Evening star., 1924-11-13
TRAFFIC REGULATIONS
Speed
BY GUS. Il. SCHULDT,
Judge Police and Traffic Courts.
Speed

occasional speeder and the deliber-
ate speeder. The thoughtless speed
er is one, as his name indicates. who
thoughtlessly hits It up" while In
conversation with his companions or
In other ways unconsciously ex-
ceeds the speed limits with no Intent
to do so. The occasional speeder
embraces the one who Is in q hurry,
the one who wants to show on his
car, ignorant drivers or those who
don't know the speed laws. 1t Is
really surprising how many there are
Of these. The majority Of the taxis
have no speedometer. 1t would seem
that every car should have this pro-
lection.
The deliberate speeder is one who
speeds with malice aforethought. He
knows he is speeding and glories in
the fact. Deliberate speeders can
also be subdivided into the cautious
speeders,' the midnight speeders"
and the speed complex speeders."
The cautious speeder" is the one
who generally suffers from rub
Der neck" caused by looking back
ward for pursuing officers. AS the
name indicates. he is cautious in his
'delfberation to speed. and his eau
tfousness Is indicative Of his DELHI
crate intent.
"MidniKht Driver "Lets Her Out"
The midnight speeder" Is the one
who lets her out" and initiates the
ride Of Paul Revere. He seems to
think that speed laws were only
made to be observed in the day time
and with a clear road 1t don't max e
any difference" Sometimes, sad to
relate, this complex is caused by
power other than that in the gas
tank. The danger of this class of
speeding Is obvious.
The speed complex speeder" is
one who gloriies in speed and the
faster the speed the moro glory he
attains in his own estimation. Speed
laws are as naught to him, and he
seems to think that if he can't util-
iZe all the power the engine Is capa-
BILE of making he is being cheated.
He is the "hit-it-up" and "step-on-
thegas" artist. He has the speed
complex, which no psychoanalyst
has as yet successfully defined.
Regulations in Other Cities.
When one analyses the speed regu-
lations Of the various cities 1t, will
be found that they are based upon
sound practical reason and scientific
principles. The congestion is natur-
ally the first factor and the minimum
Of stoppage the second, as upon these
two depend the element of what con-
stitutes safe driving. No speed law
will ever be promulgated which Will
be satisfactory to every one. The
speeder, as usual. would always ex-
ceed the limit upon the theory that
ha nj nrff fjnx- Gvo
is too slow and therefore fixes his
own standard-as they do now.
The constantly agitated question as
to whether speed should be increased,
so as to expedite travel, as its pro-
ponents claim. is controversial and
must be thoroughly studied from
every angle before being definitely
established. There seems, however,
to be tendency among the larger
municipalities to increase the speed
limits between intersecting streets.
submits Serious Question.
Increase in speed limits has It's
advantages, but 1t is a serious ques-
tion whether they are not overshad-
owed by its disadvantages.
1t would seem, however, that an
average speed OF IS to % miles an
hour in the congested districts should
sistent with the safety of pedestrians
and the avoidance of accidents. 1t is
difficult to realize what business
could be SO important as to require
the necessity of great speed in the
course of everyday commerce.
The question of speed outside the
congested districts and on country
roads Is one that can easily be de-
termined by examination of the facts
as to density of population, charac-
ter of road bed, whether traffic Is
light or heavy. whether there are
any railroad or street car tracks
the road itself. A road with numerous
bends, curves, grades, etc, should
naturally not have as high a speed
rate as straight, even road.
In ye olden days when the regula-
tions specified the "horseless car
riage," the term automobile" not
having come into use, the percentage
of speeders, in comparison with the
number of horseless carriages in ex-
istence then, to that of autos now,
was far below our present record.
Sees Increase in Speeding.
Statistics show that speeding Is in
creasing everywhere. 1t may be that
the nervous age in which we live has
it's effect, but the primary cause is,
no doubt. the increased power of
these modern juggernauts. There is
a tendency to try out the hidden pow
er. the theory being, perhaps. that
latent power is of no consequence un-
less used. The auto itself says that
every day In every way It's getting
faster and faster. There may come a
time when regulations will be draft
= {-ty III a
in the city limits to have a contriv-
ance, like a governor, gauged down
to conform with the speed laws of the
municipality. There would then be no
excuse for speeding. But such a con-
tingency is too beautiful to contem-
plate
However. in the Interpretation OF
speed regulations, Less haste, more
speed should be amended so as to
read. mo haste, less speed"