New-York tribune., 1912-04-21
n AMEND TRAFFIC RULES
sI,uuested That Pedestrians Be
Controlled by Police.
tn PREVENT CONCESSIONS
Delay at Important Crossings Is
Augmented by Persons Who
Invite Accidents.

serious problem confronts the,authorlties
. charged with making the laws and ordi-
naness governing the regulation FOR control
~ yehicular traffic in the larger cities,
owing 20 the conditions which have so
changed as TO warrant a mobilization in
4 restriction as well as in other respects.
Tb,s is necessitated by the steady elimin-
.,ion ef the horse from the congested thor
ouehfares, the education OF drivers and
,edestrians. Improvement in motor vehicles
and skill in their operation and the de-
r,snd for expeditions transit.
With the present agitation in New York
CITY for A reasonable modification of the
ordinance regulating the speed Of motor
vehicles, il is suggested that authority
should be given TO the Police Commissioner
providing for the designation by him of
such street intersections as may be deemed
necessary. such as Fifth avenue at 42d
street where the traffic police would have
the same jurisdiction over pedestrians as
they now have over drivers OF vehicles
There arc many other points in New
York City which could be designated under
,rch police authority. this recommendation
being one OF several offered by the Touring
.he conference held last week at the CITY
+ Club. Of New York. and which was at
tended by police officials, members Of the
Board Of Aldermen and representatives OF
the leading motoring organizations.
While the pedestrian has an equal right
OF way with vehicles at any point IN the
streets away from the regular crossings
hs is required. nevertheless, both for his
personal safety and by law. to be unusually
vigjlant. In a recent opinion by Justice
Werner, of the Court of Appeals. il Is held
that at a street crossing the pedestrian
has the right OF way over vehicles; he is
privileged to walk straight ahead, in the
assurance that vehicular traffic will halt;
his rights at the crossings within such
limitations as the police shall set are para
mount.
In view Of this opinion, it is argued that
the control of pedestrians at street inter-
sections along with the vehicular traffic is
now a necessity. An ordinance covering
this feature of traffic is now being prepared
for adoption by the City Council OF Chi
caeo. and it will have the support Of both
motorists and police officials. Captain c. c,
Healy, Of the Chicago mounted police, in a
recent statement indorsng this movement,
says
It's always been my hobby, this matter
of controlling the pedestrians the same as
We do drivers of vehicles and right now II
iooks as If we could attempt II In Chicago
hefore the summer is over. Shortly there
Will be introduced into the council bill
which will give the police power TO make
arrests if pedestrians do not mind the
whistle ct the CROSSINGS. With that power
>ix-eu IG I inside
three months we will greatly improve the
service inside 1.-The loop" OF course 1t IS
goinr To- be hard at first. for the people
hardly will understand such law. But
with the police standing firm and making
arrests where arrests are necessary | see
no reason why we could not be in command
Of the situation inside three months AT the
outside
II Is a common experience that when
!, police signal is given for the driver of, any
3 vehicle to proceed at street intersections
he must wait for the crossing to become
: clear Of pedestrians who usually insist on
running across at the last moment Much
valuable time is often lost upon such occa-
sions where motor vehicles can travel only
st a slow pace, which accounts for the con-
gestion oftentimes. especially when the
vehicular traffic Is very heavy.
In commencing the agitation inaugural
ed By the Touring Club with view 20 es-
tablishing uniform traffic conditions in the
principal cities, an automobilist. in a letter
addressed to the club last week, said
Would this not be a good time to agi-
! tate the question of pedestrians being re-
!. stricted 10 crossing streets on the cross
I walks only? ! believe this is done in some
OF the streets abroad. | have driven q
car for the last six years and nave hau
several narrow escapes from running down
: people who step off of the walk without
looking 10 see II there is any vehicle on
the street"