Evening star., 1926-12-15
RIGHT TURN GOOD
OVER ALL GOTHAM
New Code Speeds Traffic and
Recognizes Rights of
Pedestrians.
special Dispatch to The star.

Special Dispatch to The star
NEW YORK, December 15.-After
several years of study and expert
mentation, the New York City traffic
experts have decided that the right
hand turn at street intersections is
permissible at all times, and may be
made against the red light as well az
the green. Few cities Of the country
permit this practice, but to motorists
it always has seemed a sensible thing.
New York's new regulations, which
go into effect January /, will require
that right.hand turns be made with
care and with due regard to pedes-
trians. \ whiZzing right-hand turn
will bring the offender to Traffic Court
on a charge of reckless driving.
New York motor traffic is as con-
gested as in any city of the world.
Manhattan Island is long and narrow,
becoming more and more restricted
as the downtown sections are reached.
1t has been found that holding up
right-hand turns for the green light
slows traffic to an appreciable degree.
Furthermore, when green light Is
flashed pedestrian traffic starts and
the motorist making right-hand
turn must fight his way through this
cross foot traffic.
The new traffic code for Manhattan
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thought-out set of regulations, which
seem to go as far as possible toward
solving the problem Of street conges-
tions, and it endeavors in a Solomon
like manner to judge between the con-
hicting rights of drivers and walkers.
Rights for Pedestrians.
Walkers never have had many
privileges in this city and consequent
ly have taken them willy-nilly. New
Workers think nothing of darting
across Broadway or Fifth avenue
without regard to the red and green
lights. Sometimes six policemen sta
toned at Fifth avenue and Forty
second street have been unable to
prevent foot ball rushes across the
thoroughfares. In the new code the
walker is given his rights.
At all intersections which are un-
guarded by traffic cops the pedestrian
has the right of way and motor We
hicles, as well as horse-drawn trucks,
are required to slow down and give
the walker the preference. 1t probably
will be some time before the dashing
taXicabs of this over-cabbed commun-
ity will make up their minds that
mere pedestrian has any rights at all.
They love to rush screaming upon
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with a merry chuckle, they proceed
on their reckless way. Taxi drivers
here say the cops are after them all
the time and they never do nothing"
but John Doe. pedestrian, is con-
vinced the cabs and the cops are In
league to do him bodily injury All
this will be changed under the new
regulations, maybe.
New York never has been much for
che strict enforcement of speed reg
ulations. The rule has been to get to
where you are going as quickly as
possible and you must never delay
traffic. On a traffic control street,
when you have long string of green
lights in front of you and cross traf-
fic is barred, the sky appears to be
the limit and the cops at the corner
beckon you on even after the
speedometer has hit 80 or above.
But for the purposes of making an
ordinance it has been decreed that on
and after January /, speed in excess
of 20 miles an hour in the congested
districts of the greater city may be
deemed reckless driving, if the arrest
ing authority be so inclined.
In the outlying districts 25 miles
an hour will be permitted at all times
and more when the traffic conditions
permit or the cop tells you to come
along"
Left-hand turns are made here the
same as in most cities. The turner"
advances with the green light, halts
toward the center of the street and
completes his turn when the green
flashes for the direction in which he
lis going. Wherever a cop is sta
toned the left turn must be made
''inside" or to the left Of the officer
and not around him.
New York City is starting a real
crusade against useless motor noises
The new regulations will emphasize
rules recently put into operation
against the senseless honking of horns
in a halted traffic line. This honking
has been held to be a nuisance. and
many motorists already have been
fined heavily for the offense. 1t is