Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-27
UNIFORM TRAFFIC
LAWS ARB NEEDED
Every Big City Has Different Rules
for Traffic, with Result that
Motorists Are Confused.
AND PEDESTRIANS SUFFER-, TOO


The trend toward Standardization in
the motor car industry has become 90
thoroughly Implanted in the minds of
both owners and manufactures that an
effort Is now being made by the society
OF Automobile Engineers through its va
rous sections to establish a definite
code OF rules BY which 10 Judge thu
standards OF performance Of motor cars
uniformly. # IL interesting to note also
the movement which has spread 80 rap
idly throughout the country TO stand
erdize the traffic laws OF the larger
cities.
The subject has not only been taken
up for consideration by the National
Automobile Chamber of Commerce and
the safety First Federation OF America
but definite action has been taken by
both Of these bodies in an effort to put
the idea into practical form.
1t IL interesting to note that the idea
of Standardization originated with ]. J,
Cole. president Of the Cole Motor Car
company. Mr.. Cole said;
For some time motorists over the
country have complained about the lack
OF uniform traffic regulations In the
larger cities. With the great increase in
have become veritably a national wall.
The tourist journeylng out of his
homo town encounters in practically
every city no visits other traffic prob
lens with which he is absolutely unfa-
miliar. UNIFORMED as he IL naturally
OF the traffic requirements of strange
community he becomes the unconscious
offender Of its laws. He suffers numer-
h.. L. r.
rested.
Until a short time ago New York ana
Indianapolis were the only oities In the
country that governed traffic al the
street intersections in the business sec
lions by the semaphore system chicago
employed the whistle system-a nuisance
to every office building tenant IN ths
loon. and a most confusing plan for the
stranger Detroit had similar plan Tor
handling the traffic in the busy part o.
the town. some cities station their rals
f,c officers IN the center of the street
JintersectionsI others on one sac on uss
street still other cities employ still DIFF
ferent methods
"The marking ordinances vary widely
throughout the country Different laws
govern the diTnming Of headlights The
requirements IN pdHSiHb i"VN'S
cars and trans diseharging or taking on
passengers at crossings are quite CONF
plex. speed limits for city driving vary
in different localities. There ara laws
which govern filling Of automobiles that
are greatly different. License REQUIRE
rnents. are not the same. uniform coue
of traffic laws. with but few minor
variations, could be made TO apply ma
tionally.
Not only would such code prove
great boon to the motor tourist. but to
the stranger pedestrian. II Ia real need
and with the increase Of travel IN Amer
lea II is being felt more than ever before
There is a certain uniformity In the
industry now, Methods vary but little.
A workman from one factory can 30 into
another; take up his tools and go 20
work with but little REIMBURSEMENT. Stand
ardixing the manufacture of motor cars
has made this possible.
Can we not staRdardize the traffic
laws of the country SO that the tourist
from Detroit can drive through TO Miami
WITHOUT being put 10 It constantly to
know where to turn, why to stop, how
to park, when to blow and When to light
up?"