El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-06-03

ITAVE you ever driven through
I Fl towns OF the smaller size where
: i L the automobiles owned there are
/ driven wild. where they come tearing
/ from driveways and side streets in a
! manner that causes your hair to stand
| on end? OF course. you have And then
! when you got TO the next big city. and
/ the cars were driven in orderly style
/ along the right side OF street. and where
arms were extended to signal breaks in
the procession. didn't the big traffic
cop at the corner look good to you2
! You just bet he did
DO YOU remember that afternoon
! you were anxious TO get back to the
office. you caught on the tail Of the
procession going east TO west At the
intersection Just as the traffic cop
blew for traffic 10 move north and
SOUTH And the bull came over and
wanted TO know what you meant by
going against his orders. and did you
want TO ride down to see the lieuteu-
anti And you called him a big bone
head and asked him how YOU could
smell when he was going TO signal
after YOU got started. and you'd re-
port him and get his buttons taken
away from him2
Motor has asked me TO expOund
the view of the policeman from the
drivers seat This invitation has been
extended to me as chairman OF the
legislative committee Of the American
Automobile association Writing from
that angle 1 might tell how the blue
coat on the corner is the representa-
tive Of law and order. how one should
win his friendship and esteem and help
him TO help all the motorists. etc
say ] might write from that lofty an
gle And then some carping. low brow
critic would want to know II I ever
drove car and il ever saw traffic
q 3 n.-rT l.
my town that they have in Mr- Critics
town.
Motorists Views
Be that as it may Cas George Mon
roe used to saw. after giving due
thought 10 the subject assigned me.
have come 10 the conclusion that the
view OF the cop by the mOtorist de-
ponds on several things Among these
are:
l. The condition OF the motorists di-
gcstive apparatus
, Whether his engine is hitting on
all l. or whether he has to jusgle his
gears every time he wants 10 change
pace a bit
g The driving peculiarities OF the
woman i'm the electric just ahead
&. ectively-whether some care
less driver has run over the cOppers
toes a few minutes before
With all of these conditions affect
ing ones mental vision. the task IS
A. a general proposition the rela-
tiOnship between traffic officer and
motOrist generally IS growing more
friendly They no longer look AT each
other as deadly enemies for all time
Each is learning the human side and
the limitations Of the other. with
better understanding Of each others
problems The motorist appreciates
that in many instances the traffic cop
is his good friend. that the officer 8
oh nF
good for the greatest number
Conditions in Cleveland.
In writing this I realize conditions
everywhere are not so satisfactory as
in Cleveland It is generally known
throughout the country that Cleveland
has been fortunate in its police force
While il is not large, the men gen
orally are above the average. And the
standard Of the traffic squad has been
raised particularly high. Once upon
a time duty on fixed traffic post was
a punishment for the patrOlman as
signed TO that duty. Conditions have
changed. and now a permanent, trained
experienced squad is chosen for this
difficult work. and there is waiting
list among the policemen trying for
traffic duty. Our mounted men are
more than ornaments. and in controlling
a range Of territory wider than that
possi BILE to the man on foot duty. the
horse squadron has earned the ad
mlraIlon OF ali IaInllidr Win us eILeCL-
i've methods.
I am well aware there are exceptions
to this rule In some cities the men
on traffic duty are ''coppers" and moth
ing more. They are officiOus. belliger-
ent and obstinate believe where that
condition exists as a general rule. the
motorists are partly to blame. They
have not shown a proper appreciation
OF what a capable, friendly squad can
do in the expediting OF traffic.
Some Exceptions.
There are exceptions TO the rule OF
general capability. cornermen who are
continually in hot water I have one
man in mind who had an uptown cor
ner. Ninety percent Of the travel at
that place moves east and west. and ]
in the rush hours this bulk is prac-
tically all in one direction-either up I
or down There is little traffic against /
the main current and an unappreciable .
minimum Of turning In spite OF this D
easy situation, blockades ,
were frequent 1t didn't take long for ]
motorists and the department heads +.
TO discover that the wrong man was on 4
the job there. and to make a change /
that has eliminated the blockades.
instead Of continuous Wrangling be-
tween drivers and the officer. as in 4
the past there is now teamwork and I
cooperation with the man.
Driver in the Wrong.
a traffic officer reprimanded me 4