New Britain herald., 1927-10-28
OUR BU SIEST CORNER AND SOME OTHERS

When signal lights were erected the idea still persisted that the bank corner needed all the special atten- ton. In vain did we attempt to em- phasize the patent fact that more trouble was being experienced al Main an1 Church street than any where else.
 We have noted-and so has every body else-that lately the well known traffic gendarmes have switched their attention from the bank corner and are making an ey- traordinary thorough job of it at the Church street crossing. ]t is here that pedestrians, during the busy hours Of the day, are made to feel the inexorable majesty of the law. The gendarmes claim they have all the law they need in the little yellow books and crossing contrary to the signals made and provided simply is not permitted This is called educat- ing the public. It's a hard job, no doubt, but orders are orders and the policeman assigned 10 hold back the crowd is doing his duty with spartan patience. not 10 say deXtcrlty. Most of the time he is bulky Officer Joe hennedy: most of the time when We mention his name in any connection the other officers get sore, 50 we hasten to mention il once more. MeanH hie, while the said traffic officer is educating the public at the Church street corner his flank i C., the bank corner goes unprotected There being no civic desire 10 em- ploy too many" traffic officers. inc bank corner is bald of special pro lection, and the public makes the best Of 1t. So 1t often happens that while Church street corner is guard d with Napoleonic fcrvor, the bank corner furnishes an opening for fast crossing by people in a hurry. Truly q sad situation.
 We rather think this education of the public is never going to be en- tirely successful. The average indj- Nldual shows no desire to contest the right of way with oncoming chariots. but when he notices none coming on. ho has an itch to go forward and gel on the other side of the street.
 There are various complications. too. that neither signal lights nor traffic cops can alter. Thousands Of people daily travel on the trolley cars which stop and go at the trj- angle. Imagine the feelings Of d per son intending to board q car and then finding his way blocked by a traffic officer or red light just at the moment the trolley car is about to depart from its moorings at the tri angie Even traffic cop. under such circumstances. would feel sym pathetic.
 Complaint has been made, too, that the pcsky traffic signals frc- quently give much longer time to the automobiles than 10 pedestrians. We have investigated this allegation and find that the autos do in fact get a longer period for travel before be- ing stopped. although 1t may not feel that way to the hurried and harrassed drivers. When the signals are operated automatically the time varies, according to how the ma chinery in tho tower is set. Our suge, etion is that thcre be not too great a difference between the length Of time between the periods.
 Another situation orth worrying about is the facility with which the Main street railroad gates go down Just when the green light gives the right of way to the chariots. It even sometimes happens that just as they 90 up, 1lloWing rush across the tracks, the automatic red lights go on. Now wouldn't that be enough to fracture the emotions of the traffic department? II certainly does. But what 10 do" So long as the rail road insirtS on running trains over lhc branch line little difficulties like that are bound to happon-usuany during rush hours, too.
 Almost every evening. just when lne crush is greatest, the Connccti- cut company comes o bat with few freight cars, too. There are 4 hours in day, but th" only time the com rany can get its trr%hts through is when things ar" humming. The prac- ticc is an evil on", but nobody seems 10 have any influence with the com pany.
 Then there are inc buses, taking up space and coming along in drovrs. But We could go along like this for