The Ocala banner., 1922-08-25
DISCOURAGE THE sPEEpERs

treating automobile drivers roughly
VINO laugh at regulations and under
take to make rules for their own
pleasure and convenience in regard to
the highways and time per mile. Dis.
cussing reckless drivers recently the
Herald says:
The head Of an automobile asso-
citation in Indianapolis declares that
reckless driving OF automobiles could
be stopped in week if an officer
were placed On every street to stop
the lawbreakers, and if there were
Judges who would impose sufficiently
severe sentences to act as a real de-
terFent. The great trouble in seek
ing to regulate speeding is that the
fact itself seems so slight a crime that
JUDGES naturally hesitate to impose
JaH sentences, even when such are
authorized by the law. The chan who
simply scoots around a corner. on two
Wheels does not seem a serious me
mace to public safety, until he happens
to kill Or MAIN somebody. The fact
cI the matter is, however, that every
reckless drvier is q potential murder
er Nobody needs to drive so fast
anu 50 carelessly as to threaten nub-
nc safety. The man who is busiest
and naturally IN the greatest hurry is
very rarely the reckless driver. 1t is
usually the speed demon, who has no
desire except to show off, who takes
a chance. There is no excuse for this
tang al all Accidents are likely to
happen 10 anyone, under the best con
diticns. They certainly viii happen
much less frequently if all who drive
viii drive IN accordance with the regu-
lations laid down for motor traffic.
Anyone who will not drive with care
should be compelled to spend little
time in a prison cell. There is no bet,
ter place for such person to think
ever the question OF his responsibility
for the public safety
Violators OF traffic laws are not ali
men; women almost as frequently as
men step On the gas" when the traf-
fc officer is not on the corner and
heir accidents are almost as frequent
and narrow escapes fully as probable
as when there is a man at the wheel.
1t is too bad that getting into power
fol car brings a desire to let it out
20 its greatest possibilities. The
streets, however were not built for
sreeaways, and the traffic that has
c0me TO be found in town and city
must be handled with fairness to all
those who walk as we'll as those who
ride, an3 10 the truck and wagon as
we'll as to the pleasure car.
There is probably some excuse for
trying the speed bit on a straight
road that seems almost clear: the
motcris- haled into court for making
something ever the regulations on a
highway could be treated with justice
tempered ny mercy. but a speeder in
the streets Of town or city deserves
"a 5al sen eence If an accident occurs
from LIS G. her disregard for regula-
ions.
It IS feet that country roads may
be wi0eDed They have been improv-
ell wonderfully since the automobile
came into general use and steadily
they are being made smoother and
wider and harder, everywhere; but it
is impossible to widen the average
city street. They were laid out
most OF them-before automobiles
were more than experiments, and the
room that is provided for traffic must
be used by all who travel them. A
fair division of these city roads" is
necessary. Motorists trying to over
ride the regulations made for all are
undesirable citizens, they need re-
forming and jail sentence would do
the wOrk.-Times-U Union.