The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-10-05
AUTOMOBILE CLUB HAS DONE MUCH ID
 BETTER MOTORING
 CONDITIONS HERE
Activities of Local Club Ex- tending Over State and New Clubs Formed. Work for Protection
 Against Thieves
By ETHEL GILLEN

The Birmingham Automobile club, whick celebrated it's first anniversary last week. is one of the most active. as well as progressive, clubs in the city and is devotins it's energies to the betterment of motoring conditions sn t1e city, county and state.
 Thus club has a membership of 1000 and was organized primarily for the purpose of securing the passage of the good roads bill by the Alabama legislature and during the past three months kept delegation in Montgom- ery continuously working for this measure. The passage of the bill 74as largely due to the efforts of this club and .he other civic organiza- ton; of Birmingham and Alabama.
 enc Of 5Ee first things to be done by the s1d'e after it's examination was lAe .nas.glra lioH of theft protection for 5hs Ineu hers If this organization and :. st3naias reward of S100 foi, lu- fol9etion leading to the arrest and conv.ct+on of q &erson or persons s,ealtne GE automobile with club c,nhiem oE il is offered. The club at present is working 9T more stringent ia T5 for the prosecution of automobile this es who have been very active in Birlr nefam during Inc past year, for the members are of the opinion that ih this manner alone will the pr6c- tce be stopped.
 RECORD OF STOLEN CARS
 The police department notified See retary Clarence Lloyd recently that they had been keeping a record of all cars stolen from members of the Bir- minsi.am Automobile club and that only enc car bearing the emblem of the club has been stolen in the past sever months. and it was recovered.
 Wien person joins the local club he automatically becomes a member of the American Automobile association Members can tour anywhere in North America and may stop at any auto- mobile club in the country and obtain such information as they desire free of charge.
 The club has been comforting with Com missioner John II. Taylor on securing more traffic policemen for the city ot Birmingham and an effort is being maae to secure an expert traffic man from either New York or Chicago to come to Birmingham for month to instruct the local traffic policemen and to also edu- cate the pedestrians regarding traffic regulations
 It is pointed out that in this way the "stop and go" signs will be watched nor. closely and traffic will not be allowed to get congested as it some times does at present on the busy downtown thorough
 
 ing of automobiles are also being con sidered and if the plan proposed by the local club is adopted by the city it is ex pected to be invaluable to automobile drivers.
 SAFETY FIRST MOVEMENT
 This organization is working in con. junction with the police department Or the safety first movement and war Ina. been declared on glaring headlights .he aCt fn ,icrI,t ,1 members of the club as well as all at tomobile drivers are being urged to turn on the dimmerc when meeting cars or the roads at night the lights are binding and it is only courtesy to the other driver.
 Three new clubs have recently been organized by the Birmingham organiza- tion at Gadsden, Bessemer and Hunts vile, and plans are being made to have n automobile club in every town in the state, and then a state organization. In this way the clubs will cooperate with each other and work for the betterment of motoring conditions in Alabama.
 Eight hundred road signs have been contracted for by the club and already 435 have been erected and the others will be placed immediately. These signs will be kept in repair by the club and each spring will be repainted
 The route book which is sai4 10 be the most complete one in the south, was is sued last year by the club at cost of 5000 It is at present being enlarged and when completed will contain 14( routes
 TOURIST ST0POVERS The records show that an average oI g tourists are handled by the Brming ham club daily and many stop-over. made in Birmingham for a few days Secretary Clarence Lloyd and his assist ant. Miss Ola Browne. are continuously sending out data regarding the roads ant routes through Alabama. as well as an swering the many inquiries for informa tion received at the local office.
 For the benefit of every car owner the club maintain ins a lost articile depart ment, and through this department ha: restored many lost automobile parts tc