Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1916-04-28
The New Auto Law In Effect
June 1.

The new law of the. last session of the
Legislature regulating the operation OF
motor vehicles in this State becomes eff
fective on June l. Many changes were
made in the old law. and the measure
which was passed was agreed upon by
representatives of the Automobile Club of
Maryland, the State Roads Commission
and the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.
The revised law is Statewide in its
effect This means there will no LONGER
be speed limit Of six miles an hour in
one village and twelve miles in another,
but it means that If autoists can 60 Is
miles an hour in the outlying portions of
one city in the State. they can travel at
the same rate in the outlying portions of
another city of the State. 1t also means
that if they can 90 rs miles an hour in
the open country in one county, they can
60 at that speed in every county in the
open country.
Pecuniarily the law means that if auto
lists pay their taxes on their motor vehicles
as personal property in the county or city
in which they reside and then pay their
operators fees and registration fees to the
State that is the end Of all forms of taxes
and charges for the privileges of operating
cars anywhere in the State.
In reference to the registration fees
changes were also made. At present the
motor vehicle of 10-horse power pays $40
year and that Of l9-horse power pays
the same. The motor vehicle Of 20-horse
power pays SIS year and that of 30
horse power pays the same. The owner
of lightweight 23-horse power car pays
the same now for using the roads as the
owner of 29-horse power car weighing
nearly twice as much. Following the lead
of number of other States, the horsepower
basis was determined upon as a method
of fixing the registration charges. and the
rate was accordingly fixed at so cents per
horse power. Five dollars is the minimum
charge for any car, no matter how low It's
horse power. Hs
As somewhat counteracting the saving
to the motorist from this reduction. the
present monthly schedule of registration
fees and refunds was abolished and
quarterly schedule adopted This was
partly for the convenience Of the Commits
sioner of Motor Vehicles and partly to
counterfeit the loss Of revenues from the
above reduction in charges. Under this
charge. anyone registering his car dur
ing January. February or March would pay
the fee for the entire year. If during April,
May or June. the fee for the three-fourths
of the year. and so on by quarterly instead
Of monthly periods. The same rule would
hold as to the registration certificates sur
rendered before the expiration Of the year.
In the case Of solid-tired motor vehicles.
chiefly motor trucks and other commercial
vehicles. the present charge is So per year
regardless of the size or weight of such
vehicle or the extent to which 1t uses the
roads. This charge is changed so as to be
as follows after June l 1, 1 ton truck. So
2 ton truck. $14; 8 ton truck, 500 4 ton
truck, $26 ton truck. $32 @ ton truck,
$38; ton truck. $44.
The annual registration fee in the case
Of motorcycles has been raised from $3.50
to IS per year. For dealers licenses the
charges under the new law are slightly
higher than under the old law, but the
latter contained number of restrictions
upon the dealers right to use his special
tags for other than clearly business pur-
poses. and these restrictions have all been
abolished under the proposed law.
The only change made in the law rela-
tive TO operators licenses is a reduction
in the charge for chauffeur's licenses from
SIS to So per year.
The speed limits remain as they are in
the present State law. and are applicable
all over the State. The existing laws re-
latine to the use Of horns. lights and muf-
flers are slightly amplifed and made clear
er. Speed must be reduced in rounding
curves and approaching tops Of hills. and
certain rules Of the road are established.
notably one giving driver the right Of
way over a vehicle approaching him on
the left and requiring him to give right of
way to one approaching him on the right.
One of the greatest annoyances from
which motorists have heretofore suffered
in this State has been that arising from
speed traps" and arrests made, not for
the primary object Of nationally enforcing
the law. but for the real purpose of en-
riching the justices and constables. Hence
the plan was devised Of stipuatine in the
law precisely what charges should be made
by justices and constabes in motor vehi-
Gle cases and making them subject to re-
moval from Office for exceeding these
charges. Roadside" courts are also abol-
ished and divisions of fees prohibited.
At present the usual charge for costs in
a motor vehicle case is $2.70 and this
frequently goes up to as much as IS. In
der the new law the Justices fee. where
there is an arrest and trial. will be 10 cents,
and where there is plea of guilty. 35
cents. The constables fee where the ar
rest is made on the spot will be rs cents,
this covering his fees as a witness. When
the arrest is made on warrant the fee Of
the constable will be rs cents.
The explanation Of the new law. as given
above. was prepared by the Automobile
Club Of Maryland.
Barnnm s. Bailey Circus Coming.