The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-08-22
Pro I e I
PARKING
RULES
Increasing Tide Of Resent
ment Rising Against Short
Time Regulation

Protests from business men and
shoppers against the short time
parking regulations are steadily
made to M. o. Eldridge, Director
of the Traffic Bureau, and re-
sentiment by persons who must
bring their cars downtown and
use them during the day is rapidly
gaining, it was revealed today.
With summonses for violation
Of the restricted parking ordin-
ances being issued with ever in
creasing regularity, in the Traf-
fic Bureaus endeavor to clear
the street, complaints are coming
in from many sources that a
counter-evil, disgust and even less
cooperation will result.
Merchants Kick
Merchants say their trade is cur
tailed; shoppers say they cannot
buy as freely while hurrying to re.
turn to- their parked machines, and
business men, who use their cars
during office hours and so must
keep them nearby. are imploring
relief. Many drivers with long,
spotless records are being hailed
into court, giving up time and
money in fines and, unlike speeding
cases, the matter Is not being jested
about. The opposite is the rule.
The suggestion of public pay
parking places in the center of the
city is not being given serious con-
sideration, it Is declared, due to the
belief by authorities that these
places would not be patronized,
even If the rates were made low.
Yet numerous requests for such an
arrangement have been made to
officials, many owners expressing
willingness to pay high garage
rates If they only may have their
machines available for frequent use
during the day ana be spared the
annoyance of moving them every
hour.
The latter is the basis of most
complaints coming in, and appar-
emily is causing wide resentment
by real estate men, agents, physi-
clans and others. Women are
also aroused to the need OF some
system whereby they can come
into the shopping district for a
or afternoon without con-
stantly worrying about parking
time.
One protest. made by Wallace
Hatch, of the Northwestern Mutual
Life Insurance Company, with
offices in the Union Trust Build
ing, halls the Traffic Bureaus
"innumerable regulations" as "a
series of petty prosecutions"
In a letter to Mr.. Eldridge he
urges central parking places
rather than playing hide and seek
with policemen"
Some relief must be provided,
he wrote the Director, but this
relief should not come through
persecution. Speaking for myself
as one driver whose business COM
pels the use of a car throughout
the day, to move 1t with regularity
every hour no matter how incon-
venient such moving may be, and to
search frequently for ten minutes
to find a parking place, / have en-
dured cheerfully the increasing
number of regulations and have
waited hopefully for some plan 20
provide adequate central parking
space.
IA few days ago after searching
for six blocks for a parking space.
l failed Internationally to- observe
the four-to-six rule. l appeared in
court and paid SIS fine. In court
also were many drivers who had
failed to provide parking lights or
to keep them burning.
"These drivers were fined SO each.
want to ask you, Mr.. Eldridge, II
this kind of treatment is likely to
result in cordial cooperation. 1t
seems to me that 1t can lead only
to resentment and disgust. I nave
driven since 1912 in nearly ELL sec.
tons Of the United States and i'll
these thirteen years have never be-
fore received even summonds for
violating a law or ordinance. The
penalty on this occasion was with
out Justification"
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