The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-02-11
Automobile News
PROPOSED AUTO LAWS

Every session of the legislature pro- duces a raft of bills aimed at auto mobiles, autonobilists and automo- bile traffic
 bridges has received a large batch of bills, classification of which would put them under these heads:
 Bills increasing the present state tax by 50 100 per cent. over the amount now paid.
 Bills reducing the age at which a person may obtain a~driver's license.
 Bills with respect to diminishing headlights.
 A system of inspection of appIi- cants for drivers licenses.
 Bills having to do with proposed changes in the speed laws.
 An analysis of these bills has been prepared by the automobile associa- tion officials, who say:
 'In regard to the first class of leg islation mentioned, Connecticut auto mobflists are now paying the highest tax of any automobi1ist in the United States. We pay fifty cents 8 horse power to the state. then two dollars for a drivers license, and then our machines are assessed a personal property and we pay an average Of a twenty-m1n tax on high valua- ton of the heFautomobi1e. There is ab- solutely no justice in the increase of the present tax. At the present time we are paying a hundred times more 1 than ony- other vehicle for the use we make of the roads. If a greater in come is needed it is only just that other vehicles besides the automo- | bile should pay a wheel tax.
 l t.sIn regard to the second class of bills, can only say that for the last | three or four sessions the Automobile | Association has consistently opposed 1 the granting of a drivers license to l m age. It is believed that so dangerous a machine as the automobile should not be placed in the hands af a young 1 boy or girl. One of the bills introdu- ced this year cuts down the age limit to fifteen years.
 with respect to the dimning of headlights, this is one of the most difficult problems we have to deal with. Any solution of this problem which will do away with the danger ous glare of powerful headlights but . yet leave the man driving the cal with sufficient light so that he can sec
 obstacles in the road will be welcom ed by automobi1ists a whole. It i: l a problem that other states have struggled with. but as yet satis- factory solution has been arrived at Under heading four (the inspection
 of applicants for a drivers 1icense)
 the analyst says: This bill calls fol a head inspector and some seven as
 sistants. The feeling among autono
 bflists is that this is an entirely un
 necessary expense. A man should, o1
 course, be whole physically, should be of good character, before he ob
 tains a license to drive an autom obile
 but is absolutely necessary to create 2 staff drawing $1,20O or $1,5oo for sal
 ary and expenses to arrive at this in. formation in regard GO the applicant There Is no necessity of examininf those who have already driven fol the past year. as it is quite evfden that they can drive. New applicants might we'll be examined tp some ex
 tent, but in the present financial con
 d1tion of the state it is absolutely
 without reason, to ask for such an ex pensive outfit of inspectors.
 Changes in the speed laws, al
 mementioned under division five, trt
 before the legislature each session
 Connecticut has the best law in the
 United States, and there is absolutely
 no reason for changing it. The proc. that our law is considered the best il
 shown by the fact that during tht
 last four or five years nearly every state in the Union has copied oul speed law, and incorporated it in it own automobile law"