Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-03
4 MOTORISTS VIEWS
About the Public's Hostility To-
ward Auto Owners.
WRATH OF PEDESTRIANS
Aroused by Sight of an Approaching
Buzz-Car.
CONCERNING THE SPEED LAWS
Pace Of Vehicles in Washington and
Other Cities Compared-Hope for
More Friendly Attitude.
WRATH OF PEDESTRIANS
CONCERNING THE SPEED LAWS

More Friendly Attitude.
Now. before I got the price TO buy an
| automobile of my own" observed a mem
Der Of the Washington Automobile Club
/ who owns Ii fine car. II didn't hate the fell
| lows who possessed buzz buggles. Fact.
| Didn't even feel Jealous of em. i envied
| them bit, of course, but / was glad to see
| them enjoying themselves in their cars. and
| made UP my mind that I was going to
have one Of those things just as soon as I
was able to see the money end OF the bust
| ness.
4, well. I've got one now. I've had II for
| about two months. And l observe that
number Of my friends are beginning to treat
me haughtiy. especially when they catch
me in the act of riding around in my car.
| should add that all OF those who bestow
| the aslant gaze upon me are fellows who
don't own automobiles OF their own.
have heard, indirectly, that some of these
friends express the conviction that l have
developed a case of the swelled head. They
make this asseveratlon in connection with
| the fact that I own an automobile and
| drive It, always at modest and humble
| rate of speed. around the streets OF WASH
| ington. One of these friends-it has come
| to me-has announced his belief that have
become too large for my clothes. Another
| one has adverted to me az puny-wuny.
whatever that may mean man with
whom used to be on quite cordi4l terms, II
| seems. has resented my Haunting pas his
house at all hours in a big lummox OF a
| fool red buzz-wagon.' This man lives on
hicies. because II is wide, well-paved
| street I never knew. until heard Of his
remark. that hurt him by going by his
house in my motor car. Since l heard II
I've invariably made a detour. when In his
| neighborhood In the automobile, to avoid
| passing by his house, for I'm not looking
| for opportunities to hurt anybody's feel
| ings.
| Not an Envious Person.
| "I hate to annoy any OF my neighbors and
| friends. but, because some of them object
| to my motor car. and fancy / have devel-
| oped a case of elephantiasIs because own
| It., It's not up to me to sell it or to convert
/ IT into junk, is It? You see enjoy the
| thing. like to ride about in It. It's one
| Of my few pleasures. Now. know lots OF
| fellows who enjoy playing poker. I don't
because I'm poor player. and L can
| stand the loss of sleep, anyway. But
| don't object to their playing poker. Not in
| the least. listen to their stories of how
| they caught pat full against the other fell
| lows pat flush, and Of how they didn't do
| think to the other fellow. with real inter-
| est and enjoyment. 1 don't hate them for
playing poker, because 1 know they like
the game. and I'm glad that they're glad
| "a lot Of my friends drink a great deal
| of liquor because they enjoy it, have fun
| with it. and presumably know their own
| business. I don't take 1t for granted that
| they don't know their OWN business. don't
| object to their drinking. If they like it and
| enjoy. It I've got no kick coming. I know
| fellows who like to roller skate. I don't
| object to their roller skating. Plenty of men
know go in for canoeing or naphtha
| launching. They become enthusiasts on
| these things, and talk to me at great length
| on the subjects during the season, and L
I always listen to them with interest and
gladness though l never cared for canoes
| or naphtha launches myself. / don't learn
! to dislike the fellows know who are crazy
| over fishing or hunting. Those things are
| their pleasures.
why. then, should these chaps furtively
| dislike me. as know good many of them
| do, because l have a motor car and go about
| in 1t?
II don't know. 1 give it up. You can
| search me.
| THE answer may easily be sprung that
| the other forms of enjoyment to which I've
alluded-poker playing, rum drinking, ca
! noeing, fishing. hunting and the Hke-are
| not dangerous to other people or that they
| don't interfere with the comfort OF other
| people
| 'If that answer is sprung deny that the
| automobile is dangerous to other people. L
! am perfectly and plaeidly aware that my
WIFI the QbuidlS OF all Tie
autom noble people on the globe won't have
| the slightest effect upon the folks who don't
| own automobiles or ride In them them
| selves: but deny 1t all the same, IL only
| for the purpose Of getting the thing out of
my system.
On Behalf of the Motorists.
Speaking solely and on behalf of the au-
| tomobilsts of the city of Washington.
| aver, affirm and asseverate. in all solemn
!
| them take. into the strictest account the
| safety, comfort and equanlmity of the pc
destrians on the streets. 1 maintain and
would maintain to my dying breath that
| there are not, in Washington, as many
| reckless, high-speed automobile drivers as
| there are reckless high-speed drivers Of
carriages, delivery wagons and other We
| hicles pulled by horses. Once in great
! while in Washington a motor car driver
! exceeds the limit of safety in speeding his
| chauffeur from some other city who does
| this.
| 1T seems to me that a spirit of meanness
| and jealousy enters very largely into the
warped view with which a great many peo-
| pie have the habit of regarding the possess
ors and drivers of automobiles. Why
should the man on the street swell up with
wrath over the sight of an automobile APP
preaching him when he never generates a
| similar feeling with respect to the richly
| appointed carriage, with phony crest en-
couple of gayly-caparisoned steeds. when
| that kind of an outfit bears down upon
him?
| 1.-The automobile, lie he would only admit
| 1t. doesn't offer half as much danger to
| him as the carriage drawn by the steeds.
The automobile is under thorough control,
| the horses may not be. The drivers OF
| some Washington carriages are in1pudent
| defiant. seemingly possessed of the opinion
| that they are above the law. as, indeed
| some of them, notably the coachmen for
| legation folks, really seem to be. II you
| don't scoot out of the way in hurry,
| they'll run you down. Now. one OF these
! richly-appointed carriages. drawn by vail
| liable pair of horses. and including the ex-
| pensive trappings, costs just about as much
| as a good automobile. Why, then, should
| the man on the street, who has to seurry
| for his life to escape from the carriage,
| take the arrogant driving Of the coachman
as matter of course. and offer no protest
| or word of resentment when he scowls and
mutters and growIs savage things when he
hears the foot or bell of an approaching au-
| tomobile that begins TO slow up thirty feet
away from him IL he doesn't seem TO ex-
! hihit the necessary alacrfty in getting out
of the way?
! .'Onee more, invite you to search me.
why the Bell or Horn.