The Washington herald., 1911-11-26
Maj Sylvester, Before Recent Convention of Good
Roads Convention at Richmond, Gives Views
on Subject of Local Interest

drivers Snoulo be made to any police
Cmcer or at police station.
Keep Close to Curb.
That heavily-loaded, slow-moving We
hlcles should keep as close to the right
hand curb as possible is important, and
a vehicle passing another moving in the
same direction should always do so to the
left.
The turning of corners to the right
| along the immediate line of the curb
has one drawback at least, in this, that
If regulation prevails that all heavy
vehicles shall keep as near the right
hand curb as practicable, in so doing il
would Immediately place the lighter We
hicles while proceeding after the turn,
| in the same category as the heavy, and
I for this reason, in the District of Co.
| lumbia, the regulation on the subject
makes it obligatory in turning corners to
| the right to keep to the right center of
| the street, and police experience in that
| Jurisdiction would justify such regula-
| ton; while in turning corners to the left,
| into an interseCting street, the rule de-
] mands that a vehicle shall move so as to
| leave sufficient clear space between itself
and the left-hand curb as to permit the
safe passage of another vehicle. In these
matters of turns and in crossing from
one side of the street to the other it is
|
| the same in all printed instructions or
Qualifications with diagrams, showing the
| legal mode of procedure.
| While on this subject 1t might be ad-
vanCed that there is no greater insight
| illness in a well-regulated city other
| wise than that presented by CO.
minglng of all characters of vehicles in
| the volume of movement that proceeds
| to the right or approaches to the left
The city of Washington. it is to be re-
GREETED, has not advanced to that stage
! in the matter OF traffic where heavy,
! slow-moving vehicles always proceed
along to the right-hand side as near to
the curb possible in single column, as
| they should, and where lighter horse
drawn vehicles move next in column to
| the left, and motor-propelled vehicles
form a column a distance farther to the
! left, forming lines of circulation accord
! ing to the character of conveyance.
Keep Clear of Trucks.
Avenues and streets given up to the
retail trade. including the shopping dis
trtcts particularly, should be clear of
large trucks hauling merchandise, wag-
ons transporting hay. garbage. and
ashes, and other unsightly loads OF ref
use. These should be assigned to near
by thoroughfares more suitably adapted
to commercial purposes
Every city having in view favorable
reputation in traffic regulations must to-
day make provision against excessive
emission of smoke and gases from auto
mobiles, if not from different sources,
that would be offensive to pedestrians
and others patrOniZing its public ways
and should be just as diligent in sup
pressing unCalled-for noises from run
ming engines after motor cOnveyances
have stopped and other unnecessary me-
oh Nnig -k,saE,
the rafting of milk cans at early hours
of the morning by Indifferent drivers OF
hOrSeGraWn vehicles. Dense and pro-
longed smoke or noises should be placed
under the ban through proper authorita-
tive enactment. Vehicles moving north
and south always should be accorded the
right of way.
Circles and triangles mark the con-
verging points of avenues and streets in
many cities, and the disposition to make
short cuts about these places is in evil
dence and can only be overcome by We
hicles being compelled 10 follow nearest
the right side curb. The danger incident
to one vehicle following upon another
too closely, should the leading one come
to sudden stop through any cause sug-
gests requiring a distance intervening of
at least fifteen feet. including animals |
where driven, and drivers should always
be upon the seats of wagons and car
riages or in control Of the horse or |
horses drawing the same. The standing |
or driving of vehicles of any kind, two |
abreast, on either side of a public thor |
Oughfare should not be permitted, If |
there be space fer avoidance, and under |
no circumstances along streets having |
double lines of railway tracks.
Danger of Backing Up.
Those of you who have had experience in |
cities have some idea of the difficulties |
that follow the backing of vehicles TO !
the curb, although trade makes it neces- |
sary that such should follow in COM |
mercial districts. Be this as it may. no
vehicles should be permitted to stand |
backed up to the curb except when actu-
ally loading or unloading. and, if horsee-
drawn and having four wheels, the ami
mails should be made to stand so as to |
face in the direction of traffic. but no
vehicle should under these conditions be
privileged to interrupt the passage of
other vehicles or street cars. Freedom
Of avenues and streets from distractions
should prompt regulations against any
vehicle stopping on the same except in
or in order to allow another
vehicle or pedestrian to cross the road
way.
The important purpose in traffic regu-
ation being to adjust matters so as to
keep vehicles going and coming without
friction, the manner of turning around
IS one that should be defined to be done
without interfering with other vehicles
even If necessitating the driving around
4 block for the purpose. This, on the
principle that one small item should suf-
Ter brief loss in time rather than jeop- II
irdize or delay the volume of traffic
movement.
There have been involved in the rules
IF traffic in large cities, beginning with
New York, those requiring that a driver
shall signal when slowing up, stopping,
turning. or backing, by raising the whip
1r hand, or, otherwise indicating with
he hand the direction that is to be taken.
While not generally enforced, the rules
deserve an emphatic favorable indorse- I
nent.
Penalty for Collisions.
One of the most effective and far-reach-
ng regulations is that of the District of
prescribing a penalty for col
iding. While in Paris, the individual,
lnder the law, must avoid being struck s
md while in many municipalities in this ,
country vehicles are required to stop ,
when the cars do so, in order to avoid
possible colliding with passengers alight- .
ng therefrom, the District ordinances !
,rovide against the driving or operating ,
# a vehicle SO as to carelessly or will
ully collide with another vehicle of any ;
lind or any person and affords opportu- :
Iity when violated for criminal and civil =,
Ction.
Exceptions are made in some cities, I,
nd properly so, extending right of way J
o vehicles of the poSt-oflce police fire | ,