The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-07-22
AUTOMOBILE PROBLEMS.

Jh1S TACT, generally speaking, is
cause for congratulation and not
for regret. A word of warning, how
ever, to over Jealous automobilists,
is proper and timely. The current
issue of the Burlington Clipper
contains the following excellent ed
itorial on the Right of the Road"
"In these days of steam and gas
cars running on the highways at
any speed up to sc miles an hour
It is well to get down to first prin-
ciples and inquire what rights, il
any, people on foot, have on the
highways and streets.
by statute and common law; by
the decisions of the courts, from
time immemorial, every person has
an equal right to go with safety up
on any highway or road.
at is the business of drivers Of
any vehicle to respect those rights.
do not forget this fact.
an cities and villages, where
sidewalks are provided for the safe
ty of pedestrians they are supposed
to use these instead of the streets,
but they do not lose their right to
use the streets thereby.
an cities and villages where
crossings are provided, at street
corners and elsewhere, the drivers
of all vehicles are required to res
pect the right Of pedestrians on
them.
ANY team running down per-
son on any crossing is held to be
liable by law and the courts for
heavy damages.
Automobiles have clearly no
rights other than those of other We
hicles drawn by horses.
THAT is all the American Auto
mobile League claims. 1t is time
that the people stood up for their
rights on the highway. Auto drivers
will do well to heed this warning
if they wish to use the highways on
equal terms with other vehicles"
The Rutland News treating the
same subject says:
Some of the automobilists in
Barre and in Burlington should be
subjected to civilizing influences. In
Burlington one speeding AUTOMOBILE
list at night hung out no lights and
crashed into a foolhardy person u.s.
ing his feet for walking. In Barre
after the automobiledriver had
struck his man he touched up his
machine for little more speed. No
satisfaction to the victim was forth
coming in either instance. Rutland
has a lesson to learn in these two
cases. It's speeding, benzine buggy
drivers should realize the fact that
their crime rests in hitting some
body while driving recklessly and
in being caught at it."
The exhilaration that attends a
fast run in a comfortable automo-
bile is a subtle temptation to disre-
gard the laws of the land and the
rights of others. 1t must not be
forgotten, however, that the great
majority of people do not own au-
tomobiles or ride in them, and are
not likely to adopt that method Of
locomotion until airships become
the fashionable vehicle. Mean
while the rights of the many must
not be sacrificed for the pleasure
of the few. Most Automobiles are
thoughtful and careful, but there
are Just enough who are reckless to
prejudice large number Of people
in the farming districts against the
whole class.
It is not strange that some farm
ers complain against the use of the
new vehicle. They have been ac-
customed to the use of the high
way with none to dispute the right
OF way. Now the appearance of au-
tomobiles, some of them running at
a speed equal to that of railroad
train, causes CONSERVATION. In
many cases women and children,
hitherto accustomed to do much
marketing, do not dare to drive a
team upon the highways, and others
who do venture forth with a sense
of danger that keeps them in con-
slant fear. There is just enough
disregard of the rights of drivers Of
horses to create feeling of bitter
ness, a kind of class enmity, that
is not wholesome. Probably this
will pass away in time-if 1t were
TO be otherwise the state of affairs
would be menacing one-but II the
hostility is to be allayed much,
care and patience must be exercis-
ed by those who own and operate