Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-08-17
WASHINGTON
BIG CITY FOR
JAY WALKERS
Capital Has Higher Percentage
of Accidents Than New
York Even.
CIRCLES ARE DANGEROUS


the personal assistance of policeman,
yet the records show greater number
of accidents per capita in Washington
than in perilous New York.
From the beginning Of its history the
national capital has always held the rep
utation of being collection of parks and
marble buildings. the whole en1oldeo LII
a Ianguid southern atmosphere.
For over 100 years this description was
more or less accurate.
Then, suddenly, war tore some lOo'VOJ
stenographers and newly made omcers
from their peaceful homes and lanoea
them in the thick Of the battle at the ad-
ministrative front.
The onrush of volunteers from new
York. Pittsburg and all points west
damned the capital to its utmost ca
pacity, and the city began TO kho" "n''
heavy traffic really was
BY the time suitable traffic regulations
were worked out and put into enect inc
shooting was about over.
Since then Washington has recovereu
a little of its old-time tranquility Out II
viii never be the same. IN,
washington as the war left 1t Is luli
Of trnffic cops, street signs, parAlhs
regulations. and rules for crossing
street. ..o.
If has crowded business section,
and It's circles, which Maj. L'Enfant lalo
out TO be emergency forts, have become
modified race tracks around whleb au-
fomobiles scoot in rapid succession
While pedestrians await a slack mo-
mani On the curb, or run the gauntlet
by hopping in and out among tne We
: new idea for making life on the
street safer Is put across every lie"
weeks.
Vet pedestrians continue to be jay
walkers. many autoists fail TO stop at
roints where passengers are leaving
street cars. and accidents mount
The Icity's traffic troubles are largely
due to the character Of its population.
Flocks Of tourists are perpetusity var
daring about with their eyes nfted 10
.ba acme of the capitol and their brains
buzzing with plans for meeting laN0r-
lite statesman.
Then there is official Washington-the
ambassadors, cabinet officers. congress
men and political figures
These people with their famihes Sre
always coming and going.
Traffic rules are fairly similar all oven
the country, aud in the larger foreign
etties. but washington has local pecuh-
nrities which some dignitaries never
learn until they are about to leave H.
Infrsctions of the law commltted oy
foreign diplomatic representatives are
called to the attention OF the STATE oe-
partment. .,.,. .,,h,o..
10 the laws.
publicity is given 10 accidents as
warning 10 the people. and the police
department has started campaign TO
teach the children caution;
IN the Office Of Capt. Albert Headiey
IF the city traffic department, there IS
map of the city all dotted over with
numerous colored pins
The map is the captains own idea and
each pin shows where street accident
occurred.
A red pin means the death Of an auto
mobile passenger or driver; pink pin
means a pedestrian killed. ------.
Yellow means injury 10 the driver;
white. injury to a pedestrian; green
damaged property; and black, no serious
consequences.
These pins show traffic accidents only
for the past four months, Capt Headley
explained.
From the map we can tell where &C
cidents are most frequent.
remove It.
washington has many acute angles,
due to avenues that run diagonal TO the
streets, and motorists coming together at
these angles are apt to collide before
they take account OF each other.
"Then, there are the circles. with six
or eight streets running into them, all
pouring vehicles into the space around
the circle.
AT one time, vehicles could go in any
direction around these circles. Now. OF
course, they must bear to the right. and
even then the circles are real danger
zones,
AS Scott circle, for instance, few
blocks from the whitehouse. there is
roadway sixty Eve feet wide around the
circle. =,
An ordinance provides that vehicles
are to keep to the outside OF such spaces.
close to the curb Of the streets border
ing the circle.
But the temptation to axe a short
cut leads motorists to use any part or
the sixty-fve feet. so that people on
foot are in danser every step of the
way across.
cat this particular circle The pedes-
trian had such a hard time Of il that
we put out posts with chains between
them.
ssSix of these chains radiate like spokes
OF a wheel from the circle twenty ivs
feet into the road
''They force the motorist to keep within
the forty feet left at the outside, so
that the person on. foot has smaller
danger zone to cross"
Capt Headley has found that too great
width of street is~a conductive to &C.
ffdenIs as too LITTLE
On a. street over 100 feet WIDE as many
Of the avenues are, a driver can be
fifty feet from the curb and still be
on the right side Of the street
When traffic is heavy and vehicles are
isc made unnecessarily hazardous for the
pedestrian.
Washington has narrow streets, too,
where vehicles travelling both way are
likely 20 get into jam.
But the narrow road Is an easier
problem.
Washington copied Boston, Pittsburg
and Philadelphia by making her narrow
downtown thoroughfares zone way"
Streets
All sorts of traffic novelties have been
tried out on the capital
Yellow tin signs mounted on posts In
form motorists where they may nor
park their tars White lines painted
on the street mark of spaces like stalls
- which cars should be parked
At some of the more dangerous cross
ings, lanes for pedestrians are indicated
by white painted lines stretching from
curb to curb.
Vehicles are supposed to slow down at
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