Evening star., 1924-11-09
NEEDLESS PARKING
/. LAWS PROTESTED
A. A. A. Will Seek to Protect
Motorists Against Unneces-
sary Restrictions.

Following numerous complaints
from affiliated motor clubs through
out the country. the American Auto
mobile Association will seek to pro-
tect the motorist by discouragins all
needless restrictions on parking and
other superf1uous technical regula-
tons, IL was announced by the A. A.
A. Legislative board at the organiza-
tion's headquarters here yesterday.
The A. A. A. takes the position
that needless restrictions. particu-
|larly with regard to parking, are
encouraging a spirit of disregard for
all motor laws. resulting in a
state of affairs where the motorist
will be his own worst hazard.
There are enough laws and suf-
ficient restrictions now in force for
the motorist to try to obey the
A. A. A. board reports through a spe-
cal bulletin forwarded to Thoma s
r. Henry. president of the national
organization. "A surplus of regula-
tions carries with it a natural in
ability to conlply-the first step to-
ward motor lawlessnesS'
Criticism of n. Y. Traffic Court.
Attention is directed to the recent
criticism of New York's traffic court
made by a Three A representative,
following wholesale arrests of motor
iStS LOT parking tnelr cars IN the
mo parking zone, which is now
more extensive than any other city
in the world. Citizens are herded
In adequate quarters. joustled like
cattle, afforded little opportunity for
justice. fined and rushed out, with
the spirit of a bolshevik surging
within them," he declared.
Mr.. Henry agrees with the A. A. A
representative in believing that this
IA in I~s,
courage disregard for the law than
any other single agency.
According to the legislative board
the time is inappropriate for drastic
parking and traffic regulations. and
Tor his own protection the motorist
must focus this fact upon the at
tention of city officials who are tax
ing too many liberties with the sit
uation.
Regulations Held Unfair.
1T is most regrettable" the A. A.
A. bulletin reads, that the average
mot"r1st should be burdened with
unfair and unnecessary regulations
and restrictions at this time when
he is trying to put his mind to
the vital laws of safety.
The drastic parking regulations in
New York City are nothing more
or less than the substitution of one
menace for another, with every DOS
siDll1ty that the second will be great
er than the first. New York police
onlclals fear conf1agration as
result or congestion, yet in their rush
TO solve this problem they are an
tagon1zing thousands of automobile
owners and drivers. encouraging
spirit of lawlessness and paving the
way for more serious accident and
crime record. We cannot hope to
solve one problem by aggravating
another. Yet that is exactly what
New York and other cities arc do
ing on varying scales
Car Owner Has Own Problems.
There seems to be no apprecia-
tion for the fact that the America n.
car owner has his own problem to
race IN trying to obey the law New
ork officials are said to be resortine
TO present drastic measures because
they do not know what else TO do
Ihat may be true enough, but it
should be no surprise to the coun-
Try II the car owner should also find
himself at his wits end, lapsing into
most disastrous state of Iawlessness
as direct consequence
In commenting upon the boards re.
port Mr. Henry declared that in many
cites drivers appear to be more con-
cerned over parking regulation than
the fundamentals of safety
IL Is time that the situation be made
pain to the car owner" he saws. for
II is only through knowledge of the
psychology of the situation that the car
owner can take such action as is neces-
sary to prevent him from revolving
against motor laws to his own disad-
vantage. He must revolt against unrea-
sonable regulations. not against him
self"