Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-07
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Mrs. John Bolt Of Washington is the
newest member Of the A. A. AS local
automobile club and Charles Dana
Gibson, the artist, and Ffnlay j. Shep-
| erd, who is best known as the husband
| of the former Miss Helen Gould, are
the newest members of the Metropoh-
tan Consulate. sister organization OF
| the District club.
The following letter from Albert
Hupp of Washington is but one or the
many letters received at Auto Cluo
headquarters from members OF the
District club expressing their appre-
| citation of the clubs efforts in their De-
| half. This letter also well illustrates
the advantages that accrue to motor,
| lists who become members of their local
| auto club:
I wish to thank you for the round
trip route to Mount Vernon, also lne
codification of the laws of the different
| states and will be just as GLAD 10 re-
ceive the trip route to Fredericksburg,
mentioned in your letter.
In this connection please allow me
to express that 1 feel more than my
moneys worth has been received for
what 1 have paid to the association;
therefore feel indebted to do some
| thing more than I have to even mat
tiers II you will but name it,"
ut is the paramount duty Of every
man who takes pleasure in owning an
automobile to belong to his local club
and to take part in the activities of
that club said a member a few days
ago. Membership in whatever clubs
come within the scope of his journey
ing will be profitable to him. Motor
lists need untiring vigilance and con-
their fnalienable rights of owning
and driving their cars without the
harassing complications of interstate.
intercounty and varying municipal
regulations. Unfair and unjust legisla-
ton has been and is still constantly
being proposed, and a great deal more
of it would be enacted into laws were
it not for the ceaseless activity of the
various auto clubs. Since these clubs
and organizations are working for the
motorist, it is the duty of the motorist
to do all he can to aid in making the
pleasures of car owning and car driv-
ing infinitely greater.
This takes time and money land who
Is to furnish the time and money II not
the man who is to be benefited by
them? If any car owner has not
united with his fellows, it should en-
gage his attention at once. Much as
has been done, there is infinitely more
that remains undone, and every new
member, every additional helper. means
enlarged and increased opportunity of
doing the right thing. Get in touch
needs you and you need it even more
About two years ago the Automobile
Club of ST. Louis suggested to the
chief of police that, his force would
have considerable help in regulating
traffic if about a dozen private citizens
Of good standing and broad judgment
were appointed monitors to observe
and report careless driving and viola
lions Of all laws pertaining to automo-
biles.
The idea was that these monitors
would be unofficial aids not Known to
the public and that the fact that. some
of them might be encountered any
where would have strong moral In
fluence on motorists.
The monitor system was not pro-
posed in order that more arrests might
be made, but only to report careless
and unlawful driving on the streets
and highways. SO that offenders might
be warned by the police not to repeat
the offense. No doubt, occasionally,
monitor might recommend an arrest
when the offense was serious, in which
case ne would testify against the Of
fender.
A plan along this line would not be
in operation very long before some of
the careless drivers would be warned
to mend their ways, and, it is believed,
all drivers would be more careful if
they knew it was the business of
they obeyed the law. Many times mo-
florists deliberately take fool chances
after looking around to see that
policeman is not in sight.
This monitor system undoubtedly
would develop until every conscien-
tious citizen considered himself an in
strument for making the streets safer.
Something ought to be done quickly to
corral a large number of dangerous
drivers and break them of their wild
ways. There are quite a few motor
lists who consistently violate the ordi-
nances every day, especially in speed
ing Some of them have been arrested
and have paid paltry fines. Instead of
fines licenses should be revoked for
at least one year in the case of a
chauffeur and guilty owner should be
forbidden to drive for a like period.
This plan seems to be worth care
full consideration. There would be lit
tie trouble in working out the de-
tails. Many time some motorist has
seen improper driving by some other
motorist; he has been properly in
| censed and fell like complaining
against the offender; but he didn't do
| it because he was afraid he might ap
pear to be too officious. He entirely
overlooked the fact that it was his
duty to take some action to regulate
the careless driver. The monitor sys-
TEN will do much toward awakening
| m a of Ink