Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-02-19
BEWARE THE EXCEPTION

Of as satisfactory character as can be
devised perhaps. and should rank IN
degree Of efficiency second only to 4
trafiic OFFICER Naturally. traffic Off
GERS cannot be maintained with only
i limited police force from which q
draw them
Hut the erection Of traffic guides
viii, ID itself not serve % prevent M
fractions 81 the traffic laws, no matter
how pientifully the guides are erected
or what degree u efficiency they may
have. III some towns which, like An
napolis do not have sufiicient police
force 10 spare officers Tor crossing
work Or 10 observe tratiic particularly,
ii has leen found the pleasant and
hilarious custom OF certain drivers Of
cars 10 run their machines over the
guides. The presence 1T determined
oficer ii. Oh course, the only method
BY which the hilarity Of such viola
tors can be curbed
With signs consplcaously placed to
give them warning. and win the
memory 81 saturdays accident fresh
in their minds to serve as an example
Of the dangers Of speeding. Il seems
that every owner or driver Of car
would be unwilling ID take the risks
that are the hazard 81 speeding, II for
no other reason than that they wish
10 protect their cars.
hut there will be yiolators There
viii Be those who Will deliberately dis
regard those trafic warnings when
there is no officer II sight There will
be speeders who simply cannot spare
the time TO slow down and make the
turn In the way which shall assure
drivers of other cars and pedestrians
some degree OF safety.
These violators will not be numer-
Gus will be the exception rather thay
the rule. And therein Lies the great
est menace the exception. Pedes-
TRANS and drivers Of cars will be-
come accustomed soon 70 an observ-
ance og the trafTie laws and Will there
fore, lay their own courses according
10 the expectation that an approach
ing car VIII slow down and proceed
to the designated portion Of the street
which the traffic laws indicate. But
IL the driver ot this ear is one of the
rare exceptions there exists the great
danger Of coIliding cars or rundown
pedestrians.
Lack os traffic signs and any strict
observance OF the natural laws Of the
road and those Of the city against
speeding, all have combined 10 make
us watchful when We cross the street
Or when we drive around street turns.
Ia short, we have become accustomed
to drivers Of cars going around street
intersections In any manner which APP
pealed to them at the time, and To
driving al just such d pace as they
cared TO use. We have become accus-
toned 10 watching for them and avoid
ing them
Now We must become accustomed 90
expecting cars to follow certain routes
and al speed which insures our safe
81. Having become accustomed 70 this
condition We feel sense OF security
IN obayinR the trafic laws ourselves.
BUT one speed flend can destroy all
our confidence in ourselves, he can
wreck another car or MAIN some pc
destrians. By his disregard Of the laws
and of the rights of others.
This driver will be the exception.
And ii is the exception which We must
not only guard agafst. for 8 time at
least, but which must be prosecuted
To the very limit of the law IN every
case. The exception is the man the
police must not allow TO escape. And.
when they have brought him before
the magistrate. that dignitary should
cooperate with the police and public
In the EFFORT to make travelling On the
city streets more safe BY assessing
such punishment as will impress upon
the culprit the fact that he is disobey-
ing the law. There should be no fay-
oritism for this is a serious matter
There WIN undoubtedly be not in
frequent lapses By drivers Of cars be-
canse of forgetfulness While Il II
unfortunate that We should be forced
to pay for such lapses, where no yio-
lation OF the law Is intended, yet 4
viii have 4 wholesome effect on our
memories III future II We are made 70
pay. The driver who forgets should
therefore. be held equally guilty with
ne who dIEregards.
iii every case les the exception be
presented