The New York herald., 1922-04-24
new LAW Will CURB /
MOTOR TRUCK SPEED.
Ordinance Now in Hands Of
Mayor to Affect Only
Commercial Cars.
HYLAN TO SIGN 1T SOON
Magistrate House Explains
Provisions-Is Expected
to Reduce Accidents.
MAKES SEPARATE CLASS
Passenger Vehicles to Operate
Under Same Conditions as
Are Now in Vogue.

While it is anticipated that Mayor
Hyian will sign the new speed ordi-
nance passed by TIE Board OF Alder
men last week. according to Magis-
trate Frederick B. House OF the
Traffic Court there will not be such
material change in the law as some
people have thought
Mr.. House says the recent action of
the Aldermen affects commercial We
hicles only and not passenger cars. 1t
is intended to slow UP the operation of
the commercial cars, keeping them in
a class separate from the other cars,
and reducing their speed on the theory
that they cause much Of the trouble
in the streets and are responsible for
great many Of the accidents and
fatalities.
II think the measure passed by the
Aldermen is all right" said Magis-
trate House last night ''The chief pur-
pose sought was TO reduce the speed
OF commercial vehicles. With reference
to all other cars the law Is identical
with that under which we have been
working for years.
For the last ten years a speed OF
over fifteen miles and under twenty
was considered presumptive evidence of
a violation OF the law. That applied to
the built up sections. In the outlying
sections twenty-five miles was the limit.
There has been no change in these pro-
visions as they apply to passenger
vehicles.
Provides Presumptivc Evidence.
"The change in the law is in relation
to commercial vehicles, and under the
new ordinance speed OF fifteen miles
will be regarded as presumptivc evil
dencc in any part OF the city. In tho
built up sections a speed of eighteen
miles will be violation. and in the
outlying districts commercial vehicles
making twenty miles an hour win be
violating the law.
substantially the new ordinance
brings the legal speed OF commercial
vehicles about five miles below that al
lowed for other vehicles. That Il just
about the case, and such other changes
as the new ordinance provides. for are
minor.
There has been a difference of
opinion for some time among tho Magis-
trates as to which law should apply in
the case of violation in the park or
on bridge. There were bridge and
park ordinances as well as the general
speed ordinance. and consequently there
was some confusion. Tho Aldermen
have in measure cleared up this situa-
ton by writing into the law a pro-
vision that the speed on bridges, park
drives. pathways and parked streets
shall not exceed twenty miles an hour"
The new law is apparently not de-
signed to make any changes in the
police methods Of handling the traffic
in Fifth avenue and on other streets
where there are very few. If any. trucks
among the thousands of motor vehicles.
1t has been a custom for several years
in Fifth avenue. where congestion is
only prevented by the rapid movement
Of traffic to permit motor cars TO move
Very swiftly when the traffic lights
are turned for north and south traffic..
This speed even has been increased
recently because OF the fact that pedes-
trians are fast learning not TO cut
across the street during traffic move
ment
Thirty Mile speed Sometimes.
1t has not been uncommon for
vehicles to make thirty miles or even
more an hour and the practice OF the
police has been to hasten rather than
retard the drivers so as to permit the
greatest possible volume of traffic TO
pass a given point before the signals
arc changed. Such speed has not been
possible with east and west bound
traffic. however. because trucks travel
In Madison and Lexington and Sixth
avenues II is such streets and the
crowded streets of the lower East and
West sides. where tho majority of the
motor cars are commercial trucks. that
the new ordinance will affect particu-
larly
In these sections OF the city the ma
jority of the automobile accidents have
occurred. and in most of them n truck
rather than a passenger car has fig
urcd. BY controlling the rcsula ting
stiii further the sI,eed at which trucks
and other commercial vehicles can
travel the Police Department probably
will he able to prevent many accidents
which would happen otherwise.
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