Evening star., 1924-11-14
HEADLEY WATCHES
TRAFFIC OFFICERS
Orders Failure to Observe
New Whistle Rule Reported.
Some Leeway Allowed.

INSPECTOR Albert ]. Headley. chief
Of the traffic bureau, sent a sergeant
out yesterday afternoon with instruc-
tions to tour the downtown section
and report any traffic officer failing
TO comply with the order to blow his
whistle before changing the direc-
tion of traffic.
The inspector also communicated
with Capt. L. W. Brown OF the first
precinct and requested him to eau
tion patrolmen assigned to traftlc
duty during the rush hours to fol-
low the whistle rule.
He took these steps following pub
lication in The Star of a story show
ing that on Wednesday afternoon
some officers downtown were not fol-
lowing the purpose OF the whistle
rule, which is to warn vehicles ana
pedestrians in the middle of the
street that the flow of traffic is
about to be changed.
Insists on Rule.
The traffic inspector. discussing the
story of Wednesdays observations,
said that he would require his men
TO blow the whistle. On the other
hand. he insisted that he would con-
tinue TO allow the officer at each
intersection TO decide how soon after
blowing the whistle the sign should
be changed.
Observations indicate, however,
that in exercising this discretion
some traffic men blow the whistle
and turn the signal almost at the
same instant, and when this is done
the value OF the whistle is destroyed.
The object of blowing the whistle
is to warn the pedestrian crossing
/, the street that traffic is about to
move toward him. If the signal is
changed at that same instant the
warning, naturally, IS worthless.
Changed Too Soon.
A reporter who observed conditions
on q street at Fourteenth, Twelfth
and Eleventh streets during the rush
hour yesterday afternoon found all
three officers blowing their whistles
Justify and with fair regularity, but
in frequent instances they changed
the direction of traffic a second after
the blast, with the result that ma
chimes and walkers we're not entirely
out of the way when traffic started
In the other direction.
! The situation at Fourteenth and G
Nand Eleventh and G streets is COM
sicated somewhat by reason of the
fact that during the rush hour there
are many street cars making right
hand turn. in addition to those going
straight across
G streets did not always leave an
interval between the blast of his
whistle and the turning OF the sig
nal. he was active in shouting a
warning to pedestrians. who con-
tinually got in the path of street
cars making the right-hand turn to
go north on Eleventh street.
The policeman at Twelfth and G
streets, which is a traffic post only
during the rush. blew his whistle
every time he changed traffic, but in
most cases the interval between the
whistle and the motion Of his arms
was negligible.
Pedestrians Ignore Rule.
At each of these three intersec-
tions on street pedestrians paid
little heed to the whistle. At Four
teenth and Eleventh streets the
walkers started across with the stop
sign against them and found them
selves in the middle of the street
with trolley cars in front of them
and machines at their rear.
Inspector Headley threw a new
angle on the whistle blowing rule
yesterday afternoon, when he said
he did not believe it was necessary
for the crossing men to blow the whis-
ties every time they turn the signals
during the day. He said they should
always give the whistle warning be-
fore changing the sign. when there
are pedestrians in the middle of the
street.
There may be times in the day
when the whistle warning is not nee
essary," the inspector declared.