New-York tribune., 1912-01-29
DENOUNCES SPEED TRAPS
Secretary of Touring Club Saws
Police Show Discrimination.
CITES A RECENT ARREST
That Which Passes Muster in
Fifth Avenue Is Punished in A.
Outlying Districts. fas

That the police authorities are shovin,
discrimination in the arrests Of auto.
mobilists for alleged violation Of the speed
regulations was the assertion made ON
Saturday by F. H. Elliott secretary Of tha
Touring Club of America. who stated thar
while it is not unusual for automobiles 10
be driven alta rate of speed averaging be.
tween twenty and thirty miles an hour on
Fifth avenue. Broadway and other tta-7
portant thoroughfares, arrests arc bcfh is
made in the outlying districts Of thtf1cifQ
In sections which are sparSey setteA-e
where there are no intcrsecting hghvsSSn
and where there is much less danger of,ae.
cideut than i'm the congested sections OF tte
city. where cars are being operated at the
same average speed.
Reference was made by Mr. Elliott TO tina
arrest Of a prominent automobilist, mem.
Der of the Touring club, who was arrested
while driving over the Merrick road near
Fosters Meadows at point which is sup.
posed TO be just outside the city limits the
officer claiming that the car was exceeding
the speed limit and summoning the driver
to appear in court at Jamaica. The ewaer
Of the car, who assumed that he vas ont: :
side the city boundary line, and therefnat
operating under the Callan automobile lag,G
In a statement to the Touring Cirrb OF
America says: -.
Il was sitting by my chauffeur and
watching the speedometer, but there was
nothing 10 indicate that we were still within
the city limits or that we should confine
our speed 10 fifteen miles. The city line Is
an imaginary one drawn across the Mer-
rick road at about Fosters Meadows but
between Jamaica. and that point there is
not single sign 10 show that the fifteen
mile limit should be observed. The officer
making the arrest admitted that ne had
followed the car about one mile before We
reached the boundary line. ! had not the
slightest intention of overrunning the lifIit,, 4,
and supposed We were entitled 10 rufH atr
the rate allowed for the open country. "
is a small matter that the great city Of
New York should maintain such a speed
trap" sr s#
Commenting upon tho arrest Mr.. Elliott
said the rate of speed provided by the old
city ordinance is absurd, and that there Is
a general and popular demand in favor Of
increasing the rate within the city limits 50
that it Will not conflict with the state
motor vehicle law, and settle for all time
the question which has been agitated by
the city authorities and police magistrates
for over wear and half.
IF the Board Of Aldermen said Mr..
Elliott rs not willing 70 adopt a new
ordinance regulating the speed Of motor
vehicles on the citys thoroughfares so As
10 make the speed reasonable ana proper,
similar to the provision contained N the
Callan automobile law, then the city should
establish speed zones by placing oTr1'E
main highway where the city line erosseio
the same, and on every main hl4gHS.r
where the rate Of speed changes, signs OF
sufficient size TO be easily readable br' pT-T
sons using the highway, with an arrow
pointing in the direction where the speed IS
to be reduced or changed.