The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-06-24
SAFETY AND AUTOMOBILES


An automobile is no longer an ex.
elusive luxury. 1t is practical,
common sense proposition that APP
peals to men of every calling and 1t
has been leading factor In better
streets and better roads. The great
majority OF automobile owners and
drivers adhere much closer to the
rules OF Safety First" than do a
great many pedestrians.
A business man, who has driven a
car for several years, makes some ex.
cellent suggestions in the following
letter to the editor of The Examiner:
Il have just been listening to dis
cussion of your EDITORIAL on traffic
rules by a number of old and season.
ed automobile drivers, and | thought
YOU would be glad to know the sub.
stance of their conversation.
"All of them were very much in
favor Of what you have said regard.
ing Safety First in automobile driving
and also of the new ordinance re-
speeding traffic rules. But there are
a few things left unsaid which should
be added to the good advice already
given, and the chief one is this that
II becomes impossible for an automo.
mile driver, or driver of any other
vehicle TO turn the corners square
while pedestrians are crossing cat-a-
corner the intersections. In all the
cities where tn square turning Is
insisted upon the pedestrians are In.
structed to use the sidewalk in cross
ing the streets and not to cross cat
a-corner. This simplifes the square
cornered crossing imeasurably.
And along this same line there are
n few simple rules laid down in a re.
cent number of an automobile maya.
zine. which are good for the driver
to know, and which help greatly in
avoiding accidents. They are these:
Second. Speeding is a good accident
preventative when threading the
masses of city traffic. The car is
easily held in leash and may be
stopped gently without tanning the
brakes. 80
Only an amateur will allow his mo.
tor to race unnecessarily. Motor rae
ing consumes gasoline In appalling
draughts, and rs also hard on the
engine.
The boyle that has collected more y
life insurance and delegated more
care to the scrap heap than any 9th.
er destroyer of the genus automobile .
is skidding. When passing over wet
pavements or slippery roads, avoid
sudden turns and spasmodlc applica.
lions Of the brakes. When you feel .
the rear end of the car starting to
slip, turn the front wheels quickly in
the same direction that the rear
wheels are taking and the car will
right itself.
II the car starts to 81 de on account
of sudden applications of the brakes
release power and brakes and allow
the car to toast free. An automobile .
will skid least under these conditions
Do not assume that 1t is amateur.
ish to use your horn. The warning
signal Is yours and the other fel.
lows safeguard. It Is like rocking the
boat NOT to use II.
When you come to stop in traffic
don't forget the man behind. The
hand held up in warning may save
rear end collisions. Be sure to show
your intentions Of swerving off into
a side street by holding out your arm
horizontally These signs have be-
come accepted among motrlsts as uni
Versal language. 1t is these little
oourtesles that help make motoring
q pleasure.
These few suggestions in add.
ton to those already given will great
ly facilitate the enforcement OF the
new and sensible traffic rules"
Another point that Is rather import.
ant to beginners In autombile driving
come in a suggestion from another
business man who says;
when started to drive q car I
hold the demonstrator wanted him
TO teach me how to make the thing
90, but he soon informed me that the
important part was In knowing how
to stop it and do It quickly when me-
sessary. A few minutes later l had