The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-10-27
SAFETY THE BEST
LIMIT To SPEED
Decision of a Brevard County Judge,
Which viii be of Interest to All
Automobile Drivers in
the State
ASSOCIATED Press)

AEAoSOGAebtGN
Jacksonville, Oct. 27.-Members of
automobile clubs throughout the state,
according to reports received here,
are discussing with deep interest the
action of County Judge H. R. Morse,
Of Brevard county, who, after declar-
ing he would not fine motorist for
exceeding the speed limit unless it
was proved he was driving recklessly
ard endangering other traffic, dismiss
ed last week the case against Mayor
Reed, of Fort Lauderdale, brought be-
fore him for speeding on the Dixie
Highway near Titusville.
A member of the Jacksonville Au-
tomobile Club in discussing the case,
declared Judge Morse apparently was
one of those court officials who realiz-
ed that the majority of motorists can
drive their cars at high speed with
greater safety to themselves and
other traffic than others can at
speed of 20 miles an hour 1t also
was pointed out that while the county
laws place limit on speed, the judge
apparently did not regard high speed
On straight-aways with no other traf-
fie in sight, as a serious violation, in
asmuch as the primary purpose of
the laws are to prevent accidents.
The holding of automobiles to
speed limits fixed by the various
counties is ridiculous if the road is
good and other vehicles are not in
sight" said the local motorist '"The
highway between DeLand and Day.
tona, between West Palm Beach and
Miami, and the Memorial Highway in
Hillsborough county from Tampa to
the Pinellas county line ON the west
coast, might be mentioned as roads
upon which the speed limit should be
governed by the common sense of the
driver. 1t is approximately % miles
from DeLand to Daytona, with a
wide, smooth road over which car
may run rs miles an hour in safety,
yet the speed limit is 25 miles. Be-
tween the two cities there are few
settlements, only two turpentine
camps, if my memory is correct. There
is no reason why the motorist should
not run as fast as his car can go if he
has clear road, and most of them
do so.
twenty-five miles is the limit be-
/ - D.
yet the highway is very broad and is
one of the fastest in the United
States. A car can be operated at 90
or 20 miles an hour over it with a
greater margin of safety to the occu-
pants and. other traffic than speed of
| 25 miles an hour would be on some
of the narrow brick roads in South
and Central Florida.
"The speed limit on the Memorial
Highway from Tampa to the west
| coast. a broad asphalt block road as
smoothas glass and with the few
curves very long and easy, is 25 or 80
miles an hour. With no other traffic
in the way there is no reason why
the average motorist should not run
at from forty to fifty miles an hour in
perfect safety.
"The action of Judge Morse in de-
claring that unless a motorist was
driving recklessly or endangering
traffic he would not fine him for ex-
ceeding the speed limit is something
that other county officials, including
traffic officers, might well consider" "
The motorist added that very few
automobilists would operate their acrs
at such excessive speed, even under
the most favorable conditions, saying
he had mentioned such figures mere
ly as an Illustration.
my idea is" he said, "that motor
ist with clear road, who is known
to be careful driver, should not be
brought into court if he exceeds the
| stipulated speed limit by ten or fif-
teen miles an hour. Traffic officers
ard court officials in dealing with
such cases also should always take
into consideration the ability of the
tmotorist. If he is known as a careful
driver the traffic officers or the court
should take it for granted that he
could be depended upon to use com.
mon sense. If he is a driver whose
sole aim is to get to his destination
regardless of consequences, he should
be dealt with to the full extent OF
the law"