Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-03
Light Cars Darling Past
"Stop" Signs and Disre-
garding All Regulations.
LIVES OF PEDESTRIANS
CONSTANTLY IN PERIL
Instances of Reckless Driving Cited
by Neutrality-suspicious.
Urged to Cooperate.
By WILLIAM ULLMAN.

What amounts TO a Virtual reign VI
terror marks the traffic situation ex-
listing today in the streets of the Ma
tional Capital.
A class of irresponsible youths sit
at the wheels of local delivery trucks
and by reckless driving and careless
speeding not only send helpless pedes-
trians scurrying to safety, but bra
zenly usurp the rights of other mo-
torists.
Only too often these wantons NOV
down the hapless individual who is
unfortunate enough to stand in their
pathway, and frequently they collide
with other vehicles, at once endan-
gering life and damaging property.
Since there is nothing in the Dis
trict traffic regulations to Indicate
that the right of way belongs to the
driver with the least amount of cour-
tesy and the fastest moving vehicle,
the terrifying and increasing practice
of these dangerous operators must
come to an abrupt and decisive end.
Greatest Single Menace.
This is the consensus Of observers
of traffic conditions in Washington,
who declare that the light delivery
car which dashes along at high speed
and darts with perilous swiftness
across intersections is the greatest
single menace to life and property.
Unless there is prompt action on
the part of employers, traffic authori-
ties, and police officials-action, which
is decisive and which deals effectively
with such undesirable situation-none
hY1f he
upon the city's streets with any as
surance of escaping bodily harm.
Men and women, whose infirmities
have slowed their gait, may avoid be-
ing struck down only by the rarest
good fortune. Escorts of the blind
necessarily must hurry them along
and at times almost carry them
bodily out of harms way. The
mother with babe in arms finds 1t
difficult to keep her child from be-
ing dashed to the pavement and her.
self from being seriously and perhaps
fatally injured. Law-abididg oper-
ators of other cars are kept in state
of constant fear.
This saturnaIia of traffic law viola
ton goes on with the utmost abandon
of the part of these wantonly care
less youths, and numerous instances
d
situation which already approaches
the proportions of traffic scandal.
Disregard "Stop" Sign.
Examples of unbridled disregard of
the rights of others and general reck-
lessness on the part of these drivers
are to be found on every hand, not
only in the crowded downtown Sec
tions, but on the boulevards and quiet
streets of the outlying districts as
WELL
Within the last few days. one light
commercial vehicle sprinted across
the "stop" sign where Lanier place
runs into Calvert street near Eight
eenth street and Columbia road.
turned sharply to the right. swinging
around on what appeared to be two
wheels. the body shaking and sway
ing, narrowly missing 81 man and
woman, whose presence of mind and
agility alone saved them from serious
injury, or, even, death.
Despite the vigilance of traffic and
police authorities. prominent down
town streets and intersections are
too frequent scenes of fragrant reck-
lesSness, carelessnesS and thoughtless-
ness on the part of operators of light
delivery cars. Ninth and c. streets,
recently, was the scene of one in
stance of this kind. The driver Of a
vehicle which was parked double. and
already was violating the no-muffier-
cut-out regulation, suddenly gave the
wheels of his car a twist. smartly
raced his motor and pushed his car
into a flowing, closely packed traffic
stream, creating confusion which very
nearly brought about the wreck of
av,6 10 CO, q
a pedestrian.
Steep Incline Hazard.
The Cleveland Park and Chevy
Chase districts are being disturbed
daily by drivers who apparently have
no more consideration for life than
they do for the most fundamental
traffic regulations. Macomb street, in
the former section--which slopes down
rather steeply from Wisconsin ave.
nue. to Connecticut notwithstanding
ly has become a speedway for the
small trucks of the entire city. AL
though the streets entering Macomb
are marked STOP" the danger of
speeding down this steep incline has
been lessened but slightly, for a dozen
instances have been noted where
drivers have moved at such speed
they were unable to halt at Connect.
cut avenue, as the law enjoins
An elderly Chinese, attempting to
cross Pennsylvania avenue near the
Peace Monument, narrowly missed
what undoubtedly would have been
instant death when a vehicle of the
light commercial type swung around
him, cutting through a corner of the
safety zone. The only effort the
driver made to prevent an accident
was to sound a screeching horn. This
incident occurred only a few days ago.
and is typical instance Of what is
happening throughout the city almost
every hour of every day.
Disregard for Regulations.
A glaring example of utter disre.
gard for traffic regulations and a com.
plete lack of consideration OF human
life or property was seen recently on
Massachusetts avenue, several blocks
west of Sheridan circle, in the 3O-mile
speed zone-an exceptionally hazard.
Gus point for reckless driving. This
time, a light delivery truck sped out
from an intersecting street, passing a
stop" sign In doing SO. to cut quickly
through Massachusetts, avenue traffic
without the slightest hesitancy.
The intersection of Fifteenth and
Euclid streets almost daily is the
scene Of these near-accidents, which
are brought about by this unscrupul.
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