The morning journal-courier., 1908-11-18
THE AUTOMOBILE PROBLEM.

THE AUTOMOBILE PROBLEM.
 The attention of the people of New Haven has been called in sae most shocking manner possible to the prob lem which has grown out of the in- troduction of the automobile, and to the necessity which burdens society of adjusting itself to it. Attempts have been made by the general assembly and by local authorities to solve the problem but they have been success full only in directing attention to the enormity ot the undertaking.
 Obviously, whatever Is to be done must be done from the standpoint of the permanency of the automobile as a commercial instrument and a pleas ure making road craft. It has come to stay, and another season the streets and highways of the state will hold many more of them than nave been found there this year But while it's permanency must be admitted 1t can not be given a free license to do with the streets md the highways what the automoblist decides It will not do for the state, which has spent mil lions to abolish grade crossings, to let private owners of street auto cars turn every street crossing into a grade crossing, thus multiplying the danger to human life and limb. A policy must be decided upon which will let the auto come into the largest possible measure of usefulness to society while protecting the public against It's de- structive power.
 A speed regulation Is not so neces- sary as sound rules controlling human conduct on the roads of the state. The greatest care must be exercised by are seen, even to the extent of alto gether stopping the car until the hu- man beings are surely out of danger. In other words, the element of risk which is more or less present with every car driver. and the assumption that the footing of horn esta blishes right of way over all obstacles must be eliminated It is conceivable that the argument may be carried so far that all autos may be forbidden to enter crowded thoroughfarcs like Chapel street, between Olive and York, and in such other mercantile streets as attract throngs of shoppers and are crowded with traffic of every other sort. No hardship would be worked if autos were required to stop when trolley cars stop at street cross ings until released by trafllc police men Such regulations as these, and like regulations which they of them selves suggest, must be made In the 
 interest of the public.
 On the other hand, the public must itself learn to correct some of It's own misunderstanding of its rights. Otlei things must be considered In addition to the original right of way granted the pedestrian. The individual must learn to cross street at its crossing streets, At the regular crossings ir crowded sections of the city, he should cross under rules adopted by an intel ligent police force. It is d great mis take for the individual to suppose tha under modern conditions he is tho king of the street whenever he de
 cidee to step from the curbstone. Hi! highway is tho street crossing, and | the blocks are long 1t is perfectly eaa, to adopt the French plan of having
 places between streets where pedes trians have the right of way as at tn, , crossings, The plight of the mdivl l ual is not going to make the state dis regard the usefulness of the auto anr it ought not to adversely affect legis 1aton intended to control them. Wha the state must do is to create a condi ton which shall compel both the au toists and the public on foot to rec)g nize the obligations WhIch rest upol them, and determine without preju dice the rules of conduct which shal
 be mutually protective.
 1 When one comes to consider tn : conduct of reckless drivers with II view of metng out to them the prop
 CT punishment it cannot be agree i, that the state has been particular T farsightod It has been shown ove l. and over again that a money fine i { not q deterrent in any sense of tn :, word. Fear of it has not material Ii affected the conduct of car drivers an
 1t has certainly not added to the pro