PAGE 4, WHITBY FREE PRESS, DURHAM MOVES, MAY? 13, 1987 By PETER BRAMMA Durham Reglonal P'olice Did you know that the first car in Canada was owned by John Moodie of Hamilton, Ontario in 1898. Often in those early days of motoring people were not too impressed by thi "new-fangled" piece of machinery and they gave the motor car such unflattering names such as 'Devil Carts', 'Stick Wagons' and 'Juggernauts of the Streets' (Juggernaut was an idol in India, Focus on our ýfreeways underneath whose car people used to throw themselves as a sacrifice) . But Moodie started a trend that continues to this day, and it's rare to know of a family that doesn't have a car. The proliferation of the motor vehicle meant that eventually it would be necessary to design and build a new kind of. road: the freeway. For the first time ahigh- way would be built with only one purpose in mind - to move motor vehicles as efficiently and safely as possible across the country. The freeway was to have controlled ac- cesses, be multi-lane, with divided highways. Pedestrians and bicycles would be banned and population centres by-passed. On this roadwaythe motor vehicle was to be king. Nothing would be allowed - to interfere with its progre 'ss. Fortunately the freeways' ef- ficient desigi) actually made driving on it safer than regular roads and streets. But as you are required to drive at a faster speed and use multiple traffic lanes, freeway1 driving- can be more demanding and difficult. Some special skills are required, and what follows are some tips that should make your freeway driving a safer and more pleasurable ex- perience. ENTERING A FREEWAY - once on the enitrace ramp, the driver should look at the freeway traffic ReIy on us to contact you for approval %~IOFW) When we quote you a repair estimate, you can depend on it. Thereli be no surprises! If additionat problems are detected, you'I be notified before any work is done. TOP-UP R-eg,$44. 95 OFFER GOOD TILL MAY 31ST - JILCANADIAN TIRE vi: 400 GLENHILL DR, WHITBY 668-5828 668-1296 LOO-EDATNEW CIAR yJPRICE$ L4TELY? Frmdings, to, dents, to rust-and a GREAT CAI? PAINT JOB-MAACO Autopainting Experts can Pif/CFrestore your car's body and bring it back to lif e! Al for a price that's Iower than you'd ever expect... And accident claims9 It's ail part of the job aI MAACO. BETTER GET MAACO,. Collision Experts in Oshawaý ET - I I=c~ r- 401 cc c Hastings MAAÇOÎ -o c o E 'o I BRING THIS AD AND SAVE $100.011 on our SUPREME SERVICE flow and tii to anticipate an opening in the traffie whÇre it will be possible to enter. As you -leave the ramp and enter, thea- celeration lane activate your left turn signal and speed up, ac- celerating to the speed of, freeway traffic in the right hand lane, this will ensure a smooth entry into the traffic flow. LEAVING THE FREEWAY - when leaving the freeway, signal your intention, then move over to the deceleration lane before slowing down. Adjust your'speed for the ramp by checking your speedometer (often judgment of speed can be influenced by the fact you. have been travelling at' high speeds for a long period of time). Prepare yourself to meet two way traffic as you enter the exit ramp. Hopefully you have anticipated your exit by paying attention to the appropriate sign. If you miss an exit, do not stop on the freeway, do not reverse on the freeway. Con- tinue to the next interchange and return to the correct exit. Also, do not use the emergency vehicle turn- arounds to get back to that missed exit' They are for the exclusive use of emergency vehicles, not the general public! Warm weather begins air con ditioning craze By DONNA DONAÉDSON With summer on the way, car owners are preparing by getting the air conditioning re-charged. "As soon as the warm weather cornes it gets crazy," says Rob Phillips, owner of R.J. Phillips Auto Repairs in Whitby. Phillips said air conditioning ser- vicing should be done at least once a year. Some signs for knowing when your system is down: when the compressor keeps clicking on and offy if it doesn't come on at alI, or when there's insufficient cooling. Phillips says when people buy a new car they usually get air con- ditioning as an option because it's much cheaper than having it in- stalled later. "Nowadays, a lot of people want air conditioning in their cars because it's good for reales. A lot of people go out looking for second hand cars with air conditioning already in it, " he said. The process of re-charging is very delicate and takes about 1-11½ hours to do it properly. He says people should look out for re-charge kits and places that do, cheap re-charges. They should look' for someone who can do it properly. "You first diseharge (drain system), evacuate the moisture and add new oil. If a drop of. moisture is left, even the size of a tip of a needie head, it can com- pletely stop your system from working by clogging it Up," says Phillips. Sometimes the orifice tube, which is a tiny filter, needs to be replaced as well. It can become clogged with dirt from the system. The air conditioning process operates by filling the system with freon gas, the condensor turns the gas into a Iiquid which goes through the liquid line to the evaporator which is cold, and then turns the liquid back into a gas. Phillips says some people require air-conditioners because if they' have environmental allergies and can't drive with their window down. "Air conditioning is considered as a luxury, and a lot of people want it. When you don't have it, you won't miss it. But once you have it, you'll miss not having it. 'it's just like everything else, " he says. Phillips has worked as a class A mechanic in Whitby and Ajax for eight years. He bas owned his« auto service business on 303 Mary St. for 31/ years and bas opened a second location at 107B Warren Rd. i Whitby. Auto log. book pays off Logging, defined as the act of en- tering information in a log book,-îg done by pilots, fleet operators, the military and virtually anyone to whorn vehicle performance and dependabil- ity are essential. Maintaining a log book is a good idea for private owners too, says Car Care Council, who ýsuggest diat set- ting up and maintaining an auto "di- ary" is a simple procedure. It's a miatter of keeping a pencil .and note pad handy 10 record anything of im- portance about the maintenance and operation of the car or truck. Essentially there are six types of entries: 1. Gasoline fmil-ups and m1ileage; 2. Addition of various fluids such as engine ail, coolant. power steering fluid and atwhat m1ilcage; 3. Maintcnance services per- forrncd: what, when, by whomn and how rnuch il c<)st; 4. Services, performced other than routine maintenance, L.e. body repairs or paint, accessories instaIIcd,' etc.; 5. Insurance and/or registration in- formation; 6. Basic part numbers and/or spe- cifications which inan mii 1wrezdilv, .found in the owner's manual (beits, hoses, headlamps, spark plugs, filters, etc.) Most businessmen, whosc vehicle expenses are tax deductible, know the importance of maintaining goo d records. For (hemn and for others there are these additional considerations. Keeping a rning record of *gas purchases vs. distance driven wil show a decrease in gas miileage, wam-i ing of a malfunction or need for tune-up. A log book will make yoirawareof abnornial oil or. fluid consumption, which could be the tip-off to a Ieak or other po tential problern. It also serves as a remninder that the vehicle is overdue for an oit and filter change, transmtission service or other important maintenance. When it's tint esil or trade, this kind of documentation can inake a substantial difference in the vehicle's sales appeal. A used car buyer likes to know what maintenance has been donc and wlicn. In case of mechanical trouble, es- pecially w itIh an older vehicle, it may be uscful to report to a mechanic ex- ----- agaj 4%m . 3.iJ u-- aiiy-wilui wutK tas uviceuuitv. NOW ONLY AIR-CONDITIONING 710 WILSON RD. S. OSHAWA 579-4000 E T---l a i«I mip . - -