Already in the introduction strikes the author Lars-Eric Freeman stated that ”we need better drivers” and that way there is training for all drivers, even those who do not believe themselves to have something more to learn in the subject. The book is based on the course in advanced driving that every driver of Statspolisens the cars would undergo in the 1960s.
In nine richly illustrated chapter provides tips and tricks for a safer and more convenient driving a car in vänstertrafikens Sweden. Much is obvious, and it is valid today, for example, to run ahead, never take a chance in traffic and how to master the centrifugal forces. A whole column dedicated to the tyre pressures – without a word on fuel economy, something that probably had been mentioned already in the first subparagraph in the day.
”Ten to two”-connector förspråkades of the Swedish car stereos presenter CeGe Hammarlund. Photo: The Technology World.
the old käpphästen if rattfattning in klocktermer sends me back to the lumpens days where lieutenant-colonel strictly admonished my lax driving style: ”Stohr! What does CeGe Hammarlund! Ten in two!”
the Section on cornering begins with an admonition: ”Statspolisens methods of cornering are primarily intended for high speed driving – something that we privatförare the maximum extent possible, should refrain from”. In eight pages described then in detail about the over – and understeer, inflation pressure, throttle and handling of the cords.
we practiced a lot. The amazon, with its rear-wheel drive was perfect for this purpose and many improved sladdegenskaperna by raising the front end and at the same time weighing down the stern with a few stone slabs in the boot.
the Chapter ends with the good council that would rather leave the road than to frontalkrocka, a piece of advice that I know was practiced in the gang on a few occasions.
Illustration from the book ”Be Toppbilist” from 1962. The subject to keep the right distance in the traffic is in the news even in 2019. Photo: Technology
Braking is also given considerable space in its own chapter. The graphs on the braking distances, reaction times and beredskapsställning interspersed with an index finger: “the Bad driver brakes often”.
dealing with city traffic, night driving and winter driving. Here it pops up a advice that not at all true with the current EU rules that only give signal when leaving a roundabout: “Signal shall not be given when driving straight ahead in the roundabout, but only if you really should turn to the right or to the left”. The best is surely to always be as clear as possible with the direction in which it should go, so I combine the two tactics.
The fact that the book was printed almost 60 years ago can perhaps explain that it is among the book’s 35 photos and 85 drawings are only three women. Two pedestrians and one that is proudly rocking with the fluttering skirt to illustrate centrifugal force. Where we have in any case become better with the years.
Trafikvådligt and recklessly acted wobbling to and fro between the files. Image from the book ”Be toppbilist”. Photo: Technology World
