The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-08-13

Uncle Sans Traffic Problem.

diagonal to the streets, and mo,,,.
lists coming together 1t these .,ss.
are apt to collide before thew 81.
account Of each other. Then ~.
are circles, with six or eight s,rs..s
running into them. all pouring -
hicles into the space around =.
circle. At one time, vehicles cosss.
60 in any direction around 49,
circles. Now, Of course, they m..s
bear to the right. and even ,hen ~
circles are real danger zones
AT Scott circle. for instanc.
few blocks from the White hon..
there Ii q roadway IS feet -
around the circle. An ordinsnss
provides that vehicles are Ia ~
to the outside Of such spaces. cisspi
to the curb Of the streets bords,,ssl
the circle. But the temptation !.
take a short cut leads motorista !.
use any part Of the IS feet, "a ~,
people on foot are in danger ever
step OF the way across.
AT this particular circle. tha :.
destrian had such a hard Tina ~ !, +
that we put out posts with chsi,.
between them. Six OF these ch,;,.
radiate like spokes Of wheel fron
the circle rs feet into the MAJ
They force the motorist to kssnl
within the 40 feet left at the an.
side. SO that the person on foot
has a smaller danger zone to croas :
Captain Headley has found th,,
too great width of street is az con.t
ducive to accidents as too little. IN
a street over 100 feet wide, as man,
Of the avenues are, a driver can \.
SO feet from the curb, and stillI
be on the right side Of the street
When traffic is heavy and vehicles
are spread out this way, CROSSING
the street is made unnecessarly
hazardous for the pedestrian.
Washington has narrow etreeta
too, where vehicles travelling both
ways are likely to get into Jam.
But the narrow road is an easter
problem. Washington copied Bon.
ton, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
by making her narrow downtown
thoroughfares "one way" streets.
All sorts of traffic novelties have
been tried out on the capital. Yel-
low tin signs mounted on posts in.
form motorists where they may NOT
park their cars. White lines painted
on the street mark off spaces like
stalls in which cars should bel
parked.
All Systems are Tried.
At some of the more dangerous
crossings, lanes for pedestrians arsl
indicated by white painted lines
stretching from curb to curb. We
hicles are supposed to slow down at
these cross walks and pedestrians
are supposed to follow the white
lines. Jay walking-crossing a.
street in the middle Of blocks
discouraged. 1t cannot very well
be made a inisdemeanor, for in some
cases it is necessary for a person
to go into the street, and then to
prohibit it would give vehicles too
much license. Drivers, knowing that
people on foot had no business in
the street except at corners, would
be more inclined to recklessness.
Traffic policemen in Washington
have tried standing in enclosures.
and on tubs. They have expert
mented with whistles, gestures, and
finally with Go and Stop signs 70
control automobiles and street cars.
AT some busy crossings where no
traffic policeman is stationed slight
ly raised circular pieces Of iron
have been placed in the center OF
the street as a guide for traffic.
A California city uses a more
elaborate arrangement, consisting
of tall concrete vases in which flow
ers or ferns are planted. The sides
Of the vase are marked Keep to the
Right" and the wisdom of the warn
ing is brought home to the reckless
driver who tries to run his car over
the solid concrete stand. Small
concrete copies of the Washington
monument, or statues Of the presi-
dents, might be appropriate for tho
national capital instead OF the
vases. Concrete traffic cops are
about the only safety idea untried
by the districts traffic department.