Evening star., 1925-08-28
BLAME FOR TRAFFIC
TROUBLES PLACED.
Surveyor of D. c. Conditions
Sees Disposition to Dis
obey Regulations.

| Traffic habits which interfere with
| the smooth movement of vehicles in
the congeSted part of Washington are
not so much the result of inadequate
regulations, but of insufficient observ-
ance of existing rules by motorists and
| traffic officers, in the opinion Of r. G
Smith of New York, who Is assisting
in the transportation survey now be-
ing made here by the firm Of McClel.
Ian & Junkersfield.
Letter to Director Eldridge.
| In letter to Traffic Director Ed
ridge Mr.. Smith lists six of these hab-
| its, which he says are the principal
causes of annoyance and delay. They
are, he said:
| THE stopping of automobiles out
side the parking zone and In the lane
of traffic.
| THE parking of automobiles and
other vehicles too close to the end OF
street ear loading platforms.
THE parking of vehicles from to
| 6 in the afternoon on streets on which,
| according to posted traffic regulations
no parking is permitted during these
hours or at any time during the day.
THE failure of vehicles travelling
less than the legal speed limit to keep
as far to the right of the street as
possible.
The interference to traffic caused
by automobiles backing into and
backing out of spaces reserved for
| angle parking.
Failure of pedestrians to use
crosswalks going from sidewalks to
street car loading platforms"
Other Conditions Cited.
The rough condition of / some
streets and the inadequacy of street
lighting also were mentioned by Mr..
Smith as factors affecting the COM
fort and safety of driving in Wash
| ington.
Mr.. Smith gave several locations
where he had seen traffic tied up
| by machines stopping in the lane of
moving vehicles. presumably to wait
| for some one to come out of a near
by building.
This habit of stopping automobiles
/ in lanes of traffic seems to be de-
veloped to a higher degree in Wash
| lnston than in any other city with
which the writer is familiar" Mr..
Smith continued. 'It is a most dar-
| ing example of serving personal con-
venlenee rather than cooperating
for the benefit of the majority. Traf-
ne officers appear to pay no atten-
tion to the obstruction of free flow
or traffic in this manner and make
no eHert to have these machines
move on
! The second bad habit of the Wash
| ingtonians is their failure to recognize
! parking restrictions. The first thing
which a stranger in Washington no.
tices is the tremendous number of
cars parked everywhere throughout
the business district. The unusual
width of a great many of the streets
in Washington permits an amount of
| day parking which is not feasible in
| other cities, and In this respect the
local residents are fortunate. This
generosity with respect to the use of
! the streets for the storage of auto
mobiles has been carried somewhat
! too far on certain of the main thor
oughfares.'' -
Habits of Delivery Trucks.
| Referring to the habit of delivery
| trucks and slow-moving pleasure cars
| in keeping near the center of the road
| way, Mr.. Smith said this pra actice re-
| suits in one of three things: Either
| the general flow of traffic is impeded,
the faster moving vehicles attempt to
pass between the slew-moving vehicles
and the curb, or the faster moving
vehicles swing out on the center line
! of the street in an attempt to pass
/ The last two alternatives. Mr.. Smith
said, are dangerous practices.