The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-05-02
.[ITTLEF|E[D PLAN
.TOSTOP SLAUGHTER
BY AUTOS FAVORED
Chances for Accidents Would Be
Greatly Reduced If Machines Were
Halted When Street Cars Ahead
Come To Standstill.
Commissioner Croul Would Have
Traffic Rules Incorporated in Or
dinance-Vernor Has Plan, Too.

I'VE can pass ordinances from now
until Doomsday. but none of them
will be worth the paper IT Is printed
on unless drafted with the idea of
safeguarding the lives OF the people
as the first consideration" said Aid.
John Lodge, a member of the or.
dinance committee OF the common
council, TO The Times, Tuesday.
Everything else Is secondary to that
consideration, and II we meet next
Friday afternoon with that end In
view, | think we will have no diff
Guilty In framing an ordinance that
will thoroughly cover the question
and will be enforcible. We should all
come together on that common
ground"
Aid, Littlefield's proposed ordinance.
requiring automobile drivers to come
to stop when approaching a street
car that has stopped to let of pas.
sengers, seems to meet with consid!
cradle favor among the aldermen, but
IL this provision should become law
IL will probably not apply in the traf-
fic zone, where the traffic squad has
the situation undyr good control.
Commissioner Croul believes that any
ordinance that would interfere with
the traffic officers would result In end
less confusion and serious delays in
traffic. and he will urge the council
to use great care In drafting the or
dinance, to avoid such conflict.
In this connection the commissioner
suggests that the police department
traffic regulations could be incorpor-
ated In the new ordinance. This
would compel all drivers to use sig
mails, turn street corners al right
angles and would make for a much
greater degree of safety all around.
by members Of the ordinance conf
mittee.
II is the opinion of Aid. Allan, chair
man of the ordinance committee, and
several of the members concur, that
there should be one general ordinance
governing the use and operation OF all
motor-propelled vehicles, and a sep
arate ordinance covering all horse
drawn vehicles.
'It has reached a point where some
thing has got to be done to protect
the lives of the people," said Aid.
Vernon, one of the veterans Of the
common council 1T has come 10 a
pass where II Is hardly safe to vcn-
ture on the street, and we want an
ordinance that is absolutely going to
put a stop to reckless driving. We
will solve the whole problem II we
pass an ordinance such as / propC sed
last Tuesday night, requiring drivers
to have their machines under control
at all times. 1t should not be q ques-
ton OF speed as much as a question OF
whether the driver can bring his ma
chine to a stop within a reasonable
distance In case the necessity arises,
and what is a reasonable distance
could be determined by tests"
Police Commissioner Croul looks
at the proposition not only from the
standpoint of an Official whose duty
Il is to see that the laws are enforc-
ed and the lives of the people safe
guarded, but also from the stand
point OF an automobile owner and
driver. He has had considerable ex-
perience in driving car and IL all the
drivers exercised as much caution and
good judgment as he does there would
be few serious accidents.
1T Is big problem" he said, "one
OF the biggest this city Is confronted
with today, ana we must meet 1t, for
the automobile appears to have come
to stay We must go at II in a rea-
sonable manner, however, and frame
an ordinance that will give the public
all the protection 1t is possible TO
give and yet will not impose unrea-
sonable restrictions on the drivers.
I'VE want IN ordinance that can be
enforced and an ordinance that Is go
ing to be effective without impeding
traffic.
II do not savor the Littlefield ordi-
nance because | know that in a great
many instances nothing would be
gained by requiring an automobile TO
stop, when 1t approaches a street car
from which passengers are alighting
II a driver will keep six feet clear
of street car as our traffic rules
now require, with his car well under
control. there is no danger at ALL"
The commissioner believes that the
Littlefield ordinance should be amend.
"a IN thia narticular