Evening star., 1901-09-27
SPEED OF AUTOS.
should Be Subject to Rigid Restric-
tions I'm City Streets.


From the Medical Record.
The Lancet makes some common-sense
comments on the above subject which
might be taken to heart and acted upon
by the chauYeurs of motor vehicles In New
York city, and especially by those of horse
less ambulances. The writer delivers him
self in the following words:
The series of accidents which have oc-
CURED In this country and in other coun-
tries during the past week is calculated
to bring the motor into disrepute, and
we counsel all interested in any way In
motor cars to do their utmost to suppress
furious driving. All motor car drivers
should remember that motor cars cannot
be let loose on streets like many railway
trains Present arrangements will not per-
NIT of II. Until motor cars have track
of their own they must be placed under
the strictest possible control in regard to
speed and the rule of the road. With
motor cars coming around sharp corners
at high speed pedestrians need almost a
new sense. The pip, pip is, a rule, un-
der these circumstances, not timely
warning, and people are likely to be run
over before even they can realize that a
motor car IS turning the corner. 1t would
be well enough If 1t were possible that
certain tracks in our busy thoroughfares
could be allotted to the motor car, but that
is not possible, and therefore in the inter
ests of the safety of the public this method
OF travelling must be kept within bounds
The temptation to attain a high speed is,
we fear. very strong when a driver knows
that he is In possession of potentialities
which neither oyerstrain nor exhaust his
petrol steed-'
1T Is difficult to enforce one set of rules
for the country and another set for the
high streets of the towns, but, as We have
said. such rules are necessary in order to
protect the public. IL cannot be gainsaid
that the motor car is by many people
viewed with terror and alarm. inspired
= through the fault OF drivers themselves
The latter forget that series of hun
dred explosions in order to gain motion is
q new feature the road, is also the
rate OF speed at which the motor car is
able TO travel. We do not doubt that in
due time the noise will be got rid of. but
that achievement may likely enough prove
a new danger, The temptation to increase
speed will be greater than ever. We could
wish for some invention by means of which
the speed of a motor car could be auto
maticafly kept within legal bounds. Surely
in these days of extraordinary engineering
skill IL would be possible to devise an ar
rangement attached to the axle of the mo-
tor car which would check the speed Of a
car as soon as 1t rose to a certain and
dangerous point The attachment of such
an arrangement TO motor car could be
made compulsory. and any one found with
out such a method of control could be
fined We have no wish to interfere with
any advance In means of locomotion, but
this advance must not be made at the ex-
pense of the public safety"
The Spectator has also an article on the
same subject and after discussing the
manifold difficulties in the way of COM
pelling the chauffeurs of automobiles to
have some regard for the safety OF those
who travel on the roads or streets either
upon the Instruments provided them by
nature or drawn by horse power and SUBJ
mtts that the only effective methods of re-
straining the ardor of the strenuous chauf-
feurs is 10 provide that car capable of
high speed should be allowed to use the
roads except when in charge of a driver
who holds certificate that ne is compe-
tent to manage and drive the machine.
Assuredly In the Streets of crowded
town the driving of automobiles by nm
skilled persons is a distinct menace to the
life and limbs of all those who use other
methods OF locomotion, and should be