South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-06-01
\ LESSON IN HEADLIGHTS.

y IESSON IN HEADLIGHTS.
Editor News-Times:
South Bend. its citizens. and par
ticularly it's automobile owners and
! drivers. stand aghast today at the
! horrible catastrophe which has be-
/ fallen this unfortunate family-the
! Galbraiths.
Above the horror Of il all looms
\ the proof OF the inevitable, and
which is the upgrowth of reckless
/ ness and absolute disregard on the
part of automobile drivers who to-
/ tally ignore the fatalities they are
counting by allowing the impene-
trable strong headlights to be turn
ed on. especially in dark places.
/ There is not an automobile driver
| who has not felt the danger of ap-
I preaching a car whose headlights
are turned on full blast, and which
render the driver ahead as blind as
| if his eyesight was totally taken
away.
Every automobile driver, who has
driven the country roads at night,
knows what danger turks under
such conditions. and there is hardly
a driver who has not taken
chance" and kept on moving when
neither ditch TO the right nor di-
discernible at all.
1t seems with some drivers 10 be
an asset TO their desires to allow
their strong headlights to burn and
bluff the most conservative driver
into a ditch or siding, 50 that he will
not have to slow down himself. If
/ there is not a state law which re-
qures the use of DINNERS, there
should be, and it should be enforced
! with the same drastic measures as
the flagman at the railroad cross
ing.
I have driven along country roads
and even within the city ibits of
South Bend when cars have APP
preached me at the rate Of 40 or so
miles an hour (and the faster the
motor is driven, the brighter the
headlight. because Of the generator
generating more 'juice''). 1 have
many times driven off into a ditch
or siding and waited for these
"would-be-sp kings and better
labeled fools" TO pass and have
their own way.
The average motor car of today
is equipped with DINNERS. The
switch is within easy arms reach,
and can be turned low without the
slightest difficulty or inconvenience.
Such cars as do not have DINNERS
f..r,.- al,
turning into the siding and pointing
their headlights at an angle so as
not TO blind an oncoming driver.
: Cars which have dimmers. and
} see another machine approaching,
7 should realize that the other fellow
is blinded as we'll as himself and
both should throw on their dim
! mers, so that both might pass con-
r veniently and in safety.
Drivers, even though they have
; DINNERS should slow down when
| passing on narrow roads.
There should be some way and
means by which an offender of such
"risk-taking-act'' could be COM
, planned of, and that complaint sent
in TO the authorities. Arrests would
: follow.
At any rate, this is a subject for
our newspapers to carry into the
mind of every automobile owner and
driver throughout the country
, subject which may cause every in
, telligent man considerable anxiety,
whether in the city or on the coun-
try road.
In and about such cities as Chi
cago, Detroit. Toledo, Cleveland and
indianapolis. an immediate arrest
b follows the use Of the binding head
lights within the city limits.
? On the country roads of these
, same cities one very rarely meets a
car with heavy headlights turned
on but what that car upon sight of
/ another Immediately turns on its
DINNERS. and the two machine
pass at low speed and all danger
eliminated
I hope that the South Bend News
, Times Will place this matter within
its columns and that out of the hor-
rible catastrophe of this Galbraith
accident other motorists will ben
eft and profit by their sad expert
ence
Ii is not a matter of one man get
ting more than another-to encour-
age selfshness it is a matter which
concerns both sides and which both
sides have felt and they should feel
the great Importance of the simple
act of turning of headlights and not
, attempting to pass cars under the
conditions above mentioned.
II. Il. ROEMER.
South Bend June / 1916.
TO IN0ICT WOMAN