The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-07-16

TOO long TOT ordinary laH ana
tho writer. IN violation o. Star
requirements. asks that hts name
be withheld Because n covers
such an interesting subject and is
handed 30 well, The star D. 60
ing 20 lei down the bars this once
and use a In fun with the anony'
nous signature;
Editor The stars-You asked
the other day for letters from Sc
attic autoists about the matter
OF drivers picking up. or not
picking up. pedestrians on their
way 20 work mornings. A Mad.
ron Park man asked sou why no
moioust had ever offered him a
ride 20 town.
lie didn't know and you didn't
know. and I don't know. but u
might be any Of a number Of rea.
sons
First, n you are walking along
toward town and a driver passes
you up Il may be because a dor.
en- times before. he has had the
experience OF stopping and invit
ing a pedestrian 20 ride. and
probably getting cuabed BY a line
OF cars behind him that be Is
holding up. only 20 be turned
down by the pedestrian. who IL
walking 90 town Tor exercise
and wouldn't accept a ride from
anyone. There are hundreds OF
persons In Seattle like this
pUT suppose you are standing
ID on a near corner. which
makes u clear that you are
waiting for n street car. Then
these reasons might come up;
First. the driver may not be
going directly 10 town. as you
would want 20 go. He may be In.
tending 20 stop NJ the next sta.
ton FOR gas and oil, or he may
be going out on the highway. or
up 20 the auto row for some re.
pair work. lie can't stop and er.
plain all these things 20 you.
even II he knows you. You un.
justly resent his passing you up.
but you would resent still more
his picking you up and then
dropping YOU again a few blocks
further on.
Second. four or five others may
be standing by or near you. The
driver can't take all OF you and
he can't pick out one or two TO
take and leave the others. I've
seen that tried and I've seen
everybody pile on without invita-.
ton. even 10 ruuningboard space,
A car would look like a second
hand jitney in about 10 days II
the driver tried that experiment
often.
Third. drivers experience dis.
courtesy In several forms from
persons 10 whom they try 20 do
a good turn. / have picked up
persons in outlying districts. on
single car lines. with lnfrequent
service, and brought them down
town. only 10 have them find
fault with me for not taking
them as far as they wanted 20
go. never figuring that ! had
brought them down to where
they could get street car every
30 seconds.
ONE white haired old woman
" whom I knew would have 10
wait nearly 20 minutes for a car.
did my best 20 give a lift 20.
but after a long argument she
finally refused 20 ride because |
didn't happen 10 be going down
the same avenue that her car
ran on.
l tried bringing men down
town with these results:
Ono OF them, backing out OF
the front seat. smashed my right
wind deflector: that cost me
$3.50 for new one.
Another. riding in the rear
seat. In getting out. pulled him.
self up by the robe rail and
pulled so effectively that he
wrenched II clear off the back
OF the front scat: that made a
repair bill OF $3.50 for me.
And nine men out of 10. leav-
ing a car. will stand off, grit
their teeth and slam the door
as II they were Babe Ruth try.
ing TO knock out n home run.
Why they do II. Heaven knows.
Any car door will shut gently:
try IL They wouldn't slam a door
at home that way. Slamming a
car door cracks the enamel,
loosens tho door and makes IL
rattle. Many car owner is
likely 10 ask himself why he
should submit his machine to
such abuse when he is trying to
do n stranger a favor.
FTER that offered lifts TO
"A women waiting for street
cars and. while most of them are
grateful for such a saving In
ume-the dread OF almost every.
one in the morning is being late
TO work-and in carfare, which
-----------------------