The Washington herald., 1912-05-19
UNIFORM TRAFFIC
LAW is DESIRED
Many Municipalities Are Adopting
Ordinances Advocated by the
Touring Club of America.

Second only to the advancement which
has been made in securing uniform state
motor vehicle laws. Is the adoption by
many Of the leading cities throughout the
country of ordinances regulating motor
vehicle trafac. which have been advocated
by the Touring Club. Chief among the
regulations which were recommended by
the clubs special committee at the Amer
lean Road Congress were the sugges-
tons that all vehicles should carry lights
from one hour after sunset TO one hour
before sunrise; prohibiting the use OIL
the mufier cut-out in cities and VILLAGES
and providing for the use OF nondazzine
headlights on all motor vehicles in cities
and villages where the streets are ade-
quately lighted.
Another important Recommendation
which has been adopted In many cities
prohibits the Unnecessary use OF warning
signals, and that an adequate warning
signal should produce an abrupt sound
sufficiently loud to be heard under al
conditions of traffic and that It's use, ex-
cept as a warning OF danger, should be
prohibited.
The City Of New York has adopted
several Of these recommendations and
only last week the Board Of Aldermen
passed the mufller cut-out ordinance,
which was drafted by the clubs tech
meal committee and is as follows:
Section EVERY motor vehicle pro-
PEELED by an internal combustion engine.
when such vehicle is on any street. road,
avenue. alley. park, parkway or public
place within the city limits, shall. when
such engine Is running. be equipped with
a mufier or silencer. through which all
Of the exhaust gases from the engine
will escape into the atmosphere.
Section FIT shall be unlawful for the
operator or driver of any motor vehicle
to use any cut-out fitting or other ap-
paratus. or a device which will allow
the exhaust gases to escape into the at
mosphere without passing through a suit
able mufier or silencer as described in
section L
Section 5-Any person violating the
provision Of this ordinance may upon
the conviction thereof by any city magis-
trate be fined a sum not exceeding so,
and in default of payment OF such fine,
may be committed to prison by such city
MAGISTRATE until the same be paid. but
such Imprisonment shall not exceed ten
days"
Many OF the principal cities throughout
the country have adopted similar ordi-
nanees and Il is predicted that within
another year the traffic regulations will
be substantially as advocated by the
Touring Club, and on a uniform basis.
In commenting upon the clubs recon-
mendatIons for a set OF standard trafiic
regulations, Mai. Richard Sylvester.
President of the International Police AS
ISOLATION, and Superintendent OF the Met
ropolitan police Of the District of CO.
lumbia, in a recent statement says:
Every city having in view a favorable
reputation in trafic regulations must to-
day make provision against excessive
omission of smoke and gases from alto
mobiles that would be offensive to Pc
destrians and others patronizing its public
ways. It should be just as diligent in
suppressing uncalled for noises from run
ming engines after motor conveyances
have stopped and other unnecessary me
chanical noises when moving. Dense or
prolonged smoke or noises should be
placed under the ban through proper
enactment.
in cities all vehicles should be re-
quired to carry lights, and all business
should be numbered. The
need for such regulations is at once
obvious. Criticism can also be made
justly In this connection. against the
bright and dazzling headlights on motor
vehicles in congested districts as well as
against the frequent failure to throw
sufficient light upon license numbers of
anywhere and everywhere
Equally necessary are the sound sig
nails on motor conveyances and they
should be of kind as near in accord
as possible, and their use avoided for
the machine is in waiting
and for similar purposes"