The Washington herald., 1916-01-29
By ESP GROGAN.

The following letter is self-explana-
tory: u
Washington January 2. 1916.
Editor Auto Sevs Column The Washington Herald
Dear sir-I Ave been very interested in the Motor
Notes which appear daily in The Herald especially
those articles referring to auto lights
! believe the majority Of motorists are ANXIOUS 10
comply with the traffic laws, both tor their own
>rrot ecticn and the safety of others, but no one
seems TO have q clear understanding OF what the
law requires regarding the lights. Section 3e o.
Police Regulations says that when acetylene OF efec
tric lights used the rear rehectors must oe re-
moved or frort glass covered. l believe the object
Of this rule Is to prevent pedestrians or drivers ot
vehicles being blinded by the dazzling lights OF the
car using an open light with powerful reflector.
Covering the glass with paper or muslin prevents
the glare but gives absolutely light on the road
Covering the class with Bon Ami or similar mate
rial while II complies with the law, does not over
come the glare. One hundred feet away you coufu
not tell that the glass had ANYTHING on 1t. have
tried muslin, paper and covering rehectors. but
when stopped the glare have cut of the road
light and have stopped my many times to see
Il my lights were lit. have also used patented
DINNER over my lamps, which did not overcome the
road but Was called by Officer and notified
that il would not do. Probably fifty other ofhcers
had seen the light and made no comment. The fact
Of the matter is two officers agree as to whHt
the law requires, and the motorlst is haoie 70 % pe
notified to appear at the Police Court any night he
rides with any kind Of light. ! am sure all motor
ists will be glad to get authentic information as 10
what is required Respectfully. "MorORlsT.
Section % of the traffic regulations
provide that 1T shall be unlawful to use
any acetylene or electric headlights or
sidelights on the streets, avenues or
public highways of the District Of CO.
lumbia unless the rear refectors are re-
moved from the same, or the front glass
either ground or covered with muslin
paper or other material, of sufficient
density to prevent the light being daz-
zling or binding to persons using the
streets" This regulation Is still in ef-
feet and the whole question seems to
hinge on the point of how close must e
pedestrian be to be dazzle1 and when is
the material used of sufficient density
to prevent the light being binding.
1t is a foregone conclusion that no one
is going to remove the reflector when
they can shield the light, but how much
light are they entitled to. Ordinarily, il
Is presumed that the road should be Iii
up for at least 100 feet ahead of the ma
chine and ten feet on each side. This
Is the distance that the Society OF Au-
tomobile Engineers, the governing body
in the motor world. fixed upon, Natur-
ally. a pedestrian twenty feet distant
would be apt to be somewhat dazzled
IL he looked directly at a headlight that
was supposed TO throw its rays this dis.
tance. .
On the other hand, the motorist is en-
titled to some consideration. All the
streets and roads of Washington are
not brilliantly illuminated. As 1t is now
II the motorist wishes TO travel, over
them he does so at risk. for he can
not always see where he is going. Each
police officer seems to be the fnal au.
thority on the point as to whether oil
not you are complying with the law
Is this right?