The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-11-05
DAVIS WRITES OF
 HEADLIGHT LAWS

1 The attempted regulation of the sevil menace of glaring headlights re- mains today almost exactly where it
 has been from the first headlights
 on automobiles. This is a very com rlex proposition which has been given much study.
 ! Charles G. Davis, president of the Automobile club, has just had long
 exhaustive meeting with Chief Fred H. McDuff of our police departmen. upon this subject. The present code partially provides for a regulated headlight. which Is: That every car
 must carry at least two lighted lamps which will cast a light in the direc- tion in which the vehicle is going
 of sufficient Illuminating power to
 be visible at distance of 300 feet
 and at least one lighted lamp show
 ing red light visible from the rear.
 Provision regarding headlights is also
 mace that the lenses, if plain glass,
 shall be frosted. sand blasted or
 painted, so as to eliminate all dazzle
 or glare, and with the patented diff fused lenses. which have been ad-
 justed in such manner that they will
 not reflect the rays of light. on a level surface at a distance of 50 feet
 or more from the headlight more
 than AZ inches above the roadway
 and that all patented lenses to pass muster shall have been approved by the United States bureau of stand ards.
 Many accidents are chargeable to oim headlight as we'll as a glaring one, where one driver aims on country road and the other does not, the former is subjected to the danger of running over an embankment
 Chief McDuff is fully appreciative of our local situation where our city
 covers a large area and is sparsely lighted and does not care to use any drastic measure regarding the regu- lation of headlights, nor the neces- sary expense which would be in cured upon the majority of car own CTS were the city compelled to en- force the establishment of a certain
 diffused lamp. Many complaints have been coming into police headquarters due to the disregard of the courtesy
 due one automobile driver towards another in the matter of dmming lights.
 The chief further stated to MT. Davis that it would be his endeavor to carry on a publicity campaign to learn if the people could not be in- duced to give this matter closer ob- Servance ana relieve him or the ne- cessity of doing something to alter the present situation, which, to say the least, is deplorable. It is readily conceded that to drive some of our dark streets with the dimmer and no lights is a menace, not only to the
 pedestrian, but to the motor driver as we'll It is far from the motorists desire to. encounter a pedestrian on dark street and suffer a serious accident.
 One of the chief drawbacks at the present time is believed to be the diff fused lens. Motorists who carry diffused lens have an idea that they are immune from the necessity of dimming It will be readily noted that many diffused lenses are even brighter than the plain, and if the diffused lenses are efficient, and the driver desires more light, he usually resorts to a larger electric bulb, which brings the headlight right bacl, to the starting point.
 Let us get together and with CO., operation see if we cannot effect
 remedy for this evil before some
 drastic move is made.
 Remember that slight courtesy
 shown the approaching car will prob
 ably induce him to lend the same
 consideration the next time he meets
 you.