Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-11-07
CITIZENS CANNOT
HAVE SPECIAL
PARKING PRIVILEGES

PARKING PRIVILEGES
special parking privileges can not
pc accorded any particular citizen or
group OF citizens, declared City Mar
snail William II. Murray in an inter-
view Yesterday. Main street belongs
70 CITIZENS of Waterville and no one
cltizens can expect to reserve any
Fart OF 1t for place to stand his We
hicle.
Watervile is fortunate in having
liberal parking rules but in spite Of
the liberality some feel that thew
should be accorded special privileges
ana even go SO far as to request the
CITY Marshal that signs be put I'D re-
serving the place that they pick out
as place where they can leave their
oWp vehicles and command other
drivers to keep out.
AS one interested gentleman re-
marked, No matter where you go
you find people who seem to feel that
because they pay taxes a special part
or the public property is reserved for
their private use"
Some of the parking rules on Main
street are as follows: No vehicle
can stand or stop within the inter-
section OF streets, nor within 10 feet
or street corner, nor on a tross-
walk nor within 10 feet OF hydrant,
during the past year the street has
been lined off to facilitate parking.
Lines run the length of the street at
distance from the curb proper to
ieave room enough for moving vehi-
cies to pass between street cars and
parked vehicles. The observance of
this one rule alone gives plenty of
q
an angle with the curb and traffic Is
not interrupted.
The crosswalks are lined off and
squares marked about the hydrants
and NO Parking" signs put up so
that there should be no misconcep-
ton of those parking rules.
The City Marshal designates GER
tain places where public car drivers
can stand their cars but the public
car driver does not have any prior
right over that particular stand and
cannot force any other citizen to
move out IL that citizen happens to
leave his car on the stand during the
absence OF the public Car driver.
Certain business establishments
along the Main street have delivery
teams which they back up to the curb
and an endeavor is made to keep the
space clear in front of the tablish-
hcnt. Although some difficulty is
experienced most citizens respect a
courteous request To park elsewhere
If there is a chance TO do so. AS the
city grows it Is likely that all bust
ness establishments will he required
to have their vehicles unload and load
at n back entrance.
The police department extends a
courtesy to the citizens in it's leni-
enCy in enforcing the parking time
limit. Only when 1t rs absolutely
and when this ordinance is needless
ly violated is there strict enforce
ment.
One driver of a physicians auto
mobile in the city a short time ago
tried to keep people from parking
cars i'm front of the door leading to
: the doctors office. giving as his rea-
son. that it was necessary to keep n
place open for emergency.
There is an ordinance which seems
to cover such cases. the text of which
is somewhat as follows: No vehicle
shall stop in such n way as to OBJ
StruCt any street or crossing for the
purpose of taking on or setting down
Il passenger. or for loading or I'M
loading frenght. for n i,eriod Of more
than five minutes at any one time. or
for any purpose except in case OF ac-
Cident or when directed to do so by
a police officer
Another interesting group o. ordi-
nanCeS passed by the city govern
ment several years ago might en-
tighten some drivers who believe that
there is no law requiring one to give
signal when starting. stopping or
turning. The first one is. Every
driver OF a vehicle shall in SLOWING
up or stopping, live a signal to those
behind by raising a whip or hand
vertically: second. in turning while
In motion. or in starting to turn
from an standstill. : signal shall be
given by the driver of the vehicle
about to be turned by raising a whip
or hand, Indicating the direction in
which the turn is to be made: third.
before backing ample WARNING: shall
be given by voice or uplifted hand.
and while backing unceasing vigil
lance must be exercised by the driv-
err so as not to injure those behind
Another ordinance regulating auto
mobile lights will perhaps surprise
some drivers: "All automobiles
equipped with electric lights shall.
upon meeting a team or ether auto
mobile, dim their lights at least 30
before meeting such team or automo-
bile and keep them 50 Intil they have
passed: and no automobile shall be
driven through Main street from Col
lege avenue to South Main street.
without the lights dimmed.
Some of the ordinances concern
ing vehicles have to do with the
courtesies that any thoughtful mo-
torist should observe on the highway
and they all are made with the idea
OF giving everyone an equal right on