The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-08-02
AS Wei AS Danger Among
The County Folk On
The Roads
.1Isy clInrIes Il. vVasllburnJ

motor vehicles. hut ny the pueblo gem
orally.
The motor vehicle has. probably,
come to stay It aIreay has It's place
as a source Of pleasure. and to q les
ser extent for buEdness, and its use
for the latter purpose will. doubtless,
become greater with time. It has its
rights on the roads. rights none can
deny rights given it by popular APP
provaI and the laws OF the state.
But at the same time, these rights
end where the rights Of other lawful
travellers begin, and especially when
:he lives ana property of the latter
are endangered.
The laws of the state touching the
use Of the motor vehicles on the pub
liz. roads are ample, and il properly
observed ana enforced are almost a
guarantee against accidents, except
those usually cIassed as Providential.
1t is the disregard of the law that
leads to trouble and accidents. 1t
may be said in justice to the majority
az motor vehicle owners and drivers,
hat they are careful. observe the law,
f.nd are considerpte CT the rights Of
others. But there are many whose
disregard for the law, and whose lack
If courtesy must result in bringing
the whoIe business into disrepute.
q nd lead to the enactment of drastic
and rigorous LEGISLATION to more ade-
,nIately govern this traffic, and pro-
tact the general public.
Our roads are not intended, nor are
they lit for speedways. They are too
narrow, the curves are too abrupt.
the grades too steep for fast driving.
The law limits the speed to five miles
cn hour-a man can easily walk at
: his rate-around curves and down
rades. If this law is observed. there
an be no speeding, for there are no
: traaght stretches long enough to ad-
r,it a speed of twenty miles per hour
which is the lawful limit, except for
very short distances, and at very IN
frequent intervals.
This speed law is violated every
day, and by majority of drivers a
news item stated that one
Fayne drove a motor car from clarks-
burg to Grafton in forty minutes, In
Guiding the delay caused by an occu-
nant named F'reeland being thrown
at and injured. The distance Is l
at,out twenty miles, which means an
acreage speed of thirty miles per
hour, Allowing for delays, and slow
downs on bad sections of roads the
speed must have reached forty. iifty
or even more miles per hour at times
: ,ch reckless and criminal driving
should be punished to the fun extent
or the law for the safety Of the pub
lie. and in the interest of the large
n ,1uther of careful and considerate
complaints are frequently heard OF
The carelessness and insolence OF
MANY drivers of motor vehicles "A
q sregard of signals and requests to
eton the vehicle and to stop the
motor. as required by law. is an every
7,v occurrence. Even those engaged
in, carrying the United states mails
. re- annoyed, and their lives and the
s,fetv Of the mails endangered as
nav be ascertained by inquiry oil any
~ these public servants whose duty II
+, ia trayel the roads. Failure to stop
,,ro,nnrly. and, especially 10 stop tae |
Q ncines, may be due to pure cusseu-
raes :. Int is frequently due to Speeu-
ing and the consequent daHSet u
stopping suddenly But II the Hl''
nine is under control. as required DS
law. there can be no danger a We
hjcIe moving five miles per hour
t,.o,,als 7 1-3 feet per second; at ten
r,J1as ner hour, IL 2La feet per sec
oud. at fifteen miles per houF'
rGat per second: and at twenty mics
nor hour. % Is feet per second ana /
e. on motor car swinging AROUND
~ short turns in our narrow roHus
= twenty miles per hour, 30 1-3 teet
n.r second. is fraught with the gray
~ narf, TO the occupants of the ear
and to any unfortunate traveller y
may meet. ,,o ,t,,,,y
As matters now stand, people l"'ns
=, the rural districts and unincor-
,,a,ro tad towns and Villages, now ven
t,,re an the roads, II at all. at me
r,sl, or their lives. No horse IS s''i'
g, tho presence OF careless or reeK-
less driving of motor vehicles. WON
81 and caildren. the aged ana m
e,.,n are debarred from the PuDhc
!, ,.,,,v,avs. or venture on them with
~ Ciuietest and gentlest horse at |
Iii, 700 awful to contemplate. me
90 me is true, though perhaps to les
sor extent. as regards the most "e'''e
and robust person. .,...
THE older men IN the rural oastl'e'S
=, +bo aorlv manhood, spent from four
!, s,xteen days each year. withont
nv In building and keeping up our
r,,S,lic roads, They gave the land on
which the roads are built ano'
rrIe. stiu pay taxes on It. They pay
n "a