The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-12-12

Apparently the sentiment against reck-
less driving is growing in Birmingham.
Innumerable accidents due. entirely to
careless driving have caused many to
xealize finally the serious side of speed
sing and method for suppressing 1t is
being sought.
Stringent laws regarding the persons
Idrfving automobiles and motorcycles and
the assistance of the right thinking auto
ssts to the officers of the law in appre-
bending the violators of the speed law
lis regarded as the only solution.
An illustration of how a great many
persons think in this regard is given in
the remarks of George C. Oliver, general
agent OF the Aetna Life Insurance COM
Hpany He thinks the lines of the law
sshould be frightened and any person oper-
sating a machine required to pass state
denomination.
/ 81 believe that the laws here should
DE made much more stringent" said Mr..
AOliver, because 1 think no person shodld
DE allowed to operate a gas or steam
fear until he has gone before a board of
fexaminers and proved his ability. Then,
k1t also strikes me that no person under
~ years of age should be allowed to
Operate a machine Missouri has a law
Restricting the age to IS. while there are
hother states with similar laws There
Are children under this age who run an
auto very well, but In a pinch they are
Emore than apt to lose their heads and
Herious consequences follow.
! las to the speed limit, think it should
h. 1iy,ni1 fad a
clause be inserted in the code of laws
There are times when five miles an hour
is reckless driving and there are times
Rwhen 80 or 40 miles is not. 1 think that
fhe chauffeur should be punished and the
owner not held responsible as is the rule
at the present time. New York has a
sgood law, which makes 1t a misdemeNnor
for a chauffeur to take a machine out
without the absolute permission of the
owner The Age-Herald's endeavors in
this direction are timely and trust they
!fnay prove beneficial"
Mr.. divers contention that every per-
son operating a machine should first be
licensed is a good one Efforts have been
made to have the Birmingham City Coun-
ell pass such a law, but without sue
cess The thing really needed is a state
gIaw to this effect Northern states long
Lago realized the need of such laws and
many of them have adopted extremely
drastic ones The southern states have
gadopted speed laws, but have overlooked
the DEMONSTRATIONS business. True, it
Is that while the south has an extremely
large percentage of the automobiles in the
1rfxr fnrr hoo mi
been as bad here as in the north, but
iBirmingham's new crop Of automobiles
gand chauffeurs have walked up. They
don't know what the hookworm is. There
is nothing lazy about them. except in
dropping the speed, using the brake and
blowing the horn.
1t is believed that il the legislature
had used the time spent on the consti-
tutional amendment and Fuller law in
adopting reckless driving laws the lives
of the people would have increased in
value.
few months ago the Birmingham
Board of Aldermen sat down on a reso-
Tuition introduced by Alderman Graham
Perdue requiring chauffeurs to pass an
examination. Many of the aldermen be-
lieved that this was for the state to do.
1T will be some time, however, before
the legislature meets again, unless Gov
ernor Conner takes a notion to call a
Especial session, and in the meantime the
Birmingham aldermen should get busy
land pass such laws as will control the
situation here until the Legislature meets.
/ The Birmingham Motor club has ex-
tpressed itself being against the speed
Eers and at the next session of the legis-
lature will make strong efforts to put tie
DAVIS through. The Pennsylvania laws
require every operator of a machine to