The Washington times., 1912-10-05
MOTOR CAR OWNERS
WANT UNIFORMITY
IN TRAFFIC LAWS
Pedestrians Should Get in
Habit of Looking to
Right or Left.

Discussing traffic laws In large cities
a noted authority says that what 10
needed today Is a rational enforcement
of the laws governing the use Of the
road and not more laws. Tho present
regulations are adequate, he claims.
What IL needed throughout the land Is
more Of the ironclad New York and
Chicago traffic regulations In the traffic
centers, and these cities also need to
extend this system to the less congested
centers.
The motorist living in Battle Creek,
Mich, must get into the habit Of using
the highways properly. whether In his
home town, in Washington. In Chicago
or in San Francisco. The big need Is
uniformity Of traffic regulations and
uniform enforcement OF these rules. At
present the enlargement OF laws Is a
traffic medley. This IL well demon
strated In the recent issue Of a club
Journal, which gives tips as to the dit
ferent regulations that are being en-
forced In the different towns and cities
within the territory Of the club.
In one city speed traps are specialized
upon; In another II Is muffer eutout
ordinance that they watch for violations
Of; In a third the abuse Of the horn is
the center Of attack; at 4 fourth II Is
an absurd enforcement OF a, twelve
mlle-an-hour speed law.
| Such intermittent, yascillatory en-
tions will never bring the desired re-
suits. and will never result in creating
In the minds Of motorists and pedestri-
ans that ever-present respect for laws
which they should possess. What
would be the respect in certain factor
Of our population II our courts for
! months In the year allowed persons
guilty Of murder to go without punish
ment? What would be more damaging
to our system Of government II our
laws were administered with. an iron
| hand one season and let go In laissez
faire fashion the next month? We
| would soon be in a condition Of anar-
| chy.
What is true in our law courts is true
In our traffic regulations: The driver
of the horse vehicles will only obey
the rational laws of the road when
ne knows that he will be punished. by
lates such laws; the driver Of a motol
car will only obey every speed ordi.
nance when he feels that violations will
bring penalties. 49,.
Enforcement Irregular.
Today much traffic control In semi
suburban sections Is vascillatory. II
| is at the whim Of the corner policeman
Today he enforces the law as 1t should
be enforced, but tomorrow he allow,
John smith to cut the corner with hi,
one-horse delivery wagon and a few
minutes later arersts Tom Jones In hi
motor car for doing the same thing
The net result Is that neither horse no.
motor driver knows exactly where he u
| at. ..
| Neither does the pedestrian know
where he or she Is at. Today, they
wait patiently at the corner while TN
vehicle traffic moves at right angie'
to their direction, but tomorrow thel
try to rush In between moving vehicles
Tomorrow they attempt to cross pc
street; they hurry from behind slow
moving horse truck to jump In front o
an accident results. The speed Of thl
truck is given as the cause.
This is not right. There are thre'
the first place. the pedestrian is no
immune; in the second place. the hors
driver Is not immune; In the thir'
lplece, the motor van driver is not i'm
mune, and in the fourth place tn
police department Is not immune Al
Perhaps the pedestrian has not Ego
the habit" OF properly looking. t
right or left there is not shadoV
Of doubt but that he or she violate,
this recognized law. The horse vehi
Gle. moving slowly. was not near IN
driver was going too fast for trafa
Get the public. whether in vehicle
or on foot, in the habit OF obeytn!
the rational traffic rules and acci
dents will 5bspiSli, Sai,eaman aiminish nespons,b,
for the proper. regulation of trafh'
was not doing his Job.