St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1918-07-27
TRAFFIC SIGNS
ERECTED BY THE
CITY AUTHORITIES
Automobile and Vehicle Owners Must
Park In Certain Places Desls-
mated by Ordinance
MAYOR HALPHEN DETERMINED
NEW LAW MUST sE RESPECTED
Public, in ignorance of Laws Re-
quirements, Given Ample Time
to Learn Ins and Outs OF
New Traffic Rules

The traffic regulations adopted by
the opelousas city council some time
back went into full effect some days
since and the city authorities, in
compliance with the laws require
ments, have erected signs at certain
places designated as parking places
for automobiles and horse-drawn We
hicles. These signs are plainly
painted and any owner of a vehicle,
heretofore puzzled as to where he
could park his car, wagon or buggy,
can read the sign right before his
eyes brief but full Of instructions.
For instance, on West Landry, be-
tween Court and Market; and West
Bellevue, between Court and Market;
on South Court, between West Lam
dry and West Bellevue and on South
Market, between West Bellevue and
West Landry, cars must park near
the curb of Court Sguare, and facing
in certain designated directions
On the side of the street where
parking is prohibited. cars may
stop for a brief length Of time but
must not park there indefinitely and
if the owners violate this provision
they are suoject to arrest and fine.
The "rules of the road" are fully
and plainly set forth in the new or
dinance and there can be no excuse
for any violation of the requirements.
Keep to the right" always, is the
slogan of the ordinance, and If this
simple instruction is followed out,
both in traversing streets and turn
ing corners, there will be little dam
ger of accidents. Too many drivers
of automobiles disregard these rules
and as consequence appalling acci-
dents often occur. Fortunately, not
withstanding the fact that there has
!
been some reckless drivers in this
city, there have been no serious &C
cidents. Somehow fortune has fav-
ored the reckless drivers who charge
down the streets at break-necK speed
and turn corners in the same style,
but this good luck can not last al
Ways if a lack of common sense and
utter disregard for other peoples
safety is to be continued.
There has been too much joy rid
ing here and the violation of speed
limits has been so flagrant and fire.
quent that people have ceased to
wonder why someone has not been
killed or seriously injured. How
ever, under the recently adopted
regulations, an end will be put to
this reckless driving, and Mayor Hal
phen says he intends that the ordi-
nance win be enforced strictly. The
police are yigiIant but drivers are
first warned of the change in the
regulations so that those who vio-
late the law the first time through
ignorance do not have to suffer but
any subsequent violation will entail
arrest, trial and, perhaps, a heavy
fine.
The speed limit has been toned
down considerably and in certain
designated sections cars are held
down to a few miles per hour. In
the less congested sections higher
rate is allowed, we believe. This
thing Of bowling along at twenty-five.
thirty or more miles per hour has
been a constant menace to the safety
to pedestrians, horse-drawn vehicles
and automobiles that are being driven
at a more sensible speed, and the
CITY authorities say such reckless
ness must and shall stop. Many
drivers fail to use the warning sig
nal when approaching cross streets
and this is a plain violation Of the
law and the party or parties guilty
of such an infraction are liable to be
hauled before the city court. An ex--
ercise of common horse sense viii
not only serve to keep driver out