Evening star., 1914-08-13
BOYS DEATHBy AUTO
-PROVOKES CRITICISM
Sharp Comment on Headlight"
Fatality Where No Sidewalk
Exists.
By Pop
To the Editor of The Star:


Another young life has been snuffed
out on our INA gnificent streets" by an
automobile and the whole matter coolly
dismissed by blaming it on 'glaring.
binding headlights This '.glaring head
light" business is becoming as frequent
an excuse as "brainstorms' in murder
cases The particular accident referred
to is that of Robert Parthemore, aged
ten. who was killed on 18th street last
Sunday night
At the inquest some spirit was mani
tested to crit,cise the victim and his
father for being in the roadway. Will
you kindly allow me space in which to
review the circumstances surrounding
this accident as l am thoroughly familiar
with them?
The lad and his father were walking
hand-in-hand on the west side of 18th
street headed south, about GOO feet north
of the north end of Piney Branch bridge.
This roadway is a favorite with pedes-
trians on Sundays. in spite OF the fact
that there are no sidewalks, a circum-
stance which forces pedestrians to walk
in the roadway.
Walking on Gravelly Strip.
The road is paved with sort of tar
macadam which forms a smooth strip
about twenty-eight feet wide in the CEN
ter, leaving strip of gravelly pavement
six feet wide on each side next to the
gutter. Automobiles keep off this lat
ter strip owing to its roughness and use
the center strip, which is plenty wide
enough to permit Of cars passing one
another.
Young Parthemore was walking on the
strip of gravel referred to, when he was
struck by the car which caused his death.
The blow sustained by the lad was suf-
fcient to hurl him fifteen feet forward
and three feet to the left Of the point
where he was walking at the time. This
fact proves conclusively that the car was
directly behind him. else he would have
been thrown sidewise and to the right.
Is it not safe assumption that if the
motorist in question had been running
carefully he would have been at least
eight or ten feet to the left of that part
of the roadway which the boy was walk
ing on. instead of directly behind him.
Dangerous After Nightfall.
Again. both father and son were
dressed in white, which made them
plain mark to any motorist who was
watching the roadway as illuminated by
his headlights. The car in question runs
very silently and no horn or other warn
ing was sounded.
To censure a pedestrian for walking in
the roadway of our suburban roads when
there are no sidewalks al all is absurd.
At this part of 18th street it is almost
Impossible to walk where the sidewalk
should be. even in broad daylight and
it is not only dangerous. but absolutely
out of the question to do so after night
fall Must we, therefore, keep off these
cool suburban roads after dark-we- who
pay for the making of them-simply be-
cause some motorist may be blinded by
"glaring headlights and run into US as
We walk in the cutters?
Absolute necessity forces pedestrians to
walk in the roadway at certain points
like this, and can one then impute negli-
gence to them for doing that which they
cannot help doing? Is there no oblga
ton on the part of motorists to look
out Tor pedestrians at least within the
city limits"
Drastic Headlight Law Needed.
If 1t be true that the prime cause of
this accident was 'glaring, binding
headlight" coming in the opposite direc-
ton, thus binding the motorist in ques-
ton, who, of course. is exceedingly dis
tressed over the occurrence. then let us
abolish such headlights. Headlights are
now made which not only illuminate the
road In front of the car. but do not
throw binding glare, and illuminate
the sides of the roadway also.
The accidents which have occurred on
the Conduit road join with this latest
one. in pointing to the imperative need
for q change in this matter of head |
lights.
But, in spite of a "glaring headlight"
Dne cannot help but feel that it is eN-
,eedingly queer that motorist should
'ail to see two pedestrians dressed in
white and Immediately in front of his /
machine.
Had the heartbroken father known |
hat he had the right to be represented |
1t the inquest by counsel these facts and
,thers might have been brought out. |
With verdict possibly much different.
At any rate. let us abolish the 'glaring, |
,linding headlight" IL. =. BAlNES.
Professional Dancers Chevy Chase