What does a car and a human being have in common? Basic survival principles. They both need food, water, shelter and rest. They need to be serviced on a regular basis. They very often require a check-up by their respective doctors. They both breathe, eliminate waste and need to take a shower.

Our five basic senses of sight, taste, touch, smell and hearing were echoed by the Greek philosopher Aristotle over 2,000 years ago. As knowledge increases, we are aware that we have a sense of balance which orients our bodies in a world of gravity, of up and down, just as surely as our eyes allow us perceive a world with light. Therefore, understanding how the motor car operates is important for motor vehicle owners and wise for prospective car buyers. "A vehicle is like a human being" says Talbert Wilson, the top HEART/NTA driver for 2004.

nutrients

Mr. Wilson, who has been driving for over 40 years accident- free, says that the car, like your body needs to be fed with the correct nutrients. The body needs a balanced diet, the car needs water, oil, grease, certain fluids, to name a few. Sometimes the human body does not feel too well and has to consult the doctor if the feeling persists. Likewise, the car may be howling, with a lot of stop and go, leaks, squeals, engine idling too fast, overheated engine, engine backfiring, engine making rattling noise when idling, engine stalling, excessive engine oil consumption, warning lights showing and other problems, and the owner has, to seek the auto doctor.

The headlights on the car could represent the human eyes, the battery the heart, the steering wheel the hands, the tyres the feet and shoes, the engine, the stomach, the duco or paint the skin, to suggest a few. "The ignition system has been called the heart of an engine," says Keith Austin, auto electrician. "The ignition points should be adjusted at regular intervals," he adds.

According to Austin, if the points and plugs are clean and gapped, if the engine's timing is on the mark, if the car's wiring is in good repair and if the battery is healthy and generator performing as it should, the motor car is relatively safe. Mr. Wilson was of the view that a well-maintained car is a well-tuned engine.

Likewise, a healthy body requires a mind to be constantly fed with the right nutrients.

The body has systems such as the digestive system, excretory system, immune system, respiratory system, circulatory system. The car has the suspension system, lubrication system, cooling system, exhaust system, fuel system. Every car has controls for the driver to use to move left, right and straight ahead.

To turn the car, the driver turns the steering wheel. Now, this is linked to the wheels and the driver presses the gas pedal or accelerator to engage the car in going faster. The brakes are also linked to the wheels.

The suspensions have coiled springs with soft seats. The transmission is what makes the car go forward and backward. A motor car has either automatic or manual transmission. The driver puts the gearshift lever on DRIVE or REVERSE; then he presses the gas pedal with his foot. With the manual transmission, the driver has to utilise the clutch and gearshift to enable the car to move. When a driver gets into the car and starts the engine, fuel begins to flow through a pipe from the fuel tank to the carburettor. Hopeton Edwards, auto mechanic, says that the carburettor turns the gasolene into a vapour; the vapour is sent to the cylinders; and in each cylinder there is a spark plug.

exploding vapours

"Sparks from the plug make a vapour explode, and this happens in one cylinder at a time," says Edwards. "Inside the cylinders are pistons and the exploding vapours force the pistons down."

Additionally, as the pistons move, they turn the crankshaft. This crankshaft is connected to driveshaft. The driveshaft turns the rear axle and the rear axle turns the rear wheels, and it is the rear wheels that move the car.

A driver is only as safe as the motor vehicle he is driving. Therefore, it is incumbent on us as motorists to ensure that our vehicle is healthy to drive on the road. If the driver is both mentally and physically fit for this machine it will give its best effort. However, the key to the entire operation of the car is the driver. A defensive driver can offset a poor car but a good car can seldom offset a weak driver.

- P. M.