Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-21
WHEN ROWDIES RUN The CAR
Spectacles They Present While
Crouching Behind the Wheel.
CHARGED WITH MANY 0FFENSES
Manufacturer to Make a Quiet
Running Vehicle-owners
Responsible.


notably the passing OF the gentleman
carriage. with its accompanying neatly
groomed and respectful coachman. He
was always Immediately dressed-livery
never awry-and used TO a military posi-
ton upon the box. He would no more
have slouched in his seat than refused
the graft OF the harness maker.
But compare this type. with It's COM
mendable pride in appearance. with the
ordinary sort OF man who frequently mas
Querades as a chauffeur. Not all chauf-
feurs-far from it-but of the class which
the reader will recognize at glance
and among which must be included an
unhappy number Of owners Take note
OF him as he crouches down behind his
wheel. lodging in and out among the
moored to the curb. while waiting for
q passenger He many be in the driver S
seat, but often In the tonueau. and re-
clining at any sort Of a sloppy angle,
with feet perched up in front and cap
cooked over one ear. He looks like a
drunk and dlsorderly rowdy out on an
airing.
He is proverbially lazy. He Is un-
doubtedly acquiring that habit along with
the rest OF us-the writer Is an ardent
motorist and bespeaks consideration on
the part OF his fellows for mutual good
We will rue 1t otherwise-who are being
pampered with the luxury OF soft up
holstery upon which TO move hither and
thither at our beck and call. 1t is a ter
rible detriment TO exercise-this motoring
especially to feminine kind.
But this laziness breeds lots Of objec-
tionable things. To illustrate: At any time,
regardless Of place or hour-besides a
church during service or a hospital where
disease is laying its heavy hand upon
the poor souls withln-he will leave his
dering away with a maddening racket OF
ear-splltting explosions. like a battery Of
rapid-fire guns.
Reckless Riding.
The writer recalls having witnessed a
grieyous time when a thoughtless party
Of tourists endeavored to crowd their
machines past a slowly plodding line Of
rustic carriages as they wound their way
along a narrow country road with the re-
mains Of one whose neighbors were fol-
lowing him to his last earthly resting
place.
few moments patience would have
disclosed an opening up Of the road, and
an early passing. II absolutely necessary
might have been accomplished with
reasonable safety. But nothing would do
bun fhat the driver Of the car must cut
out his muffler, and spread panic among
half OF the fretful horses making up the
procession. Harnesses were broken,
shafts snapped In two, and general con-
sternation reigned.
Have you ever noticed the line Of cars
returning in the morning from any Of the
large cities after having deposited the
owners for their days business? This Is
a woeful time OF the day for the pedes-
trian. for the drivers are a most dis
orderly. racing lot, acting like so many
men escaped from Bedlam. Smoking
while driving is one Of their many indls-
cretions. II is ignorance or daredevil
recklessness which begets such habits
One chauffeur went so far. in his de-
sire to combine other things with driv-
ing-whlch is Lufficient occupation In It.
self-as to string his brake lever with
doughnuts. from which he lunched at
leisure as he bowled along. footing his
horn. warning the aged and infirm. the
lame, the halt and the blind. and all
others who walk from necessity. to make
way.
Responsibility of Owners.
Rudeness and recklessness are increas-
ing the tax rate at a frightful pace.
They tend to overspeedlng. with a con-
seQuent ripping away Of surface yards
Of macadam cover. There Is no excuse
for offending in this manner on the part
Of men who are Intelligent enough to
have acquired the wherewithal to own
cars. But why should we expect their
chauffeurs to be impressed with the con-
servation idea when such examples are
set them. and when besides they see
money spent so freely on the upkeep
of the cars and the entertainment COIN
cident thereto?
Some owners, with more than ordi-
nary mental illumination, compel their
chauffeurs to pay their own fines, al
though the latter probably get even by
the grating process. Yet the idea is a
good one, and tends TO more considerate
treatment Of those who 60 in ehaises' =
or On foot.
The cut-out muffler is one OF the many
picturesque noises that we have fallen
keir to through this fascinating sport.
The SYMBOL OF thoughtlessness is the un-
necessary use OF this irritating. pestif-
erous device; particularly so when sub
stituted for the horn as means o.