The Washington herald., 1913-02-05

lnuQCt lHe OF Inc
District to take action in regard to to
regulations. Several conferences were
held during the spring of 1910. result
ing in an adaptation of the New York
regulations suitable for the needs OF
Washington. At the invitation of the
committee on transportation of the
Board of Trade. January %. 1911. to a
conference report on street traffic
dated February 4. 1911, was soon aft
erwards submitted. The report. among
other things, went into the legal as
pect of the matter which Is similar to
the same set of regulations which had
been adapted from the New York reg
ulations the year before.
Two years have elapsed since then,
and nothing has been done except the
PRONUNCIATION of new set of reguls :
tions put In force February I. 1918.
These regulations caused no much nd
verse comment that the Bosrd Of Trade
and others interested asked for q pub
lie hearing. which was denied. Post
ponement of a month before putting
the regulations in force was also re-
fused.
"A comparison of the regulations
submitted to the Board OF Trade in
February. 1911. and those promulgated
February ], 1913, discloses. among 9TH
er things, the following facts:
THE first contains about 1.55O words;
only things essential. most of which have
been in force since 1908 in New York, and
the balance since 1905. and not one of
which has been repealed or materially
altered-everything carefully arranged
and grouped under proper headings, cas-
lily located at a glance, and every para
graph as short as consistent with clear
ness.
''The second contains about 6.5u0 words;
all of the valuable paragraphs being
taken from the first. but so badly mixed
up by rearrangement and rewording. and
by unimportant changes and lengthening
of sentences; by paragraphs on matters
but remotely connected with the subject,
and which really should come under
other divisions OF police work; and by
other paragraphs which were considered
carefully for New York and discarded
before adoption as experience already OBJ
tanned recognized that the balance OF ad-
vantage was against them, as example
notice Section 30 in regard to overtaking
street cars The section In the regula-
tions submitted to the Board of Trade
amply covers the ase.
There is room for a difference OF opin-
ion on Section Il. In regard to stopping
at NhEt OItlN. NnOuEHs dS ytI.
the traffic OF Washington does not seem
to warrant the strict application OF this
rule except on streets with car tracks
Section ., in regard to right of way. is
not necessary, and may result in acci-
dents through a misunderstanding by
drivers as 10 what IL seems to mean. Sec
tion 50. In regard to rights of pedestrians.
is Objectionable because 1t aims to take
away something which people won't
stand for and II Is impossible to enforce.
The regulation of pedestrians must be
mostly done through education-by max
ing them realize that on roadways. both
they and vehicles have rights. and that
on sidewalks all pedestrians have rights.
but not license, to interfere with the
of others. There are many
other points equally open to criticism.
which space will not permit taking up
now
'If the regulations arc too long they
Will not even he generally read and
can have hut little effect, while if they
are short, simple, well arranged and
not unreasonable they will be read and
obeyed. Were the matter one of local
interest merely. II would not be of such
Importance. but as Washington is the
capital of the country Il will have a
large influence on other cities if done
right. by helping to obtain general uni
Washington, on account of its su-
perIor plan. its wide streets, and its
small amount of street
trafhc, Is probably the easiest city of
It's population in the world to regu-
late. In fact. IL has not one really dIf-
ncuit traffic problem. The sImplest,
shor'est rules are all that arc required.
The first set from New York, published
october 80. 1903 contained less than
zoo words. and was not added to for
hve years. The set recommended to
the District in 1911 contains less than
$50 words, while the set Just issued
FOR our city contains 6-500 words.
"a mistake has been made, and the
sooner II is recognized and rcctiacd
the better for all.
Similar mistakes have occurred
elsewhere, as for example, when one
of our largest cities sent two of its
commissioners by appointment to New
\ fork to study the question. They
spent three days, were given all in
formation and shown everything
thought likely to be of assistance.
They were strongly advised to take the
New York regulations substantially
entire and give them a trial for six
months oe1ore making any changes
Instead they published a volumInous
yet Of regulations which few read and
ever understood. The result has not
been creditable to those intrusted with
he work or satisfactory to anybody
Use. They had had no experience, nor
$ II evident that the officials here who
Iave undertaken the work have had
he opportunity to obtain the knowl-
'dge to properly qualify them to make
raffic regulations that will be salts
actory.
-The best thing and the only wise
hing to do now In to recall the new
regulations and substitute those of
sew York, cutting out everything not
essential to Washington.
"A Bureau of Street Traffic a sub
department. of the police department,
las been found to be the most efficient
md economical method of handling
treet traffic, with its diverse duties:
york on the street, examinations, IL
enses, permits, cab service control.
records. and Investigations
{ accidents, lost articles, &C, &C. Tho
fficer. in charge should be carefully
elected as to Intelligence and tact"
A copy OF the street traffic regulations
low in force follows:
'RoPOsED RULES FOR DRIVING
TRAFFIC., ISSUED BY THE PO.
LICE DEPARTMENT OF THE
CITY OF WASHINGTON,
u. G.