Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-10-03
Richmond Automobile News
.UNW|SE laws MAKES
&: y. q. AUTO|sT INDIFFERENT
j. A. Van Osdol, Indiana Traction
Official Declares in Address Be-
!. fore Safety Congress.
PUBLIC REsENTs LEGISLATION
Test Shows 80 Per Cent Of Drivers
: Are Careless and Fail to Obey
= Common Sense ut the Railroad
Crossings.

- MILWAUKEE. Oct. 2-Foolish
and useless legislation directed
against automobiles was decried as
an abettor OF carelessness and acct
-dents by J. }. Van Osdol, general AZ
.lorney for the Union Traction Com
-+,sry of Indiana, in an address de-
uSered before the electric railway
section OF the ninth annual safety
congress of the National Safety Coun
.sil in the Milwaukee Audltoriuni.
Mr. Van Osdol declared that inef-
fective, unwise laws serve TO increase
.Automobilc hazards because OF the
-disr aspect and nonobservance OF such
saws by motorists, which leads TO
similar attitude on their part to-
ward al laws. lie blamed the eX-
>istcnce OF many such laws upon our
.statute books for causing the seem
sing general contempt and indiffer-
.tncc exhibited toward. all regulations
by the majority OF automobile driv-
FRS. The usual attitude OF the pub
lie has been to condone failure TO
observe foolish laws
There is probably no phase OF
accident prevention which presents
-xreater difficulties than the one Thici,
deals with the automobile" said Mr..
..H ,n osdol. The difficulties lies in
.{he diversity OF interests encounter
sd the fact tina, practically every
Jaw or. regulation looking 10. safety
IA mas particular field imprcsscs tn.
'Sndiridual upon whom il is intended
.f'is personal liberty, serves to make
progress in The direction OF safety
.tsSlremsiy difficult legislation is or
>lor laws VIII he observed and en-
forced SO long as they are respected
~. Imose iiyims under them.
,nc,mnn, en w 10 De avoided !. the en-
.1iasiy and ill-considcred Legislation
ran very properly he charged with
. mhfnh OF me spiri, OF indifference.
-lorccmcnt. !; has long been a non.
.4lar notion that ii there is an evl
DC Tombaited. he proper thing -
SdinS il; 'o'o'u-
= =, Public Hcsents LcEiaI.,ion.
.Inait;STSS. whica undertake TO tell the
shall drive his vehicle: how he shall
proceed 10 travel on or across the
.7nst WAY n.y.; are usually resented by
- 80 operate. In this. public opinion
.lss--a determining factor. and legisia-
!. y y,om must not Keep too far In ad-
-acsed before there exists 4 demand
rior them and before the people ara
prepared by education to receive amd
-STupport them. they will become dead
.tctters' Useless and foolish law, de-
-hiiitatc those that are necessary.
inc indinerence and often con-
tempt with which most drivers OF
rNehiclcs view modern traffic rules
cannot. under present circumstances,
pe accepted az evidene that those
.rcFuia Ions are unnecessary. but IL
us needed. These persons would be
.more Impressed that the law meant
what II says II there was less OF
sihc. present day tendency TO lie, the
contender off with slight punishment
-or 20 punishment; At all.
Test in Indiana.
y test made by the Indiana pub-
nc Service Corporation in 1919 is in
: s'rHtve. Though its inspectors
.iae traffic. at thirteen public high
.as many different parts OF the State
was checked. with n view TO observ-
ling whether engineers were careless
In giving signals, and the manner in
land passed over these crossings. Here
.iS the result:
During The period under observa-
.o"er these thirteen crossings OF
(which lG3 gave the proper highway
~croSsins signal During the same
-neriod l."2i vehicles crossed over
.of which did it-t isoii OF listen or
The thirteen crossings five were
separated by bells or wigwag signals
(which were found in pcrfect condi-
six vehicles passed over the tracks
when The warning signal was operat-
-tnS. indicating that a train was ap-
~rroachins The inspectors reported
.iook or listen until directly upon the
cracks, and that in many cases tho
.speed OF the tomobilc was so great
that 1t could not he stopped in The
.eNcnt that - train should be ap-
.rro1Ching.
From the foregoing it is seen that
while APPROX imat"ly pcr cent of
the engineers failed to obey the law
.at these crossings. 50 per cent OF The
-drlv-rs OF vehicles failed 10 obey. If
more individual offenders were held
-rcsPonsi BILE in civil damages for the
results OF their own negligence. IN.
cause OF law enforcement would hc
greatly promoted, and the reckless
would nave more respect for tn.