The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-02-25
.AuTO|STS ARE
RUNNING RISKS
Some Police Rules More Honored
in the Breach Than the
Observance.
SUDDEN JERK MAY SURPRISE
Police Have Backing Of General
Public in Prosecution of
the Reckless.

fragrant violations of the auto ordi-
nance are daily occurrences, but the
authorities, while seeking to repress
abuses in one or two directions are tax
ing little notice of other ones.
The ordinance says that the numbers
for machines given out by the police
shall be Of certain white color-white
on black background. White num-
bers on black tail boards, hung under
the rear of machines by chains or
straps are proper and meet the provi
sions of the ordinance. Those painted
on red, green and drab painted ma.
chimes, do not. Numbers that are mere
outlines of the figures, whether painted
on black backgrounds, or not, do not
meet the requirements of the ordinance
These numbers are more general on the
machines lately registered than those
recorded one, two and three years ago.
The numbers are mere tracings, the
body of the figure not being filed in
with the required color. These mum.
|
even at close range, when the machines
are travelling rapidly, they can not
easily be determined. Numbers on Cal.
ifornia cars are plain, are attached to
tail boards which swing free of the
machine, and are of an identical height,
width and appearance. The numbers on
Honolulu registered machines present a
diversity of sizes and shapes and are
the least conspicuous parts of the
motors.
There is still fragrant abuse of the
road rules about crossing street inter.
sections. At King and Alakea streets
yesterday afternoon large number of
machines were noted crossing and in
several instances narrow escapes were
observed. OF forty machines passing
the intersection about one.half of the
chauffeurs failed to honk their horns.
Three-fourths made no effort to slow up,
and eight machines had to be swerved
quickly to avoid collisions. The COLI
sion possibility was only apparent in
most cases but the element of chance
was very largely present.
In the suburbs boys and girls may
be seen daily driving the cars of their
parents or other relatives. They are
too young to drive under the provisions
of the ordinance, and are not even ac-
companied by older persons provided
with chauffeurs' licenses. Yesterday
afternoon a little girl was driving a
touring car down Alakea street. In
the rear seat sat another small girl.
In passing Halekauila street the ma
| a
dray. The little driver, whose hair
hung down her back in braid, had
her eyes fixed on the water of Alakea
slip and took no notice of her sur
roundings.
The rule for autos to slow up at
crossings is observed in the breach by
fully seventy-fve per cent of auto
drivers. There appears to be more
need for mounted officers to be on
duty during the day at the main cross
ings than for other work to which
they are assigned. One bad place is
kea streets. Machines coming up Ala
kea to be turned into Beretania travel
too fast around the corners and many
accidents are narrowly avoided there
only by the agility of the people wait
ing to board ears, or those just alight-
ing from them. There is more need
of an officer to be permanently sta
toned there than on any other corner
in town, particularly during the time
between and 8 in the morning, IL
and one-thirty, and from four-thirty
to six-fifteen in the afternoon.
On the open roads the speed maniacs
still drive their machines recklessly,
and the real speeders, although violat-
king the ordinances daily, have not APP
peared on the warrants sworn to by
the hack inspector.
Speed violations in the suburbs are
particularly annoying to pedestrians
and those who drive in and out of Oahu
College grounds are especially not0-
rious. They drive along Wilder avenue
at rapid rate and dash on toward the
big gateway of the college grounds as
If they were in the open country. This
is street car junction and people are
constantly crossing to change cars OF
waiting for them. The road is narrow
especially when n Manoa car is waiting
at its terminus, but auto drivers dash
along that roadway in "A manner which
terrifies women, especially If they have
children. Not only are college students
who own machines, particularly onen
siye in their driving al this place, but
many older heads are almost ns unob
servant of the rights of pedestrians
The youngsters, however, are extremely
arrogant about entering and leaving the
college grounds. There Is AN Oppor
tunity for the parents ~ many Of them
10 take positions near The gateway just
to observe how the young people drive
ears. IN all Likelihood they would
reach the conclusion that the comments
~ other people arr only fair,
Tail lights On mnehinef merely ind
cate thai q machine Do Ahead hfeausl
VI the rod disk showing Tie white
Light, supposed a. he iIBinei ON ~.
uumhefa, tash ou parls 1f ihn maehins
anly, fpr tie numbers are too fai helpn
~ above ~ some within range ~ ihfii
lays The artieuafo Gays ihai num
hela shall q nll llmfl he plainly flslhls
They afe tot flsihla n niahi
/ ffHH II lie nfafaI IHaaufIauH IL 4aklal