Evening star., 1925-11-29

black in the upper quadrantS on the
yellow background. AT points of suf-
fiCient danger to require complete
stop the sign will be octasonal in
shape, "a inches across, and Will bear
the word stop" in large letters. At
curves, narrow bridges. steep hills
and other points where the degree of
danger is sufficient to call for the eX-
ercise of a considerable degree of eau
ton, but not a complete stop, a dia-
mond shaped yellow sign will describe
the character of the danger in black
letters and symbols.
AT points of lesser or occasional
danger the 24-inch square yellow sign
will be used and the necessity for eau
ton will be explained in black letters
in a single word, such as school,"
Hospital" Church." etc.
The motoriSt who loves to tour. but
abhorS the multifarious restrictions
placed upon the motor wanderer as he
travels from State to State, perhaps
wonders if his right to life, liberty and
the pursuit of the gasoline trail isn't
being further curbed He protests
there are signs a-plenty and regula-
tions sufficient to fill an encyclopedia.
He would prefer that this business of
regulating and advising motor traffic
be reduced to a minimum. 1t has
never been done in these % years of
the automotive age. but at last some
thing tantamount thereto Is the cruX,
the quintessence and the sine qua non
of this United States highways sys-
tenn.
Nowadays the motor traveller is
confronted by a million directions, in
formation and caution signs with al
most as many variations in size. color
and design. Their effectiveness is
N hGr k,-~t
motorist learns to make better time
by ignoring them. He is just as
likely, however. to ignore warning
of danger as he is a marker which is
several miles from the truth
Easily Interpreted.
The work of the Federal and State
highway boards simplifies the whole
scheme of road marking II reduces
the number of signs and standardiZes
them as to design. color, size and sig
| rificance, so that he who speeds NAV
do so knowing full we'll the conse-
quences One sign, uniform through
out the United StateS-the shield
tells the motorist where he is: rec
| tanSular signs tell him the location
of creeks. rivers. lakes and such like.
distances to nearby places and when
the speed limit is changed. Eight
other SiEns-all yellow-Warn him of
danger. It's simple system. easily
interpreted. and should prove helpful
and effective.
In the series of eight caution and
danger signs, the degree of danger is
signitied by the shape as well as the
wording or marking of the signs. A
round sign will be used only at rail.
road crossings: an octagonal sign will
Je used only at points where a com
plete stop is demanded by extreme
danger ahead a diamond shaped sign
VIII indicate always TO the driver of
motor vehicle, even though he be
color blind and unable to read. that
there is some road condition ahead
which calls for the exercise of eau
ton. A square sign invaria bly, will
indicate the need for a lesser degree
of caution.
Yellow is the color of danger or
caution. Whenever the motolist
| sees yellow he will know there is
| some degree of danger ahead White
signs will give him information and
guidance. There is no red in the
scheme unless the motoriSt is fool
1sh enough to ignore the yellow
signs.
Eliminate Old Signs.
1hlS system Will be installed on
every Federal aid highway in every
state, and the States themselves, with
the aid of the Federal Government.
will set about erecting the United
States highways markers and elm
mating the hodge podge of other road
signs, for which the conscientious
motor tourist should be duly thankful.
Many of the roads included in the
system of $4,000 miles are not i'm
proved, but the basic idea of the plan
Is that these roads shall be pushed
as rapidly as possible, to the neces-
sary stage of Improvement that will
give the United States within a few
years the most complete and compre-
henslve system of good roads ever un-
dertaken by any country and sooner
than the farmers OF the Federal aid
road plan had anticipated. Every i'm
portant center is included in the
system, every State capital and every
| large city.
This whole scheme of uniform traf-
| flc signs, signals and symbols is but
| another step toward greater safety
| on >'ehways, inaugurated last year
! by the >stional conference on street
and highway safety. 1t means that
| hereafter highway signs will have
| some significance. The driver will
know that they have been set up after
a careful analysis by competent
| judges of the conditions of the road.
| TO violate them will he extreme fool.
! hardness, while. on the other hand.
to observe them will insure safe and
| certain travel.
AS an added protection to the motor
ist against counterfeit traffic signs.
| such as are to be found now on most
| highways. it will be illegal for a mer-
| chant, manufacturer or any one else
interested in catching the eye of the
| traveller to initiate these signs as to
color, size or shape for advertising
purposes. In other words, the motor
! ist may be sure that the rectangular,
octagonal. diamond-shaped, round or
square signs on the United States
highways will read exactly as the
| tourist may expect them to read
whether they are in Maine or Cali
/ fornia.
! Extended Beyond Borders.
1t is conceivable that this system
may be extended to the border prov
! inces IN Canada and to portions of
Mexico, SO that the American tour
may encounter much the same plan.of
road marking. AS yet the officials
of the United States and Canada have
| not come together on this question,
although, it is understood, both are
| willing to do so.
The United States highways sup
plant all existing highway nomen-
clature and the standardized markers
| will take the place of the million or
more signs which contribute their
/ share of confusion and misinforma-
| ton. The map will be wiped clean
| of a lot of rubbish and in it's stead
| the new highway map will tell the
| touring motorist how to reach his
destination, where he is going. when