The San Francisco call., 1906-10-29
Cars Faster and Safer
as Result of the
Competition.
By r. r. I'Hon1n1edieu.

Just now the automobile world and
particularly the enthusiasts in Califor-
MIA are discussing the attempts to
break the record between San Fran
cisco and Los Angeles A number of
persons are raising a cry against the
speeding of the automobile along the
highways. There is undoubtedly some
justice in this opposition. particularly
in California, but these contests are but
the outcome of the advanced conditions
in the auto world The speed at which
an automobile may travel, according to
the State law. is not in excess of twen-
ty miles an hour. This law was adopt
ed two years ago.
Since the adoption of the law the
construction of the automobile has ad-
vauced to such an extent that this
limit is hardly fair. The motor car. of
the present day has much greater speed
and is safer vehicle than IL was two
years ago. 1t would not have been
possible to have achieved these results
had 1t not been for the road races held
all over the world In making a vehi-
Gle that could produce greater speed
1t was IMPERATIVE that safety should
be a very large factor, for it would not
serve to produce vehicle of high
speed without providing that it could
be driven to the finish safely. 1t is a
known fact that it is possible to pro-
duce an engine that could easily cut
the present records in half. But IL is
also known that at the present time
the construction of cars has not ad-
vanced far enough to produce We
-hicle that could carry safely an en-
gine of such high power.
This was the case some seven or
eight years ago when the automobile
first came under the public eye. The
possibilities of the automobile were
recognized years ago. but it was not
until the last few years that it became
a universal mode of travel.
II is probable that autos would still
be undeveloped were it not for the road
races held In France. The moment au-
to road races commenced the attention
of the whole world was attracted to
the machine. The races demonstrated
what the cars could do. and there was
a rush to get what was then known as
a devil wagon" The sales in France
amounted to millions. The rest of the
world saw the possibilities CONNER
cially and Joined in the procession.
To bring this point nearer home one
has only to consider what the automo-
bile did the first week after the fire.
It was not the fact that il could travel
between points. but the fact that it
could travel between points at such a
high-ra rate of speed that it Astanced
"
made the horseless vehicle valuable
Had it not been for the speeding at
that time the automobile would not
now hold the place 1t does In Califor-
MIA It was proved in that fateful
week Ii was more than a pleasure
vehicle. 1t was proved a necessity
1t is safe to say tnat few autoists.
even those among the State and city
officials. comply with the speed law.
To travel thirty or thirty-fve miles
an hour today is not as dangerous to
the public or those travelling in the
motor cars as travelling fifteen miles
an hour was five years ago. There is
a certain amount of danger in travel
ing at thirty miles or greater. but what
sport in which the average American
takes part is withou. the element of
danger?
The fact that there is law which
makes It Illegal 10 travel in an auto
mobile faster than twenty miles an
hour should be seriously considered by
every owner of an automobile They
should cease to look with favor on
these speed contests. If there is to
be speeding, and there is no getting
away from the fact that there will be-
ii should be done in legal way I'm
der the laws ii is possible to hold road
races at an unlimited speed and if
owners will persist in speeding let
them band together and get conees-
sions from the Legislature, which will
shortly be in session.
There is another proposition that tles
local owners should strive to put into
operation, and [, at is the building of
an automobile speedway. There are
many places close to the city where
such a speedway could be built If
such a road was in existence 1T would
provide a place where the owner could
satisfy his desire 10 go fast. and he
would then be contented to go at a
pace within the limit of the law while
an a run or tour.