The Washington times., 1924-12-06
OFFICE TRIES
TO Be FRIEND
To DRIVER
C. c. Shelton Suggests White
Lines for Motorists and
Zones for Pedestrians

White lines on the street for
guidance Of automobile drivers and
safety zones for pedestrians espe-
cially on Pennsylvania avenue are
two remedial measures suggested
for the solution of Washington
traffic knots at Seventh street and
| Pennsylvania avenue northwest.
Shelton's method of dealing with
the traffic situation is primarily
one of helpfulness. He has been
helping Neutrality-suspicious. drive and
walk across one Of Washington &
busiest intersections for four years.
Helps Drivers.
II believe in helping drivers in
every way possible said Officer
Shelton, between gestures that
stopped or speeded up the flow OF
traffic on the nations foremost
thoroughfaTes. II believe that most
drivers want to do the right thing,
but sometimes 1t is difficult for
them to do it.
1T is easy enough to lay down a
regulation requiring them TO stop
at the crosswalks, but it is not al.
ways possible for the driver TO stop
at the exact spot where he should
halt. Painting Of white lines on the
street would make this much easier
for the driver.
Auto drivers need training more
than anything. They need to be
drilled like soldiers. Some OF them
drive up here, stop and don't know
what to do next. OF course they've
read the traffic regulations and are
| supposed to know them. but they
seem to be lost when it comes to
the point of putting what they
know into practice.
FaVOrs Traffic Zones.
THE pedestrians must not be
overlooked. 1t Is hard to regulate
their crossing Of a street as wide
as Pennsylvania avenue safely and
at the same time move vehicular
traffic ais speedily as it should be
moved. To remedy this phase OF
the situation / suggest traffic zones
near the car stops where pedes-
| trians could cross half the street
and wait until traffic has been al.
| lowed to move for brief period
before crossing to the opposite side.
walk"
The block system on Pennsyl.
yania avenue should be a success,
declared Shelton, who asserted that
| it should be given a trial as speed.
| lily as possible. 1t is coming and
might as, well come now as later,
he pointed out.
Good automobile driving in Shell
tons opinion is a matter Of good
! judgment coupled with a considera
a fion for. tho concordance NJ tho other
fellow.
Drivers Must Think Also.
! Shelton believes that lack of con-
sideration for other drivers and too
much dependence on the traffic
officer account for much of the
! trouble on the Capitals streets.
Drivers should remember, he pointed
out, that they are expected to do
at last half the thinking when they
come. to an intersection, instead of
expecting the policeman stationed
there to do all of it for them.
One thing in particular Shelton
would like to see eliminated from
Washington traffic is the left
| hand turn.
More traffic policemen should be
provided, so that every busy corner
fwould be covered, Shelton declared.
This would have the effect, he said
of diverting considerable traffic
from these corners, and from Penn
sylvania avenue during the rush
| hours, because many drivers would
drive on other streets rather than
on a thoroughfare where they know
they are going to be held up fire.
quently by traffic policemen: