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Page 16, Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, October 20, 1993 --____rReturn of the Rover ByGlen Konorowski numbere is again being offered in power-te-weight ratio. SSIII(iIIfnsIre«ieS mal um ee hks ear h e waretres o h eed Lan d RefansTherejoic. L a lnumbhedifrec the ear.90sthee arrany or theDefeni Rover of old je back, vastly im- the reet of the Jee-ieln s mte nteenjxne and si In our modem eociety, there je a liquid that je considered almeet as essential as water. It han caused riote and wars, and han spawned a multi-billion dollar induetry. Twenty years ago, a shortage of it was considered a national crisis, and people lined up for heure te get a few gallons of it. No matter what it costs, people will pay for it. It is, of course, gasoline. To have a time machine and a tanker! Ini the 1860s, gasoline was an unwanted byproduct of kerosene refining, and its chief use was as a cleaning agent for ladies' gloves. With the development of the internal combustion machine, however, the cast-off liquid quickly gained in importance. If you were running a little low in the early days of motering, you had te start looking for a hardware store. It was sold out of large barrels, dispeneed inte buckets through a spigot and poured into the car through a filter te remove any dirt. As the 'horselees carniage' became a more practical vehicle, gasoline sales increased and merchante began looking at it as a product te be sold on its own. Ini Canada, the first filling station opened Oct. 27, 1908 in Vancouver. It eold gasoline and oul only; repaire were stili ueually done by the local blacksmith or the town handyman. By this time, the barrel and bucket were history. Stations used pumpe that resembled bicycle pumps that dispensed a gallon with each stroke. ' Visible' puxnps, the tafl, thin bases tepped with glass cylindere, first made their appearance in the mid-1920s. Now popular with collecters and bars (as often as net with goldfish in their glass bowls), the pumps were net only decorative but useful at a time when gasoine quality was not always un iformn. The glass bottles, which showed the gasoline being pumped, assured the customer that he was getting a tep-notch product. Gasoline sales were now becomnî vr cmon, as roads improe and cars became easier for the general population te purchase (mostly, due te Henry Ford's aggressive price cuts and General Motors' GMAC financing plan). By 1935, the latest thing was a gasoline punip that showed net only the nuxnber of gallons dispensed, but aise the total price. For the most part, it was the last major improvement in gasoline pumnps until the 1950s, when the automatic shutoif nozzle wan developed. The most recent, and most notab' e change in gasoline puxnps han been the digital readout, which is now standard in the industry. More than just a change for the 'sake of change,' the electronic face became a necess-ýity when gasoline prices began rising over a dollar a gallon. The spinning dials on the old puxnps couldni't inaintain the speed necessary te, caiculate the higher pricee, and broke down under the strain. Undoubtedlly, these electronic pumpe will one day be considered SEE PAGE 20 proveci irom tme pasi; modele imported back in the early seven- ties. The new model ie called the Defender 90. The 90 in Defender je from the 90-inch wheelbase on which the Land Rover travele. The vehicle ie only offered ae a two-door convertible. The 110 Defender (roofed ver- sion that has four doors) that was offered last year in limited hat mhe 90 nas a V8, wnile the reet only have six-cylinder engines. T'he V8 je 3.9-litre hich produces 182 horsepower and a hefty 232 pounde/foot of torque at 3,250 revolutione per minute. Like aIl Land Rovers, the body je made of aluminum while the chassie je steel. Weight of the vehicle je 1,618 kilograme (3,560 pounds) which should be a good DRI VING.a SAFELY with RANDY RANDY McLEAN IS A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER WHO SPECIALIZES IN TRAFFIC SAFETY. Mr. McLean has reviewed thousands of individuai motor vehicle accident reports and his close working relationships wilh police agencies, governmnents, safety associations, industry and the public, have given hlm a true overview of traffic safety issues, problemns and solutionts in Canada. Safe night bicycling Bicycling is one of the fastest growing recreational activities in Canada. Unfortunately, as the number of bicycles on the road has increased, so has the number of bicycle accidents. More than 5,000 car-bicycle collisions occur each year in Ontario alone. Almost ail result in injury to the bicycist. Traditionally, bicycle safety issues receive a lot of attention in late spring when the weather firet turne warm, and again in June and July when echool ends and summer vacations begin. But, bicydling je as popular in September and October as it je in the spring and sumnier. For young children who may have only just learned te ride a two-wheeler during the summer, autumn is the time te dernonstrate their new-found é1kill to friends at echeji. For teenagers who cannot afford their own car and don't always have access te the faniily vehicle, bicydling je stili a convenient way te travel. And, for adulte, bicydling rem"irean enjoyable way te exercise. ;Lx yars unuimited mileage on tne bdy. Therice, I have heard, will be around $35,000. With eome options on the vehicle (euch as a rear seat and air conditioning) you're looking at a more realistic price of around $38,000. For more vehicle and FINE 4WiD. information on the dealers, cail 1-800- However, the falI season bringe with it a epecial cencern fer bicycliste and motoriets -- shorter dyight heurs. While, I imagine, alI bicycliste are aware of this annual phenemenon, net everyone adjusts their riding behavieur accordingly. Bicydliets, like moteriste, are creatures of habit and only reluctantly give up those cool, relaxing summer eveninge of fun. As the days grow shorter, however, cycling at night can become dangerous if you're net aware of the potential hazarda. One of the meet common mistakes bicycliste make when riding at night je to assume that moteriste can see them. They upqually can't, or at least don't. And, although they 'sually have les than perfect vision, it's net alwa s théà motorist'e fault. At twilight and after dark, a bicydliet weaning dark-coloured clothing and riding without a front headlight or rear reflector je almeet invisible te the average moteriet, even on well-lit streete. Police accident repors indicate that many moteriste fail te sec bicycles on clear, sunny days when visibility je good. At night, bicycliste eflen compound their own risk by riding on the wrong side of the etreet and going through stop signe or red lighte. Safe night cycing requires that you make yourself visible te metonists. By law, your bicycle muet have a white or amber front light and a red rear light reflector when you ride one-half heur before sunset or one-half heur after sunrise. The front forks muet aise have white reflective tap 250mm by 25 mm (10 inches by one inch). Bright yellow or white clothing aise helpe, as does reflective material on your helmet. Pay attention te nearby vehicles. Moteriste often have trouble estimating the speed and distance of emali objecte. No matter how visible yeu think you are, assume that the motenist has net seen yeu. Bicycles are the meet vuinerable vehicle on the road. Drive eafiely. THE NEXT DECADE. GUARANTEEDm Volkswagen's optional 10 year/160,000 km extended power train warranty on ail new Golfs and Jettas. *This optional extended warranty is available from your - At ten years, this is the longest factory-backed extended warranty available. Volkswagen dealer on ail new Golfs and Jettas. - Now you can lease the ail new Jetta for $269* a month, and that includes *The warranty covers complete power train for ten Guaranteed Mobility-24 hour roadside assistance! Quantities are imited. years or 160,000 km. Hurry in to Owasco and drive worry-free for the next ten years. GO)Lf(:~ *Lease based on 48 months, $1,500 downpayment. Taxes icensing, freight, P.D.I. and insuranoe extra. JETMA$IiV OWASCO VOLKSWAGEN INI Experience e aso Feeling- Pr o nbsre you ES sne192 AiCARFand A award winner. N Sales, service, leasing, body shp. al rmakes. Rentais in Canada, USA and Europeovrseas deivery. > 1425 Dundas St. East, Whitby 686-6410 dOWACOkTOP DOLLAR FOR VOUR TRADE! iC. WHIBY LOWAII 40 35 MINUTES EAST FROM DOWNTOWN TORONTO by JiI Mclntosh 'Gas'-memorabilia (0