Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-23
PUBLIC At MERCY
Of SPEED MANIACS
HANDS OF COUNCIL TIED, SAYS
ATTORNEY
MUST LOOK TO THE POLICE
state Law Fixing Privileges Of Auto
Drivers Prevents City LesIs-
lators From Protecting Per-
sons on Streets
MUST LOOK TO THE POLICE

The hands of the Los Angeles city
council are tied by the law passed by
the recent state legislature at the In
stigation of the Automobile clubs of
the state as regards the curbing of
the speed maniacs who are endanger-
ing the lives of the people by their
mad desire for more speed is the opin-
ion Of the city attorneys force.
The law in question was sent
through with a budget of others and
it's full purport was not realized until
yesterday when city officials began an
investigation to find If 1t was in their
power to better safeguard the public
from carelessly and recklessly driven
motor cars.
The makers of the law come into the
open and provide that local authorities
shall have no power to require a per-
NIT from would-be chauffeurs. The
right to demand a showing that per-
sons who desire to operate big and
powerful motor cars upon the public
streets know how to run such ma
chimes and are capable of doing so is
taken away by the law.
Must Be Registered
The law however proscribes that all
persons desiring to operate such ma
chimes shall register with the secretary
of state and procure from him a IL
cense and badge before they shall be
allowed to operate cars on the public
highways. The law does not require
the chauffeur to show that he knows
how 10 run a machine, but merely to
register and thereupon the badge shall
be Issued.
The law also states that this badge
shall be worn at all times in a con-
spicuous place while the owner is op.
Grating a car and that it shall not be
worn by another person. Furthermore
it makes it a misdemeanor punishable
bysa fine or Imprisonment to operate a
without wearing a badge.
Look to Police
"The only redress the people may
have must come from the police
force said a city official yesterday
IF the law should be enforced every
person operating motor car upon the
streets would be compelled to secure
and wear one of these badges. and If
ting the law or Of reckless driving it
would be possible to secure the revo-
kation of their licenses by the secre-
tary of state and thus, provided the
police enforced the law, such careless
or reckless drivers could be kept off
guarded"
THE city council has not the author
ity to pass an ordinance requiring
chauffeurs to show their ability to op-
crate cars before they are granted IL
censes" is the ruling given yesterday
by Deputy City Attorney Goudge.
The following extracts from the law
show how the local authorities are
curbed, and also that the remedy the
people have to look to is the police
force:
"Sec. 5. Every person hereafter
desiring to operate a motor vehicle as
a chauffeur shall file in the office of the
secretary of state, on blank to be sup
piled by such secretary. a statement
which snail include his name and ad-
dress and the trade name and motor
power of the motor vehicle or vehicles
he is able to operate and shall pay a
raoietratiot1 foo NJ 60
Must Issue License
1.-THE secretary Of state shall forth
with, upon such registration and with
out other fee. issue and deliver to such
chauffeur badge of aluminium or
other suitable metal which shall be oval
in form and such badge shall have
stamped thereon the words Registered
chauffeur No. :, state Of California,
with a registration number inserted
therein, which badge shall thereafter
be worn by such chauffeur pinned upon
his clothing in a conspicuous place at
all times while he is operating a motor
vehicle upon the public highways.
mo chauffeur having registered IS
herein provided shall voluntarily per-
nit any other person to wear his badge,
nor shall any person while operating a
motor vehicle wear any badge belong
ing to another person or a fictitious
badge. t
"sec. 6. The violation of any of the
provisions of this act by any owner,
vehicle shall be deemed misdemeanor.
punishable upon conviction thereof by
a fine mot exceeding $500 for the first
offense. and by a fine Of not less than
$50 nor more than 800 or Imprisonment
not exceeding thirty days. or both, for
second offense. and punishable by a
fine of not less than 100 nor more than
$3.50 and, imprisonment not exceeding
thirty days for a third or subsequent
offence"
No Power to Restrain