Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-08-31
CHILDREN RUNNING AUTOS.

Not many days ago a gentleman of
the city happened to overhear two
boys in their teens" discussing the
speed at which they had driven autos.
They were seated at sodawater
stand, and seemed proud of the fact
that those about them could hear their
boasts of having broken the speed
limit between town and Pearl City,
and in various other sections of the
city and its suburbs.
All of which brings up the topic of
the age at which youngsters should
be allowed to run an automobile.
The youth referred to made verit-
able jackasses of themselves with
their boastfulness, and no doubt they
are still at large jeopardizing the lives
of Honolulu men, women and children.
But II appears Honolulu is not the
only city with this brand of auto
fool humanity. There are others,
and the question appears to be wheth-
er the children who run the machines
or the parents who allow 1t, should
be brought before the community and
publicly spanked.
A somewhat similar condition as
that related locally has caused the
Newark IN. j. Evening News to de-
liver itself as follows:
Opinions differ as to the lowest
age at which children should be al
lowed to run automobiles. Some au-
thorities favor three years. Others
maintain that the child Is better on
If made to wait until seven, or even
eight. 1t will then very quickly make
up for lost time, they say, and will
soon overtake its fellows who start
ed going to the garage at three or
four: In fact. there is no advantage In
forcing the child, for what It gains in
proficiency ut the steering apparatus
II loses In dexterity with hammer and
chisel, and walking ability A child
should not be sent on the road unable
to repair a break or leg It home. II
should be left free for several years
to develop physically, Conservatives
say. and 1t should at least be tall
enough to reach the pedals without
sliding OFF the seat. ahs.
"The radicals maintain, on the other
hand that the sooner the child gets the
helm into its hands, the better for its
success at motoring. Auto driving
should be an instinct with It, not an
acquired habit. To make the little
one natural born motorist, prenatal
influences should be evoked. BY the
time the baby is old enough to recog-
nize the. family II should know the:
feel of the wheel. and at four years IL,
ought to be able to take out touring
car unassisted and without fear. The
early bird catches the work.
Between these extremes In this
matter. us In all things else, there is
a happy mean. We believe the ex-
perience of several generations will
show that the proper age to start a
child on the road is five years. At
five the child possesses a keen intel
ligence, as all parents will agree. to
this being coupled shyness and eau
ton not found in children of seven or
eight Equipped with this combina-
ton Of good qualities, the child can
be trusted with the family auto with
the least possibility of danger to it.
self. Before that age the youngster is
apt to rush into u harmful precocity;
yet 1t is true that the primary instruc-
ton should not be given In the years
of recklessness that follow. On the
decision of the parents as to when
little Johnny shall take his first Joy
ride much of Johnny's future happi-