The Washington times., 1921-11-09
Amendments to Traffic
Regulations
By BILL PRICE.


regulations and frankly hope that the hearings next
Thursday will be fully attended The invitation should
be accepted.
While Thursdays session is to consider the whole
traffic problem the subject of parking already given
hearing should also be kept open for every possible
suggestion. The business mems organizations nave
made known their views parking. The Comms-
sioners now need the views of many classes of auto
mobile users who are not members of business other
organizations The parking rules affect practically all
citizens but the large majority OF those directly IN
terested, being unorganzed, have no spokesman to
present varying shades not yet before the Comms-
sioners.
The streets of Washington belong to the people and,
naturally, regulations should be promulgated which
deal Justly with all classes giving advantages to none
Having entered upon this subject of revision OF
traffic regulations the Commissioners will probably
find that it will be impossible to stand pat upon the
first action they take. The overhaung process will
have to go on for time before the regulations
are satisfactory enough to be regarded as virtually
permanent. Suggestions which seem good enough to
be embodied into regulations may turn out to look
better paper than in practice.
It is a situation which can not be disposed of by
swallowing the whole cherry at once, much city
officials might desire to do it that way and have it
all
It begins to look as if the "jay-waker" is to be
regulated we'll the automoblist and Commissioner
OYSTER is reported to desire to put the brakes on
messenger boys and bcycsts generally who recklessy
zig gag in and out of dangerous traffic spots adding
to the increasing traffic menaces of the city.
Sensible pedestrians take chances in the middle
of crowded streets at street crossings 1t does look
if by this time the pedestrian and the auto driver
could have been educated to fair understanding OF
ther rlp n
every day adds to the perils of traffic He is par
with the egotiscally unyeldng driver who thinks that
because he is in everybody should get out of his
way when he approaches and toots his horn. There
is no excuse for pedestrian to stubbornly into
danger sukily stick where danger is any than
there is for driver to deliberately disregard couresies
and rights belonging to others
The majority of boys riding wheels do not seem to
think that traffic regulations apply to them at ALL They
most reckless in the chances they take, seldom
keeping anything like straight line, wobbling and
careening right in front of swift autos going in every
direction. Most of the time the hande-bars of their
wheels guided by only hand and the picture is
daily presented of imperturbabe young riding
their wheels with both hands off the bars Many boys
have been killed crippled by this sort of careless
Even the most careful auto driver tell
when of these boys will fall in front of him.
There might also be regulation of drivers of
horse drawn vehicles There hundreds of these who
wouldn't know traffic regulation if they saw one and
would less if they did know. 1t has grown to be
such habit for traffic cops to give their undivided at
enton to auto drivers that mule headed drivers Of
horses and mules consider themselves immune from at
tention. The enforcement of traffic regulations should
not be question of sympathy toward any class because
of ignorance supposed poverty The regulations are
for the welfare of the whole public.
And while regulating everybody, let's have a
word about traffic policemen; not the majority
of them, but the few who often ill feeling toward
the force. We refer to those who assume overbear
ing, Kaiser Wilhelm attitude to automobsts who have
unintentionay thoughtessly violated some simple
regulation. We often get complaints from responsible
hgh-class citizens about being 'buly ragged" by tact
less traffic cops who bette and berae them publicly
for minor nfracons of the law It is not an offcer's