Evening star., 1926-09-24
MUST
OBEY SIGNALS BY
NEW REGULATIONS
Commissioners Approve Plan
for Police Campaign to
Warn Walkers First.
NOVICES HENCEFORTH
NEED LEARNERS PERMITS
Use of Dealers Tags to Be Re-
stricted-Letter System of
Numbering Adopted.

TIE long proposed traffic regula-
tions, designed to control pedestrians
at intersections where electric signal
lights are in operation, was adopted
today by the Board of District Com
missIoners. Another regulation re
quiring all novice automobile drivers
to procure learners permits to hold
while under instruction also was ap-
proved, as we'll as a regulation requir-
ing automobile instructors to procure
permits from the director of traffic.
While arrests will not be made for
violation of the pedestrian control
regulation for at least six months.
Mr.. Eldridge has planned to have
policemen stationed at the interseC-
tions controlled by the lights to hand
to offenders pink cards, warning them
that they have violated q traffic regu-
lation. The traffic director believes
that this will cause sufficient embar-
rassment to violators to keep them
from repeating the offense.
Arrests May Be Made Later.
AT the end of a reasonable educa-
tional campaign, Mr.. Eldirdge asks
that arrests be made. No penalty is
provided in the pedestrian control
regulation itself. but the traffic act
provides that violators of any provis-
ions of any section or paragraph OF
the regulations wherein a penalty is
not specifically provided shall be
punished by fine of not less than
81 nor more than $500. or imprison-
ment Of not more than 10 days.
Other traffic changes approved by
the Commissioners included the in
dorsement of the new system of label
ing the 1927 automobile Identification
tags with numerals preceded by a
letter; a regulation tightening the re-
StraStions on the use of dealers tags
making Meridian place between Four
way thoroughfare for eastbound traf-
fic. and abolishing parking on the
south side of Park road between Four
teenth and Sixteenth streets.
Given Wide Approval.
Traffic Director M. o. Eldridge in
recommending the adoption of the pc
destrian-control regulation, advised
the Commissioners that 1t has the ap-
proval of the District Traffic Council
and Maj. Edwin B. Hesse, superin.
tendent of police.
1T provides for pedestrian regu
latiOns only on streets where traffic
is controlled by the electric traffic
signals and on which streets the
pedestrians are given q safe chance
to cross every 35 seconds" said Mr..
Eldr1dge. Traffic moves more
rapidly on these streets when 1t is
running with the green light and 1t
trianS to cross under such condi
tions. 1t is my opinion that it is
not unreasonable to expect pedes-
trians to wait the short period neces-
sary when they, in their turn, are
given a clear right of way over all
traffic."
Accidents by Learners.
In support of the regulation 10 re
Quire drivers learning to- operate Il
machine to take out a learners per-
NIT, Mr.. Eldridge declared there have
been many instances in the past
where persons involved in serious
accidents were found TO be driving
without an operators permit and the
invariable excuse is that they were
under instruction.
I'm some cases" he said. people
who have been driving cars in the
District for six and seven years with
out a permit have given this excuse
1t is. therefore, felt that a regulation
requiring persons to obtain a learner s
permit, which permit will permit the
driver to operate under competent in
structions for limited length of time.
is essential. This regulation will
make it illegal for any person to
operate any vehicle under any condi-
tions in the District of Columbia with
out having some kind OF a permit"
In regard 10 the instructors per
nit, Mr.. Eldridge pointed out that he
has ascertained that unqualified per-
sons are offering tneir services for
hire as instructors, and the profession
of automobile instructor is daily be-
coming more important, he said.
1T is believed" he alleged. that
this regulation should be adopted in
order that the best interests of the
general public may be protected from
unscrupulouS persons who represent
themselves as automobile instructors
and who are not themselves properly
qualified to act as instructors"
The permit will be issued free Of
charge to persons who can satisfy
the traffic director as to their ability
TO act as instructor.
The regulation concerning dealers
SLlDuldlcS ILdI SIldlk Dc uIlldW-
full for any individual or dealer TO
display such tags on any vehicle
other than one held by such dealer for
sale or owned by such dealer for ex-
elusive use in his business and that
the use of dealers tags on motor ve-
hicles owned by motor vehicle sales
men. members of dealers families or
the personal property Of dealers, is
prohibited. This regulation was pro
posed to legalize the new type of tag
authorized for 1927 and to prevent
the use of dealers tags for private
purposes. a very large number OF au-
tomobiles, according to Mr.. Eldridge.
are being Illegally operated on deal
ers' tags and the District is losing the
personal property tax on these cars
Parking is prohibited on Park road
between Fourteenth and Sixteenth
streets, because 1t is the main street
used by the Fire Department in an.
swering alarms west of Fourteenth
street, and the roadway is so narrow
that when the fire apparatus gets be.
hind a slowmoving vehicle It is not
possible for it to pass, with the result
that q delay is often occa stoned.
The regulation making Meridian
place a one-way thoroughfare was
also recommended at the request Of
the Fire Department. Mr.. Eldridge
said the street Is so narrow that 1t Is
not possible for two vehicles going in
the same direction to pass unless
parking is prohibited. Virtually all OF