Evening star., 1925-11-03

tIdHSSreSSOGS are brought Delole lieiIl
for trial.
Heavier Penalties Urged.
1t has been pointed out, however
that, because of the fragrant disregard
for the law. a harsher attitude will
have to be adopted toward these mo-
toring miScreants. Heretofore, the
practice has been for policemen to stop
drivers and inform them that their
lights were out of focus, and then to
explain how proper adjustments might
he made. Arrests have been infre-
Quent since the headlight law became
effective August l, and have not av-
eraEed more than two or three week.
Fines have been moderate. and in
most instances have approXimated 50.
Automobile owners, however, have
shown little evidence of an intention
to cooperate with city authorities.
since the number of car owners who
have had their lamps tested is com
paratively small. There is but one
thing left for city officials to do, If the
safety of motoring or pedestrian pub
lie IS to be assured. 1t is to increase
the number of policemen capable of
detecting violations of the headlight
law.
TO provide sufficient lighting auto
mobile lamps must fulfill certain we'll
defined conditions. which are no mat
ter of mystery, but which. on the
other hand. are easily available to all
motorists who have the public welfare
at heart. Headlights must be strong
enough to throw Il bright light on the
roadway, but not in the eyes of
pedestrian or approaching automobile
driver. Pillar lights, placed above the
cowl Of an automobile. do not provide
enough illumination of themselves to
answer the requirements of the head
light law.
Necessary to Safety.
The traffic regulations are specific
in setting forth TO what degree the
roadway should be lighted by head
lamps. Briefly stated. headlights TO
be legal must be capable of throwing
a light which under normal atmos-
pheric conditions will reveal ANY per
son, vehicle or other substantial OBJ
ject, the size Of a small child, on the
street 200 feet. ahead" Besides that,
lamps on u car are not to project
glaring or dazzling light to persons
the machine is approaching, nor is
the main portion of the beams to rise
higher than AZ inches at Il point IS
feet ahead of the car.
Traffic authorities agree that proper
necessity to safe driving on streets
and highways. While the lights on an
are designed to give ade-
quate road illumination, they are dis
tinct obstacles in the way of safe mo-
toring unless there has been accurate
from time to time. With
out proper adjustment automobile
headlights are potentially dangerous.
Occasional adjustment Of lamps is
no assurance that they are in correct
since they are liable con-
stantly to displacement from the de-
sired focus point through jolting Of
the car on uneven roadways. Adjust
ment should be frequent and in pro
portion to the usage of the car. a
machine which is used a great deal
and is driven on rough roads is likely
to have its headlights thrown out of
focus rather often.
Adjustment Simple.
Government scientists have given
thought and study to this
question of headlight adjustment. and
have devised exact methods of focus
ing them. A simple method is out
lined by Maj. R +. Carlson of the
Bureau of Standards.
automobile headlights" says Maj.
Carlson. ARE held in place by adjust
able faSteningS which. when the lock
nuts are loosened, permit the lamps
TO be moved backward or forward or
rotated to throw the light beams on
the road, In much the same manner
that the swivel joints on an electric
fan allows the air current to be di-
rected where it will do the most good.
THE lamp door may be taken off
by pushing in and turning to the left
or by loosening the clasp. The reflect
tor which IS silvered, should be clean
and untarnished, and the bulb should
not be blackened. The screw or
which permits the bulb to be
moved from or toward the reflector, is
called the focusing screw and, on most
cars, Is on the back of the headlamp,
though it may be found in the re-
flector rim or behind the reflector.
Regulation by Driver.
1.-The combination of reflector and
light bulb throws out a beam of light
like the stream of water
from a garden hose. AS you adjust
the hoZe nozzle you get a clean-cut
stream or a spray. Similarly, when
the bulb in the reflector is moved, a
we'll defined beam may be obtained
so as to produce a small, round pat
tern, free from dark spots when
thrown on the wall
Maj. Carlson outlines the follow
ing method for motorists to adjust
their own headlights:
First, place the car on a level
floor, % feet from a shaded wall or
screen. With car loaded
measure the height of lamp centers
above the floor and draw a line on
the wall parallel to the floor at this
distance above it.
Then focus the bulbs If the
focusing screw is on the back Of the
headlamp, leave the lens on, but
make sure the top" which is marked
on the lamp, is at the top of the door
Adjust the focusing screw to give a
broom shaped beam spread out side
wise. Cover one lamp while work
ing on the other.
LAS a third step, aim the lamps.
Move them horizontally to make the
beams extend straight ahead of the
car. Now move the lamps backward
or forward to bring the top of beam
pattern just below the horizontal line
on wall or screen. The car should be
loaded or allowance made, because
loading raises the light beams"