Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-05-16
AUTO REGULATION.
Elimination Of Speed Limit Deemed
the Best Plan.

the Best Plan.
1t can scarcely be denied that the
net result of enforcing the speed reg
ulations of most of the automobile
laws has been to swell the pockets of
a few officials, without affording pro.
lection to the public or benefiting any
one except these officials. The new
traps set II different parts of Massa.
chusetts have brought rich returns to
few constables, but public senti
ment is opposed to this method of en-
forcing the statue. for it savors OF
highway robbery. and in nine cases
out of ten it is the harmless, though
technical, violator of the law who is
caught and fined, while the reckless
daredevil soon locates tn trap and
laughingly escapes the punishment
which he so richly merits. The only
true test, looked al both from the
standpoint of the public and of the
automobiles. is whether the speed is
at all times reasonable and proper.
having regard to the width, traffic,
and use of the highway. The only
necessity for automobile regulation
is to secure so far as possible, safe.
ty of the public by preventing reck.
less driving, and this can better be
secured without a maximum speed
limit than with ii.
The disadvantages of maximum
speed limits are very clearly pointed
out hy tho Io,np,;sc;ono~ 80 Nx.4o.
Vehicles of New Jersey in HIS report,
and he unhesitatingly recommends
their abolition. He cites a case.
which came under the observation of
his department, where fragrant
transgressor, who was caught by
mounted policeman, after a desper-
ate race, and then only upon a threat
OF shooting. was acquitted before the
magistrate because 1t was not proven
that the vehicle was going faster than
the maximum speed limit. although
there was no question but what the
speed was much greater than was
compatible with public safety.
The claim will doubtless, be made
that the removal of the fixed rates of
speed per hour would be an encoIr
agement of the reckless motorist to
drive his car at top speed regardless
of the rights of others. A careful
study of the subject has shown that
the claim is not well founded: in
fact the converse of the proposition
is found to be true. Maximum speed
limits encourage reckless motorists to
take every chance and to drive his
car to the limit of It's capacity, ey..
cept where he has reason to believe
that trap has been set for him,
Make reasonableness the foundation
upon which speed is to be based and
the violator would never be safe from
arrest and punishment, because any
bystander would be competent to ties.
tify whether the motor vehicle was
being operated recklessly or so as to
endanger the safety OF the pubic, in
stead of leaving the enforcement OF
the law to an official armed with an
Inaccurate stop-watch, and who is
financially interested in the outcome
of the prosecution.
1t is a most significant fact that In
no state where the arbitrary maxi.
mum speed limit has been abolished
has there been any disposition to re.
turn to the old standard; i'm fact the
entire tendency OF recent Legislation
Is strongly in the direction OF abolish.
Ing thes. arbitrary limits. The revo.
cation of few licenses to operate
motor vehicles. with a heavy fine or
Imprisonment for reckless driving,
will do more to cure the evil in Con.
necticut than hundred traps work
ing to Their fullest capacity