Who was steering? Her passenger was leaning over to steer the car around the corner! What could have happened if that person let go of the wheel doesn’t bear thinking about.
Do P-platers believe they’re invincible? Please, if you have teens driving, instil in them to drive carefully. A car is not a toy.
M. Haines, Buladelah
The article on diesel cleaning up its act (Sep/Oct Open Road) was most enjoyable; however I would have liked to see some details on torque included.
J. Le Gras, via email
The original article submitted did have details on torque, however due to space restrictions something had to be dropped. The editors chose torque figures since diesel engines generally produce more torque than petrol ones.
I have a 16-year-old who is on his L-plates. Luckily we live in country NSW and to go anywhere is at least a 30-minute drive, so we can log a lot of hours without actual ‘lesson driving’. As his confidence and skills increase we have had to factor in extra lesson trips so he can gain experience in heavier traffic situations and build skills such as parking and night driving. I feel for those who do not have distance on their side as we do. It must be a costly exercise to get your licence with fuel the price it is.
I was recently talking to an ex-driving instructor regarding this and she was quite taken with my idea to commentate on both my own driving and my learner’s and to have him do the same for me. My children were amazed at just how many things you need to be aware of and prepared for while doing something so everyday as driving a car. Try it yourself! Remember to include scanning your mirrors and instrument panel as well as external things like other vehicles, pedestrians, animals, weather, road conditions and also road rules and driving manners!
If you don't have a learner, please think of this next time you feel frustrated by one out on the open road. Teach by example.
P. Sykes, via email
There have been many changes to the way we teach our young people to drive. There have been new rules and restrictions applied to L- and P-platers that are all designed to help reduce the carnage on our roads, which seems to be dominated by this age group.
However, since my daughter started to learn to drive, I have witnessed the most atrocious and outrageous driving by fully licensed adults. What are we trying to teach our young drivers? Do as we say, not as we do? Within the space of two days we were overtaken twice on double white lines, both times on hills, by drivers who could not bear being stuck behind an L-plater. On one of these outings another middle-aged male driver thought it was fine to turn right in front of us. My daughter saw him approaching the intersection and sensed he was not going to give way, so she was able to react in time and brake to avoid hitting him.
I ask all drivers out there to please be patient with our learners. After all, we were all there once and learner drivers simply do not have the same ability to pre-empt and react to a possible collision situation.
E. Morgan, Brunswick Heads
Drivers cause accidents through fatigue, alcohol, drugs, inexperience, incompetence and mobile phone use.
Roads can’t be killers one day and benign the next so while there is much to be done to improve roads, until that happens then we should focus on the above causes.
I am chairman of a charity wheelieswithwings.com.au and most of our students have injuries caused by car accidents. Look at our website and see the photos and these people are lucky – they lived.
I’ve been an NRMA member since 1966 but drive at or below the speed limit depending on conditions, so I suppose I would be classified as a dinosaur.
D. Clegg, Berrima
I have just returned from a fantastic 11,000km trip from Sydney to Perth and return – across the Nullarbor while towing a caravan.
The most disturbing aspect of the whole trip was the large percentage of cars and trucks that drove without their headlights on. On some occasions, in any type of weather, it was almost impossible to clearly see an approaching car. Most cars are difficult to see in the distance on the open road, particularly when there is a mirage on the road. Cars that had their headlights on were far easier to see in the distance.
In Canada, for example, all new cars have their lights on when the motor is running. In the interests of road safety, surely the government, which has been looking into the matter, should act now and not procrastinate.
R. Lewis, via Email
Please, please, please publish more articles on how to use our roads safely and politely.
I drive from Camden to Burwood most days and am disgusted at the level of adherence to road rules. Drivers not keeping left on freeways, leaving fog lights or driving lights on, cutting in, driving too close, speeding by considerable margins… the list is endless. Most drivers are just in a world of their own. The police don’t seem to curb any of this behaviour, I’m guessing because they are too tied up in paperwork... oh, except when the order comes down from above to raise revenue.
A. Tidy, via email
In recent days I have driven on two roundabouts in the Wollongong area and have had difficulty sighting the indicator lights on approaching vehicles due to the garden plantations. In one case, I could only see the upper part of the vehicle.
While we appreciate the effort of councils to make the roundabouts attractive, they should ensure gardens and plantings are minimum height and not interfering with general visibility and road safety.
R. Stratton, via email
When I learned to drive (50 years ago in UK) I was taught to “never overtake a cyclist unless you can give them the room to fall off". There have been a number of tragedies in recent years in Australia caused by motorists who did not follow this rule. I have never heard this rule promoted in Australia and after witnessing and experiencing several close shaves and a serious accident I think it is time every motorist was taught to be patient when it comes to overtaking cyclists. Just because a cyclist is moving steadily one moment does not mean that they will be moving steadily the next. Two wheels are inherently much less stable than four and if there is a mechanical failure such as a chain coming off or a large pothole to avoid anything could happen. Motorists need to be especially vigilant when approaching cyclists and be prepared to slow right down until it is safe to overtake with a wide margin of safety.
Another suggestion for safety-conscious cyclists is to install a flag at each side of the bicycle using a flexible attachment but which projects out at least a metre to encourage motorists to give a wider berth when overtaking.
T. Annable, Cooranbong
Just a thought about the traffic problems along the M5 during morning and afternoon peak times – there never seems to be a major contributor to the heavy traffic, such as an accident, and it eventually just clears up. This is especially apparent westbound in the afternoons.
It always angers me greatly to find out there is no reason for the holdup; just bad traffic flow. The traffic has some caterpillar-like movement, ‘stop-start-stop-start’, the whole way.
This is most of the problem with the traffic. The effect is more prominent at the rear of the congestion, where more and more cars get stuck in the dead zone of the flow. I think this is because of slow reaction times when taking off from a stop and sudden stops when people see brake lights come on.
I believe that if people were taught how to move more evenly in traffic, then some of the blockages could be avoided, and no government spending on the road would be needed.
Joel, via email
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