Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1920-07-03
SIGN TALK FOR
MOTOR DRIVERS
EXPRESSIVE Finger Code Has Been
Devised by Theron W, Kill
mer. a New Yorker.
FIVE IDEAS OF IMPORTANCE
Numerous Accidents Last Year Were
Due 10 Lack Of knowledge Of Con-
clifton Of Roads Ahesd-Word
of Warning Helps.

Inst year the reckless aud lncompe-
lent handling ~ automobiles In sin
,Ia state exactcd toll Of 1,2S7 lives.
and thousands of persons We're more
mr. loss gricvously injured besides. 4
IocE of knowledge OF conditions. ig
norance of the state of the road
ahead. and failure Of the driver to
cout,on another. had much so do with
numerous accidents, and the deStruc-
ton or loss of nm immense amount Of
property throughout the country,
writes Robert W. Skerrett in the Sci
entific American.
The continually augmenting number
of machines and our Overwhelming de-
pendence upon autom0tive vehicles
make II imperative that we find some
mcdIa nv which needless sacrifices of
Ira limb and material can be reduced.
DR. Theron w. Kilmer. physician In
Now York city, has suggested that
much may be gained In this direction
nv facilitating intercommunication he
tween the drivers of moving cars. He
Is convinced that a word OF warning at
tho right time will be of the greatest
benetit. and TO this end he has evolved
n sign language in which display OF
from one to five fingers make it prac-
ticahle for the man at the wheel to sig
mi useful information or to ask an
other motorist a question which may
save much time and trouble.
Adjudication Of Semaphore.
The code is merely an application
OF the one-arm semaphore by which a
driver now indicates that he is about
70 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 well sill
houetted against luminous back
ground Doctor Kilmer has chosen
this nosition as the one likeliest to
prevent confusion. As an experienced
motorist. ne knows how much the other
fellow hates to be halted, particularly
II he is not to be the gamer; and his
desire has been to produce a code of
such simplicity that che that runs may
read"
The display of single finger means
"YOu have a fat shoe" two fingers
warns the approaching or passing car
that something is wrong with II, in
short, that the machine should be
stopped and inspected: three fingers Ia
the query Am Tor fAvrfght road to
the next town. a spread OF four fin
fiers is the symbol for danger ahead
and when Ave fingers are shown the
oncoming motorist Is asked to STOP
and to lend assistance.
May Save Life.
A fat shoe is not a trifling matter
In ignorance Of II driver may ruiz
a 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 6
PuSSlhk Nhl innJ Chhoh V''hN'
loss of property or Invite disaster
Prompt inspection will save tool bo,
or perhaps prevent q wreck. Time
and again the stranger has gone miles
astray on the wrong road when not
or shake Of the head from some on
Informed might have reassured him 1
on the right path, or brought HIN
around and into the desired high~a!
to the next town.
A danger ahead may be an unsus
pected railroad crossing, a sharp turn
a wreck. or an impossible or very ba'
road. A signal to that effect woul'
cause the driver to slow down and t
find out what lies before him. Ever.
decent driver will respond to rightfu
cali for help, but he naturally want
to be certain that 1t is necessary tina
he should stop.