The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-08-12
SIGN TALK FOR
MOTOR DRIVERS
Expressive Finger Code Has Been
Devised by Theron w. Xii. ~
mer, a New Yorker.
FIVE IDEAS OF IMPORTANCE
Numerous Accidents Last Year Were
Due to Lack Of knowledge Of Con-
dition Of Roads Ahead-Word
Of Warming Helps.

Last year the reckless and incompe
tent handling Of automobiles in sin
! gle state exacted toll Of 1887 lives
and thousands of persons were more
or less grievously injured besides. A
lack of knowledge Of conditions, ig.
norance Of the state of the road
ahead, and failure Of the driver to
caution another, had much to do with
numerous accidents, and the destruc-
ton or loss of an immense amount of
property throughout the country,
writes Robert W. Skerrett in the Sci
entiflc American.
| The continually augmenting number
, of machines and our overwhelming de-
! pendence upon autOmOtive vehicles
make it imperative that we find some
media by which needless sacrifices of
life, limb and material can be reduced.
DR.. Theron w. Kilmer physician in
New York city, has suggested that
much may be gained in this direction
by facilitating intercommunication be-
tween the drivers of moving cars. He
is convinced that a word Of warning at
the right time will be Of the greatest
benefit, and to this end he has evolved
a sign language in which display of
from one to five fingers make it prac-
ticable for the man at the wheel to sig
nal useful information or to ask an
other motorist question which may
save much time and trouble. 49,
Adjudication Of semaphore.
The code is merely an amplification
of the .one-arm semaphore by which a
driver now indicates that he is about
to turn out of line and thus cautions
the man behind him to slow up. The
signals are all made with the forearm
held upright and the hand so placed
that the fingers will receive full
measure of light or stand out we'll sill
houetted against a luminous back !
ground. Doctor Kilmer has chosen
this position as the one likeliest to
prevent confusion. AS an experienced
motorist, She knows how much the other
fellow hates to be halted, particularly
If he is not to be the gamer; and his
desire has been to produce code OF
such simplicity that "he that runs may
read.' -
The display of single finger means
"You have a fiat shoe;;" two fingers
warns the approaching or passing car
that something is wrong with it, in
short, that the machine should be
stopped and inspected; three fingers is
the query cam on the right road to
the next town." spread of four fin
fiers is the symbol for danger ahead;
and when five fingers are shown the
oncoming motorist is asked to stop
and to lend assistance
May Save Life.
A fiat shoe is not a trifling matter.
In ignorance of it driver may ruin
q tire; and the records show that nu-,
merous grave accidents have resulted |
from this wheel defect. Something
may be loose or about to drop from
passing car which may entail either
loss of property or invite. disaster.
Prompt inspection will save tool box
,r perhaps prevent wreck. Time
and again the stranger has gone miles |
Rstray on the wrong road when a nod
or shake of the head from some one
informed might have treasured him If !
on the right path, or brought him
around and into the desired highway
to the next town.
A danger ahead may be an unsus-.
pected railroad crossing, a sharp turn,
a wreck, or an impossible or very bad
road. A signal to that effect would !
cause the driver to slow down and to
find out what lies before him. Every |
decent driver will respond to rightful
call for help, but he naturally wants
to be certain that it is necessary that
cHo cs<n