New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-24
Park Commissioner So
Rules in a Joy
Riding" Case
By c. e. T. SCHARPS

and whlle loy-rloing ~ AROUND Crashes
into a tree IN one o. the parks, has the
city the right TO bill you, as owner of
the stolen car, for the damage done,
and should you be expected to pay for
&c? The poin. involved hasn't got as
far as legal precedent yet, but the
city, rs far as its Commissioner Of
Parks is concerned. thinks the owner
Of the automobile should pay.
Here are the facts: A woman own
or Of an automobile had chauffeur
who took out her car without permits
sion. That is grand larceny, accord
ing TO law, which makes the taking of
the car a theft. The chauffeur picked
up = couple Of other fellows, and, after
some riding and drinking, he fell
asleep in one of the places they Wis
tied, and his two companions started
OF without him. On Riverside Drive,
st about 1l5th Street, the one who was
driving, after collision with bus,
dashed the car into tree and did
some damage 10 IT,
Some time after the insurance COM
pany had satisfied the charges for re-
pairs TO the car, the owner received
bill from the Manhattan Department
of Parks for So damage TO the tree
caused by her automobile. An answer
was sent to the department, reciting
the facts. The Commissioner Of Parks
replied thus:
The damage TO park property by
automobiles has been frequent, and
the only method by which the :ity
can be reimbursed for injuries
caused by the csrelessness of own
ers is that now in use In the case
Of Mrs. -.
This department is not con-
cerned as 10 who was driving the
car. We look TO the car owner.
IL is, therefore, expected that Mrs.
- will give the matter of IS due
in connection with this accident
immediate attention.
Aside from the principle established
by the Commissioner Of Parks as to
an owners responsibility for damage
done by a stolen car, it is interesting
to note that such theft is character
lied by him as "carelessness of own
ers." II it were held by judges in
General Sessions that having a car
stolen is negligence on the part Of an
owner, this ruling might have some
bearing to prevent charge of grand
larceny against the chauffeur. The
grand jury. however. seems still to
regard the offence as indictable.
Staten Island is, Of course, part of
greater New York, and the city ordi-
.x1a kaoIlinhtc
plies in all parts Of that borough.
Some owners who have not effective
DETECTING lenses for the headlights
find that the DINNERS do not give
light enough to illuminate the road.
In the more deserted parts of the ISL
and. therefore, some owners still use
the regulation headlights. The police
are active everywhere in Richmond
right now to enforce the law against
such use.
Occasionally a motorist feels he is
being uniustly treated when he is
called down by, or gets summons
from, policeman for using headlights.
This is particularly true, for instance,
on a road such as the Southfeld Boule-
ward. where the city has mighty little
street lighting.
If a man uses his DINNERS he is in
danger of getting into the "rough"
alongside the road all Of sudden. If
he uses The regular headlights ne runs
the peril Of getting summons. 1t
seems 10 me that the city is under
some obligation 10 provide adequate
lighting along the road if the motorist
is expected to use the average non
glare equipment as furnished with
cars.
III IL 1Onirallu and nat
urauy 10 the point of suggesting, too
that il is the duty OF automobile manu-
facturers TO equip their cars when de-
Gvered from the factories with non
rlaring headlights, which also shall bt
adequate for road use. All over the
country now there are ordinances
against glaring headlights. Motor cal
makers ought 10 recognize this condi
ton. They equip cars with proper
warning signals and with lamps. They
ought to go a step further and put or
headlights that permit the car to be
used anywhere without running fou
of the law.
No one could reasonably expect au'
tomobile builders 10 fl their ears sc
as 70 conform with all sorts Of local
ordinances. For instance. New Jersey
requires microscopes on cars run with
the ton UP or with a fixed top. The
furnishing Of such equipment ought
10 be Up 70 the owner or to the New
Jersey dealer. But as Ear rs headlights
20 there are enough legal types on :he
market 70 make Il easy for ne mann
facturer 10 selec: ere and sec 20 1t
that his cars when they 60 out are
ready for use without letting The own
er in for O summons and fine.
A few manufacturers, particularly Of
higher priced cars, DO already equip n.
the factory with one type OF non glar-
ing lenses There is & question II ths
device ought TO be the difusirg or :he
DETECTING tyre. Coco engineering sup
port Is found for the latter as against
The former. particularly :he researches
made By Alden J.. McMurtry. But it
seems logical that some SOFT Of pro-
.eetive lenses should be furnished.
There is an opening here for some
quantity manufacturer 10 add new
,alking point"
In one OF the ai-plane factories there
hangs sign which read. like this: