The morning journal-courier., 1908-08-19
CARS RUN WRONG Should Take the Left Hand Tracks and Allow People
 to Get Off With Right, THUS AVOID ACCIDENTS Delays Caused by Wagons in Road Would he Cut Out as Horses
 Would Face Cars.

To the Editor of the Journal-Courier.
 l have been much interested in the many reasons given by your corres- pondence why women get off the trolley cars backwards. Some have treated the subject serious, others in humorous vein. but none of them have given the real reason as 1t seems to me. The simple fact of the mat ter Is that under the present system of running the cars on the right hand track it Is almost impossible for them to get off any other way when using the right hand in alghting, for in doing so their backs are turned towards the motorman and naturally they leave the car backwards lonly last Saturday a gentleman was ser iously if not fatally injured in the not the only solution of the problem Is one involving an entire change in the present system of operating the cars on the right hand track 10 that of running them on the left hand track, then as you will readily see a person taking hold of tho hand rod or rail for the purpose of leaving the car with the right hand as so uni- versally done would face the motor man and could not step off backwards (unless they made a special effort to do sol and l fully believe that eighty per cent, of the accidents which now occur would he avoided by the change herein suggested
 The two fatal accidents which oc- cured In this city recently could not have happened if the cars had been operated on the left hand track for the reason they would have been fac- ing the way the car was going and even if they had fallen (which Is quite doubtful could not have struck on the back of their heads. which was the cause of the fatality in both cases.
 Another class of accidents less fatal in their consequences but in- volving the company in many damage suits would he entirely eliminated by the proposed change, viz; the rear end collisions which are so frequent on the trolley lines as the cars would meet all teams and autos eff they were on the proper side of the road) face to face. and rear end accident would not be possible
 Another great advantage to the public as well as to the road, under the proposed change would be a clearer track and less delays caused hy loaded teams and others in front of the cars whose drivers ignore as long as possible the warning gong of the motorman and who only after re- peated warnings will deien to res pond and then very leasurely turn off. If the left hand track was used the driver would face the car and see it block away and the instinct of self-persevation would prompt him to get off the track AS quickly as pos. sible. giving clear track to the ears thus saving delays and anoyances tc the passengers.
 Another advantage 10 the patrons would be that in stepping off the cars, they would face any teams ol autos that might endanger their lifc or limb and could easily avoid belne run down and injured as is frequent. ly the case under the present man ner of running the cars There ma, be other advantages which would re suit in using the left hand track, bu I think the above reasons are suffic iently ample to warrant the serious consideration of the subject by th, officials of the trolley company.
 Undoubtedly change 10 the lef track system would involve some ex pense to the company but even so
 believe the saving in damages result ing from accidents would exceed many times over any possible outla, involved in making the change here in suggested N A. T.
 New Haven, Aug IS.