Evening star., 1914-07-08
DECLARES AUTOMOBILES
Disseminated AGAINST
G. W. Baird Says Mishaps Deserve
More Consideration From
General Public. b.
Star Correspondent Suggests Rem
edies for Violations of Traffic
Regulations.
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
The frequency and seriousness of acci-
dents In which automobiles figure de-
serve more consideration from the gen.
eral public. The owners and operators OF
motor cars have long since discovered
that public opinion is prejudiced against
them, and sometimes the operators feel
resentment.
There Is no good reason why the law
should favor one class of wheeled We
hicles to the prejudice of Others but it is
done. An automobile must pay more
bridge toll and more road toll than other
wheeled vehicles carrying equal weight.
Until the advent of the motor car there
was no tax on wheeled vehicles save in
the state where they belonged.
Ladies say that they believe merchants
charge them higher prices when they
come to the shops in motor cars. Chauf-
feurs and owners declare that in all
questions of the right of way and in all
accidents the public prejudice against
the motor car is at once manifested.
The laws and the police regulations
are excellent, but they are not frequently
executed.
There was (and is) an old municipal law
which gives the pedestrian the right OF
way on the sidewalks and on the flag
ways connecting the sidewalks" which
were, in the old time. considered contin-
uations of the sidewalks. But since the
city fathers have made the paving of the
driveways smoother than the sidewalks.
the public began to walk in the drive
ways with impunty and to dispute that
driveway with the drivers of horses.
Cases Of this kind. when brought into
our municipal courts. have been decided
on their merits.'' evidently considering
tutt
in the driveway that the wheeled vehicle
had. and herein lies the greatest Of all
the troubles.
The baby carriage is the only wheeled
vehicle legally permitted to use the side
walk. but it often avoids the sidewalk.
As remedy the writer would suggest
that if the crossing were marked by a
different color of paving. or lines of en-
caustic bricks. constant reminder
would be afforded to the pedestrian and
to the driver, and would be observed by
many who now believe they have the
right of way all over the streets. Per-
sons frequently walk across busy streets
in diagonal directions. 1t is not an un-
common thing to see men reading pa
pers while crossing the street. Many are
defiant. in this respect. and will glare at
a driver whose wheels come close to
them. If few of these were made to
pay fines the whole public would soon
take notice"
Speed Limit Fast Enough.
Twelve miles an hour is the limit of
speed in the city. and it is quite fast
enough. The writer, when going that
limit, finds that nearly every car passes,
and is. therefore. exceeding the speed
limit. but arrests are rarely if ever
made for lesser speed than twenty
miles an hour
The ''honk" has become so familiar
that it no longer frightens the most nerv-
Gus person. but the modern "screech" is
always alarming and objectionab BILE. II
is the most potent evidence of lack of
consideration for others: 1t violates the
first principles of gentility.
Excess of speed is one very fruitful
cause of accidents. but a greater cause Is
walking in the streets. where the road Is
intended for driving alone.
Delivery wagons driven by small. un-
skilled or careless boys afford another
source of danger. They frequently fail to
when they see them. Many such drivers
do not know nor do they seem to care
for the traffic regulations. They would
probably do better if obliged to have a
license.
In cities where trolley cars are limited
to six miles an hour tas in Edinburgh)
the noise never disturbs anybody, but
where the ears are heavy and speed is
unlimited the noise of the street cars
will drive families out of such sections
of the city. The motorist naturally thinks
his right is to drive as fast as the street
cars go, and yields to that temptation.
Policemen soon discover that public
sentiment is much against them when
they make an arrest, which Is probab bly,
the reason they hesitate until a case is
fragrant
In this republic. where the rising genera
ton has ever been taught to respect the
rights of others and to understand the
distinction between liberty and license,
one might expect less violation of the
traffic regulations, but a change has been
coming over the spirit of our dreams.
May we not try to remedy it?
G. W. BAIRD.