PAGE 4, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1973, WHITBY FREE PRESS MOTORINO!. with Mike Burgess' Driver conyou spore o dimeà ? How many times have your heard a- fellow say he can stop his car on a dime? Don't believe it. Unless, of course, he meanis the last dime at the end of a very long line of dimnes. At 20 mph it takes forty-seven feet, three car Iengths or 846 dimes to stop safely, says the Ontario Safety League. You see, there's more to braking than meets the eye. Once you've spotted a dangerous traffic situation, it takes time between making up your mind to brake and getting your foot on the brake pedal. That's called "Reaction Timne" and for the average driver that means it takes three quarters of a second to BEGIN braking. At 20 mph it ineans you will travel 22 feet before you begin braking; at 60 miph you will travel 66 feet before your foot hits the brake. Slower reaction time or delayed recognition of dan- ger wiIl further decrease your margin of safety. "&raking Distance" is how far you go once the brakes are applied. This varies with speed and type of vehicle, as weII as with road conditions, weather, brakes, tires, and so on. For a passenger car on level, dry pavement, braking distance at 20 mph averages 25 feet, while at 60 mph it is 200 feet. This means that the car's total stopping distance at 20 miles an hour is 47 feet, and at 60, it is 266 feet. Perhaps now you can see wliy driving experts say that you should ailow at least one car length (15 feet plus) between you and the car ahead for every ten miles per hour of your speed. This is the minimum for safety. These stopping distances are averages. They can be reduced by fully Iocking the wheels, causing tires to slide. Ibis is dangerous bec-ause of the possibility of skidding and throwing passengers around. Rogistration wII go on sale lhie Ninistry of Transport- ation and Communications has announced that commen- cing December 1, 1973, re- newal registration for pass- enger motor vehicles and trai- lers will go on sale at 284 Licence Issuing Offices thr- oughout the Province., As in 1973, the fees are $23. for a 4-cylinder vehicle; $32. for 6-cylinders; $40. for an 8- cylinder car and $5.00 for trailers. This year marks the first time that Ontario will be issuing a licence plate sticker instead of -new plates to sig- nify that the vehicle owner bas paid bis annual registra-- tion fee. No new permit wiIl be îssued for renewal -- the present permit will be used for five years. Under the new system motorists wil not be requir- ed to fil in an application as in the past, but rather need only present their permit with the fee to' the issuer. The issuer wiIl then ask the motor- ist to sign an insurance dec- laration and will return the multi-year permit on which he has affixed a stieker.- He will also .provide another sti- cker the motorist will 'be required to attach to the plate on the rear of bis vehicle. This new system is simi- lar to those presently in use in 30 other jurisdictions ac- ross North America. r P-recise stopping distances cannot be determined because of such obvious variables as roadway and brake conditions, and less obvious ones, such as the weight and physical strength of the driver in applying pressure to the brake pedal. More important than the braking distance is perception time. Ibis can be zero, as in the case of a driver watching the tail lights of the car abead when the brake lights go'on. lhe driver ahead is already using his "Reaction Time" be- fore you've had a chance to think what you are going to do. "The greatest possible alertness is necessary in today's traffic," says Dick Palmer, the League's traffic safety manager. "The further you are behind the vehicle ahead, the less of your field of vision is screened by that vehicle. Drive in such a wzy that you don't need your reaction time and braking distance to avoid an accident. Then, when you do need them, they'll still be there." T OW N 0F WHI1TBVY P R OC LA MA TI1 ON ARC INDUSTRIES WEEK TAKE NOTICE that by a ResolutIon of the Council of the Town of Whitby, the week of November 26th, 1973 to Decemnber 1lst, 1973 has be en proclaimned as "ARC Industries Week" ln and for the Town of Whitby, on behalf of the Ajax, Pickering, Whitby Association for Retarded Chiîdren, Adult Services Workshop. D. G. NEWMAN, MAYOR THANK YOU- Citizens of Whitby for the contribution to the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Fund. Your generosity will enable us to aid those veterans in ourý area Who, through no fault of their own, are in need of help. Thanks also to the business, professional schools and individuals Who helped make our Poppy Campaign a most successful one. John McIvor Poppy Chairman Branch 112 Royal Canadian Legion HOUSUING NEED.ED Are you interested in helping us rehabilitate people? We need homes to complete our diseharge programme for our residents. If interested please cati C. Carrington, telephone 668-588 1 ,extension 363. WHI TB Y PS YCHIA TR IC HOSPITA L WALL RESTAURANT _______________________________________7 7 __________ NOW OPEN CHINESE & CANADIAN FOOD Pick-up 10% Off Free Delivery 668-7021 l 16 DlhNflÂS' TREET WEST WIIITBY WE'VE CHANGED- 110W ABOUT COO?) NEWS TEN MINUTES SOOCNER dial 14 CHOO The Bright and Lively Town & Courntry Sound GREAT r. RESTAURANT 'à la %F'ý Lf %di 'q JLPIUbi kp JE «Umw