The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-02-17
DRIVING AN AUTOMOBILE
Let Me See You Drive and III Tel
You What You Are.


You What You Are.
A long time has passed since the
ownership Of motor-car was an evil
dence OF wealth.
We all drive now.
Not merely bankers, head walters,
and master plumbers, but the lower
classes also Even editors some
times
The number of automobiles is be-
ing added to at the rate OF more than
million year; million new cars
mean two million new drivers.
If driving is to continue to be safe
and enjoyable for all OF us, 1t must be
made so by a tremendous exercise OF
courtesy on the part of every one.
Let me set down here some obser-
vations founded, not on police law,
but on common sense plus courtesy.
First. However unflattering it may
be to the rest OF humanity, know no
better rule than always TO assume
that the other fellow is bigger fool
than you are.
Assume that he is going to turn the
next corner without giving any signal
Assume that his wife, who Is with
him, may at any moment take fancy
to wild rose at the edge OF the road,
and have the car brought TO an abrupt
stop.
Assume, when you turn corner,
| that he will be coming around from
| the other way, too fast and on the
wrong side OF the road.
In word, keep sufficient distance
| between his car and yours, SO that
nothing he can possibly do can in
volve you IN trouble.
| Second A horn can be either the
| voice OF salvation or an instrument of
torture, according to how il is used.
The courteous driver can make his
horn say either please be careful
or Curse you, Charles Montagu, get
OFF the road His horn never says
one when It should say the other
incidentally. the best drivers blow
the horn the least.
i Third. The courteous driver stays
/ just as close to the edge of his side OF
the road as it is possible for him to
get. He never feels called upon to
assert his dignity or to maintain his
rights by edging as far out as he can.
He knows that the middle OF the
road belongs 10 no man.
| Fourth. The courteous driver new
err uses his biinging headlights except
on a road entirely unlighted land he
turns them down az the first sight of
an approaching car
Fifth The courteous driver recog-
nizes that pedestrians and horse We
hicles have rights as well as he. He
| remembei's-h However irritating they
may occasionally be-that, after all.
I the road belonged to them for years
before it belonged to, the mbtcrcar.
- ii is the law OF the sea that the
| sailboats must give way to the row
boat The power.boat must look out
fop the sail. Always the stibnger
| must give way TO the weak. l'
What is law for the sea ouslis TO be
i the ssk.tnposed aud cheerit1ly ac.
cepted etiquette OF the roads
!! Fimuy,Ai'he courteous driver
and .his sif@1pake up their minds at
| What rate. they like to travel best. and
they Jog along happily at that. rate,
enjoying the view, untroubled add un
| tra4plins
IL, the occupants OF another car de-
| slFe 10 travel faster, they let them
pass, They never race; never put on
fun speed when they hear horn
scunaed behind them,
Il Never. under any circumstances,
do they push ahead OF car in front
by invoking burst of speed and then
slew up so that their dust spreads
| over the car behind.
In all the category OF meanness,
there is no meaner trick than passing
| and then slowing down.
Let me see you drive and III tell
| you what you are
] can stand by the side of the road
| and pick out the Wife heaters, and the
fellows who are cheating the govern
| ment on their income tax, the fellows
that talk loud in theaters--and, thank
God. the great overwhelming majority
! of good husbands and fathers, decent
| citizens, and. courteous gentlemen-
| the wholesome folk who observe the
etiquette of the road.-Bruce Barton.
| Editor OF Every Week