The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-07
President Palmotory Outlines
Plan by Which Results
Will be Obtained
HE TALKS UPON
LOCAL CONDITIONS
Questi That Should Be
Calmly and Sanely Con-
sidered During Hot
Season, He Says

President ]. T. Palmatory. of the
Richmond Automobile club, attended
the luncheon meeting OF the Rich
mond Washington Highway associa-
ton yesterday and consented to talk
awhile on the anti-speed agitation
vfTtrh tt1e rtub has stirred up t-rest=
dent Palmatory seemed little sur
prised at the warmth OF feeling dis
played over the question OF abaung
the speed nuisance, but laid 1t to the
heat,
I'm summer time 1t Is only natural
for a person to get hot under the
collar over most anything" said Mr.
Palmatory. and why not over auto
mobiles and the speed nuisance p!
The question contained in this line
of thought being unansw cred, the
argument being waived, MIR. Palma
tory continued:
1T is the purpose of the Richmond
Automobile club to enforce the traffic
laws. 1t Is urged that more stringent
regulations are required to do this
Perhaps this may be true, but | think
that II the matter was left in the
hands III the automobile cl9b the
members would come very near set
Ting the question in short time.
&fuH Nt3Tttu AFuNsttS-
The Richmond Automobile club
started the ball a-roiling. by which
| mean that it has started this cru
sade against the" violation OF the
speed regulation. and think that the
solution OF the problem may be left
safely in the hands Of the members
At any rate l think the club could
he of great assistance to the city gov
eminent in enforcing the existing
regulations, which are adequate
enough II properly observed.
II have taken the matter up al
ready with the chairman of tha exc
cutive committee of the club. We
have not determined definitely upon
q plan. but We propose that each
member OF the club shall constitute
himself a committee of one to report
all speed violations We also pro-
pose TO appoint special committee
to get after the speeders and JOY
riders. This committee will ride about
the city driving their machines at the
legal rate Of speed and shall note
down and report the number OF every
car which passes them Naturally. IL
= car passes a machine proceeding
at the legal rate of speed il is Yio-
iating the speed limit
speesicrs and Punishment
For single violation of the speed
limit we would have the man warned.
For second we would have his
license suspended. Personally. l do
not think much OF the Jail sentence
proposition, A speed maniac would
be punished more by having his
license to drive a car taken away
from him for a year than by a Jail
sentence OF thirty or sixty days. You
may suggest that The disgrace OF the
tall sentence should have a whole
some effect. but I hardly think "A
speeder would feel the disgrace OF
going to Jail for overspeeding his car.
He would rather regard it. perhaps.
as one of unhappy results of violating
an ordinance and In some cases tbs
toy-rder who would brave Jail SEN
tence for the sake OF speeding would
look upon himself as hero. There
are such foolish persons.
Take the license OF speeder away
And hes won't hs.1iahte to speed TaKe
away the license of the man who allows
a speeder without a license TO run
his car. Make every man who owns
car personally responsible for that
car. no matter who drives 1t. II the
members of his family wish ta-run
IT each one should be obliged to have
a license
An Absurd Idea.
Tho idea that automobiiists in
general are reckless iaw-breakers IS
absurd. The best men OF the COM
rfunity' own cars. Our club includes
members of the city government Bus
mess men. doctors lawyers and other
professional men are members Not
ono of them would Willingly violate
the law. We have refused to consider
as proposed members men who have
obtained q reputation as Joy-riders.
ut il true that a member OF the
club has been reported for speeding.
and his excuse was such that we pro-
ceeded TO act upon It, This member
declared that he was -'ding we'll with
In the speed limit, but car after car
passed him, giving him the dust OF the
road. Az ne had a car good enough
to keep out Of the dust Of those who
had. passed him. ne determined he
would not be passed again. He was
reported for speeding. because ne
tried to keep ahead OF another car.
Reporting Violations.
For this reason we propose to have
all speeders who are reported warned.
and II the warning fails. to have their
license suspended or taken away for
an indefinite period. BY having every
ydolator OF the speed regulations re-
ported by everyone who notices the
violation, the club would be in pos
session of information which would
enable II to deal according to the
merits OF the case.
The question is one that should be
treated calmly. with sanity. and not
with rabid, hot-weather TRADES
against automobiles and automobile
owners in general The charge that
automobiles are owned by a Weather
class that take delight in exceeding
the speed limit and running down less
favored citizens Is as ridiculous as 1t
is false. Such statements are I'M
doubleday due to the recent hot wave.