The Washington times., 1916-02-05
WOULDSTANDAR|zE
/. LIGHT REGULATIONS
Difference of Opinion on Proper
Method of Eliminating High
Z way Danger Embarrassing.

Arery automobile owner who has occa+
sion to drive his car from one city or
state to another realizes the Importance
Of the movement that has been started
ia standardizc the various laws and
ordinances governing the operation of
motor vehicles throughout the country.
There is wide and embarrassing di-
vergercy in number OF the municipal
ordinances regulating safety devices or
other equipment This Is particularly
true in the case of DINNERS designed to
eliminate the glare from automobile
headlights.
Realizing the need for n uniform regu-
lation covering the elimination OF the
headlight glare. the Society of Automo-
bile Engineers has for some time given
this matter consideration and recently
recommended n natural ana simple rem
cdy, without necessitating any sweeping
changes in the thousands or cars now
owned by private motorists.
How To Remedy 1t .
BY properly focusing the electric bulb
and bending the lamp supports in such
a way as to direct the light rays cor
rectly, 1t is said the average hcadhghts,
as supplied on the better grades of cars,
can be rendered practically n-glaring.
The S. A. f. recommendation provides
that:
The headlights should be so arranged
that no portion Of tho reflected beam Of
light. when measured seventy-five feet
or more ahead OF the lamps. shall be
over forty-two inches above the level
surface on which the vehicle stands.
Such headlights shall also give suffi-
cent side illumination to indicate any
ten feet to the side of said motor We
hicle at point ten feet ahead of the
lamps."
Horseless Age the automobile trade
magazine. OF all of the States and many
of the large cities of the country dis
closes the fact that at the present time
few cities and onlv half q dozen States
have anv legislation prohibiting the use
of dazzling or glaring headlights un-
loss dimmed The States regulating the
use of dazzling headlights are Cali
fornia District Of Columbia. Ma ssa-
chusetts. New HAMPSHIRE. New Jersey.
and Michigan.
Wide Difference of Opinion.
1T needs no argument to establish the
dosirabiltv Of limiting the use of glar-
inc lights" saws a writer in the Horse
less Age. but It has been found that
even among cities and States having
this legislation there is wide differ
ence of opinion as to how the evil
should be remedied. Some States and
cities are satisfied bv the mere prohibi-
llOn OF pIHTlnS OF UHEZllfE MINUS. IeHN-
ing to the infinite wisdom of police Of
Ncers or magistrates the question OF
what Is dazzling or glaring light.
while others supDlement this UnSatisfaC-
tory general prohibition hv appointing
certain officials to authorize the use OF
dtrnming devices.
ITO the motorist this latter form OF
statute is more desirable, there Is
no hard and fast rule to determine what
effect certain rays Of light NAV have on
the optic nerve or nerves Of a police
man; under, different conditions.
The LEGISLATION on this subiect in
similar and because OF its apparent
limitations is worthy OF especial com
lnent. In these States an automobilist
Is REQUIRED to dim his headlights only
approaching other vehicles There Is
the further provision in New Hamp-
shire that dimming Is not necessary un-
less there is reasonable opportunity
eto. '' ~ '"e u ''o'
Leaves a Loophole.
"If 1t is the purpose Of laws reauir-
Ing the dlmming Of lights to prevent
Slar1ng or dazzling rays from ammo wing
ana confusing persons using the streets.
why ignore acetylene lamps or refuse
TO recognize the dangers incurred in
binding pedestrians as we'll as oper-
ators Of other vehicles? And to add the
srfrn SrrGyisi9n 10 that Is in the New Hamp-
casos where there is reasonable op-
portunity TO dim the lights without dan
ger leaves such loophole as to render
soms etessn prohXd yShIX dqRefn PRe nse of the
nH ase Of qN%{ {a%bshre bfh II ana is
mat Is. the type operated from the
orlVer s seat. evidently with the idea
mat such prohibition Is the only ef-
fect1Ve way to insure the absence of
undesirable light. This would seem
bulbs Of different candle power which
are used by many motorists to com
ply with dimming laws. One city at
least. Peoria H.. expressly permits
great convenience to motorists ana
when properly used are unobicctionaple.
certain legislation seeks to prevent
me dangers OF gIartng headlights by
uniformity among such laws as to the
degree of elevation desirable, but this
Is matter which should be easy to
determine and when so determined
make practical basis for anti-gIare
avs Its desirable features are that
u IS easy to determine whether the
ughts comply with the law without go
Ing Ing 10 court and compliance with the
Ia" Is possible by simply fitting the
lamps; while moreover IL one doesn't
"lsh 70 MT the lamps it permits the
use OF any KIND OF DINNER; in which
compliance with the law, but the High
way Commission might pass upon inc
ulmmers as certain officials do in New
Jersey, thus avoIdinr this difficulty.
one thing further should be noted
IN regard to the MaSSaChusetts law
IT not only limits the use Of dazzling
rays, as do all other dimming laws,
but 1t also requires motor vehicles TO
be equipped with lamps of such nower
that substantial object ma -, he sren
at specified distances IN front OF and
at the side of the car. A majority or
the laws requiring lights for motor
vehicles are based on the theory thai
they are Cnly for the purpose OF peIn.,
seen by others. Such laws are nccos-
sarily inadenuHte ana This phase, Of the
question, that Is, requiring motorists y
70 use lights to distinguish objects ON
the road should not he overlooked
When endeaN orlng by legislation 10
overcome the lad features Of dazzling