Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-06-05
THE AUTO AND THE HIGHWAY.
Some Local Observations by the Ed
itOr Who Has Driven a Car
for Several Years.

Some OF the local papers and many
citizens have of late had much to
say concerning the speed limit and
the drivers of automobiles. The city
of DEBORAH has passed an ordinance
requiring drivers not to drive faster
than ten miles per hour and signs
have been posted to that effect. And
| the automobile owners are constant
| ly being censured for fast driving.
Every time there is narrow escape
| for person or a team, everybody
Immediately jumps onto the automo-
bile driver, when the facts are that
the fault is entirely with some one
else, and not the auto driver. We
have no sympathy whatever for the
fool speed maniac driving an auto.
Auto driving should be restricted
and held within certain limits, that
is true. But the trouble is, espe-
cially in DEBORAH, that the people
have gotten it into their minds that
the entire street, the highway, is
the sidewalk, instead of the walks
and crossings. Scarcely day pas
SEES that the writer does not marvel
at the narrow escapes of people on
Water street, DEBORAH, not at all
through any auto drivers fault, but
because people have gotten into the
habit of stepping quickly off the
sidewalk at any point, absolutely dis
regarding the regular crossings, head
down, looking in neither direction,
entirely oblivious to all surround
ings. No person has any right to
cross Water street at an point ex-
cept on the street intersections. 1t
is nothing short of miraculous that
thus far there have been so few ac-
cidents from this source. Let the
auto drivers exert every possible care
and it is almost a physical impossi-
bility to prevent accident and it will
come, sooner or later. The people
must get into the habit of crossing
at street intersections only, where
every auto driver watches carefully,
and also to look in both directions
before crossing streets.
This practice should become uni
versal, children should be taught
never to cross street without look
ing both ways, and drivers of We
hicles should always drive on the |
right side of the street and turn to |
the right to let an auto pass from be-
hind them. Don't turn your team
around on Water street or cross
from one side to the other without |
looking both ahead and back of you
Don't stand off the sidewalk in the |
street, don't use the street for VS. |
iting place, or play ground, or per-
nit children to do so.
Everybody ought to recognize the |
fact that the automobile is per-
manent institution, and deal with it
accordingly. Treated as it ought to
be, both by drivers and the general
public, there will be little trouble. /
But the fault is not altogether on
means. Let the public exercise the
same caution that practically every
auto driver does, and danger will be
reduced to the minimum. Country
people especially should note the
above, for they show less regard for
autos on the streets in town than |
city people, who are fast learning
these accepted rules of safety.
We have written the above only |
because it has been rubbed in too
much from the other side with in
justice to the average driver, and in |
the hope that public safety will bet
ter be preserved through cautioning |
the public. Not that we condone
fast driving or excuse the speed man
lac by any means. There is a right |
way for both the driver and the pub
lie, and both ought to work together
in the interest of public safety. In
most of the big cities and places |
where there are thousands of cars
passing daily there is no set speed |
limit, but the law calls for common
sense on both sides, with no speed |
greater than public safety demands
at any given place.