The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-07-15
Radiator Complains
Of Reckless Drivers
Says There Is No Reason Why Traffic Laws Should
Not Be Enforced Equally Against Horse and
Motor-Dra win Vehicles.
By MONTE sOHN.

For a while at least. until some
merchants wake to the utility OF
the motor truck over the horse
drawn dray. there must be horses
and wagons.
A horse-pulled vehicle is.expensivc
to the user. 1t Ia not one-tepth as
rapid or efficient as the motor truck.
The horse suffers from extremes of
heat and cold, and. being an animal.
is prone to all the sufferings 4 .iesh
and blood. But many merchants
and business men either do not
know or do not care. So the horse.
whose efficiency. in twelve months
time is as fiuctuating as a selsmo-
graph. is still with us.
However. not even the horses
long service in commercial work en-
titles him to special privileges. But
one would think so from the dozen
violations of traffic laws by horse
truck drivers.
Block Street Traffic.
They drive their vehicles down the
center OF streets at snail's pace.
blocking the progress OF pleasure
cars and swifter moving motor
trucks whose drivers may not drive
ahead on the curb side.
When the horse truck driver de-
cides to turn right or left of a main
thoroughfare into a side street he
does SO. He signals with no ex-
tended arm to those who may be at
his rear. When he comes to the
side into which he intends to turn.
he turns. AS far as he Ia concerned
II is nobodys business. and so. until
he ciatters in noisome fashion out
ash the 70 turn qn IN IS seeres MS
Accidents happen because Of this.
And many more are averted be
cause the automobile OF today Is Al
most perfect. Its brakes are In
a general thing is equipped by his
experience to cope with the danger.
between the hours NJ one ana SIX
o'clock in the morning there is an
astonishing number Of motor cars on
the streets But even 1T those early
hours the motorist mas no security
from the irresponsible driver or noire
and wagon. -
MIX Wagons. express wagons.
bread wagons, and provision wagons
switch. turn and cut IN insane al,
are driven across from right to lett
and II Is common sight to zee
breakfast provisioned nght trucks
recling along the eft hand side
the street at fifteen to eighteen mics
an hour.
why is violation OF trafric reguia-
tions at those early hours the less
violation? Is there no protection ior
the motorist who comes home aver
one o'clock in the morning?
Should Enforce Regulations.
Most Of our traffic regulations are
antiquated. II is true. but that TO
compel drivers to keep on the right
hand side OF streets Is worthy OF. en-
forcement; drivers OF slow moving
vehicles should be fined Tor meanGer-
ing slowly down the r.nter OF thor
oughfares. and something certainly
ought to be done in the case OF the
horseteer who does not signal his n
tention to turn.
Let US pray!
Ever since Old Frank Adams
bought his Chinese Mercedes he has
been interested in the motorist.
Mostly. however, he Is as playful as
ever. Recently we lamped this Of
his.
Last year sasoiene was Il cents
This year sasolene is Is cents a
Gal.
Chorus of Motorists:
Gee, I wish I had my old Gal back
again"
Hugh Chalmers says "the differ
ence between a grave and ditch
is the depth" And yet we never
thought there was anything subtle
about the former. It's an open and
shut proposition.
They are having unique sensations
Of pride in Virginia. The signs Of
the times down there are RESPONSE
BILE. They bear the name OF the
contractor who Is reclaiming some
of the Choppawamsic Swamp.
Bill LJllman. In the present exceed
ingly interesting number of the Amer
can Motorist Is quite as enlighten-
ing as ever. Says Bill try
to set down the definition Of such