DARTMOOR SCRIBBLINGS

by a Motoring Socrates

Whilst reading a book entitled "BUYING A CAR (The car buyers annual of 1925) I came across the following chapter which many of you may find useful in this year 2001!

Engaging a Chauffeur. Owner Drivers, The majority of motorists are becoming owner-drivers nowadays, but still there must be many thousands of new motorists who will want chauffeurs, and so I propose to discuss the requirements of a good chauffeur. Now a man may be a very good driver and yet have no testimonials as such, never having been in a situation as chauffeur. Thus you must engage him on your own observation

The Test Run. In taking such a man out on a test run, watch how he accelerates. If he skids the wheels on starting away, he is driving badly. Acceleration should only be sufficient to move the car slowly away, and the pick up should be quite gradual Then in gear changing, so long as the gear-box is a good one, he should change gear silently ; to make an ear piercing grating noise is generally quite unnecessary, and indicates bad driving .

When Silence is Golden. Gear changing on all modern cars should be silent or nearly so, and unnoticed by passengers. Some cars are somewhat difficult in particular, and require getting used to in this respect ; so if your car is one of these, you must not expect the most expert driver to master the gear changing the first time out.

Then brake application testifies to a chauffeur's ability and care of his machinery. If the driver jams on his brakes on coming to a stop and thus locks the wheels, he is going to be an extravagant chauffeur in tyre wear and wear of brake lining. Every experienced motorist and lover of machinery uses it sympathetically and progressively. When rounding corners, for instance, the car should be slowed down by accelerating the engine rather than by braking.

Knowing the District. To be a really serviceable, good chauffeur, one should know the district thoroughly. Of course this can be learned in time by a man with a good bump of locality, but however good a mechanic and driver a man may be, if he has no bump of locality he is likely to give his employer some aggravating trouble, unless he knows the district in which he is going to work very well.

Cleanliness. A chauffeur, in the case of a cIosed car without a partition or a two or four-seater car, comes into close contact with members of the family; therefore he should be spotlessly clean. However dirty and oily he may get while looking after and washing the car, if he wears overalls, washes well, and only dons his livery and gloves at the last minute, there is no reason why he should not be spic and span at all times Gloves particularly should be kept clean.

The Mechanic. It is sometimes considered a good policy to engage a chauffeur-mechanic and to pay him £25 a year extra for this qualification. Now I question very much the wisdom of this. Firstly, the modern car is so trouble-free and efficient, that every chauffeur of a few years' experience should be able to keep it in perfect repair without much trouble or special qualifications. Secondly, the chauffeur-mechanic is often a man who is for ever tinkering with his engine, he demands special tools and an equipped workshop, and all for what the car agent could do and is doing frequently at small cost.

When Repairs are Needed. The modern car is so standardised that the qualified agent can deal with repairs best and most expeditiously, and as for ordinary adjustments, the average owner-driver masters them in his spare time; so why not the chauffeur? If the motorist lives in some out-of-the-way district or abroad, then sometimes the chauffeur-mechanic becomes a valuable servant. The good chauffeur looks after his lubrication very thoroughly and systematically. Then his accounts must be accurate and tabulate the cost of each item. Tyres, petrol, oil, grease. He must keep an account of his mileage, and be very careful in his treatment of tyres. The latter should be looked to frequently.

A really good chauffeur is a treasure, and remember that your life is in his hands on the road, just as it may be in the hands of your cook at the dining table.

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