Evening star., 1924-11-19
BIG RISKS TAKEN
BY WALKING PUBLIC
Many Pedestrians j. Plunge
Into Traffic Regardless of
PoIiceman's Advice,

II ever Washingtons walking
public" demonstrated the need Of be-
Ing educated in crossing traffic
streams safely and quickly, 1t was
yesterday afternoon at 11th and r
streets northwest during the traffic
peak period
As an experiment pedestrian
traffic officer" was detailed to assist
the general traffic policeman at this
corner from $50 o'clock until the
rush period ended. His sole duty was
10 attempt to regulate pedestrian
traff1c The plan was simple. AS
vehicles moved, so should pedestrians
move. When vehicles went east and
west. so should pedestrians go east
and west. And similarly when north
and south was the vehicular' move
ment.
When the green "go" sign would
mark an opening of lanes for north
and south bound traffic. naturally the
"'stop" sign would mark the closing
of the east and west bound lanes. The
east and west bound vehicles would
stop. They had well educated drivers.
Pedestrians Are WiiIfuI.
The pedestrians. however, would
not. Despite the fact that in addi-
tion to the center stop" sign they
had in addition the upraiscd hand Of
to stop, they would hesitate, glance
uncomprehendingly at policeman and
forbidding gesture; glance at the sign
in the center; ponder second. and
step of-into the stream of north and
south bound traffic.
A comparatively few remained at the
curb until the flow of traffic was
changing TO the direction Of their
destinations. The majority halted
only long enough to ponder uncer-
tainly a few seconds and then CON
tinued on its way, regardless of signs
and signals.
The officer worked like a trojan.
The lot Of the traffic educator was
hard. The public did not 'compre-
hend. 1t was a practical demonstra-
tion that further education was Il
vital need.
VIII Repeat Experiment..
This afternoon the experiment wilt
be repeated. as we'll as on. other
afternoons this week.
The plan is not complicated. All
that the walking public has TO do IS
to remember:
When vehicles move. pedestrians
move in the same direction. When
vehicles stop, pedestrians facing the
same direction also halt. Watch the
center sign and the pedestrian police
man for signals"
Time and again yesterday the Of
ficer stopped those who attempted TO
pass him, pointed to the stop signal
atop the semaphore and told the
walkers that they were deliberately
interfering with traffic. Only one
man was seen to heed this warning
and wait beside the policeman until
traffic was changed to his direction
The others seemed to listen only half
heartedly and then keep on going,
skipping in and out between the
automobiles.
Resent Good Advice.
Several woman shoppers registered
red-faced Indignation when the officer
suggested that they should not, for
their own safety, attempt to skip in
and out of traffic. Two men, who
had been held up by the policeman,
showed anger by the time they had
reached the opposite corner and
continued on their way. 4
Much of this brand of Jay walk
ing" was caught in the motion pic
.ture that is to be shown beginning
next Sunday. at the Metropolitan,
Rialto, Tivoli, Palace and Columbia
Theaters, showing scenes in Wash
ington's traffic mess, photographed
for The Star. The camera man could
have made a dozen reels of this sort
Of recklessness, but the exigencies OF
necessary to curtail this phase OF
the film.
Open Theater to Taxi Drivers.
So intensely interested are the
managements of the Columbia and
Palace Theaters in the move to bet
ter conditions in Washington's traf-
fic that Mark Gates of the Columbia
and Lawrence Beat Beattus of tho
Palace announced today that they
would accommodate so drivers from
the taxicab companies to see The
Stars picture any morning next week
at the first performance.
Any so drivers from the Black and
White Taxicab Company who appear
at the Palace any morning next
week at 1880 o'clock will be ad
mitted to the theater free of charge.
All they require for admission will
be their regular drivers uniforms
and Identification cards. \ like
number from the Yellow company
will be admitted to the Columbia,
under identical conditions of identi-
fication.
Open Any Morning.
It was made plain that the men
need not attend in a body unless
they prerer- Iney may cnoOse any
morning during the week. the mana
gers of the theaters having only re-
quested that they appear at the first
show, which begins at 1880 o'clock In
the morning. This time, it was fig
ured, would make it possible for the
greatest number of men to attend,
as the call for cabs at that hour is
least heavy.
1t was pointed out that the invita-
ton was especially extended to tho
cab drivers because they, using their
cabs every day and night, are a big
factor in the settlement of any traffic
problem. The suggestion to make /.
possible for them to see the picture
gratis. 1t is made plain, is no attempt
to make it appear that the cab men
are more to blame for present conditions
than any other class of drivers