Evening star., 1927-11-13
MOTORING
Any can rumble seat but really sitting in

BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.

~ DOaStlnG Oh nunQfCQS OIL tnOu-
~ sands OF miles OF broad
q n smooth. gently curving, hard
surfaced roadwayS, is one OF the
Inarvels of modern times. But it is
infinitely less of a marvel to the
American than to the foreign visitor
This naturally would be the case. 1t
is difficult to go into ecstasy over
anything so definitely established and
soundly functioning as the United
States highway system.
One way to recapture vivid sense
OF the real splendor OF highway
building is to watch the progress
OF road under construction. This
was, well proved recently when an
opportunity presented itself for look
ing over an operation involving the
G building of a new link in the Roose-
Welt Trail in Pennsylvania
As the huge steam shovels tore
away at the side OF the un,ain,
building the ledge around which
some day soon a ribbon of concrete
will, stretch, a different attitude
toward road construction became evil
dent. To the uninitiatcd it would
have seemed virtually impossible
that. this wilderness later will echo
and re-echo TO the throb of hum
dreds of motor cars. There were
thousands of yards of stone to be
dyn4mited and removed, huge fills
to be made i'll many places along the
6-nIe stretch. In one place there
was "a swamp, where the ground
writhed like gigantic snake behind
the wheels of the heavy motor
trucks that were at work Over this
a slab of concrete had to be laid
Soon it will be a beautiful road"
and only few will know the genius
and labor that struggled to make it
beautiful.
While Washington motorists GER
tainly arc guilty of many chronic
habits which tend to impede the
movement of traffic and add in no
small measure to the dangers of the
streets and highways. it cannot be
overlooked that pedestrians, toe,
haveffallen into ways. unconsciously
perhaps, that at once are irritating
and dangerous.
One such habit which comes to
mind with considerable force is the
pedestrian practice of looking in the
same direction as the moving traffic
when stepping OFF a curb. Only by
making a personal investigation of
this situation can one be acquainted
with the amazing proportion of
pedestrians guilty of such an OBJ
yiously foolish precaution.
Even on such broad avenues as
Massachusetts,. Pennsylvania and
Connecticut, the observer will note
pedestrian after pedestrian peering
cautiously down the street, when
only the most fragrant violator of the
law would be likely thus to drive his
vehicle on the wrong side. The
pedestrian naturally should watch
the traffic on his left and make his
way accordingly, or, if on a lighted
street, with the signals.
Many near-accidents occur each
day as result of pedestrians looking
for traffic where no traffic comes,
and failing to watch its advance
down the street, WHICH. of course,
should govern their movements. The
matter is such an obvious one that
1t apparently has been overlooked
recently by those seeking the causes
of accidents and delays. 1t should be
given thought again because the con-
dition is one arising with increasing
frequency on the streets of the Ma
tional Capital, and brings with it
further annoyances, and undoubtedly
adds definitely to local traffic dis
tress.
Currently, Washington motorists
are finding that the streets and
boulevards over which they travel
in the National Capital generally
are in good condition, and that their
cars are not suffering the mechanical
distress nor their occupants the
physical unpleasantness which a
short while ago marked tour with
in the District OF Columbia's con-
fines.
The approach of the Winter sea-
son notes the main arteries of the
city we'll paved. and apparently in
condition to withstand the rigors of
the difficult season which lies just
ahead. Naturally, the coming of
Spring will find a goodly quantity of
repair work necessary due to the
strenuous wear which streets re-
ceive during the season of freezing
temperature, ice, snow and slush,
but because much basic work has
been done it seems true that next
April will not see the highway sys-
tenn of the Capital the mass of ruts
it has been at that time in some sea
sons past. ..
Motorists here can help in this
matter to some extent, too, by exer-
cising discretion in operating vehi-
cles over the streets in difficult
weather. For instance, running with
chains on long after the need for
them has disappeared surely can be
construed as no particular advantage
either to the motor owner or the
streets over which he operates his
car.
why" inquiries car-owning
reader in a recent letter, do Wash
ington's traffic officers apparently
make deliberate effort not to work
in unison when directing the vehicu-
lar stream along Pennsylvania, and
the other avenues. where they are
stationed at every intersection to ex-
pedite the traffic movement!'
The question, indeed. is a pertinent
one, and one over which observers
here long have pondered. 1t does
seem as though these officers could
watch each other. and make the flow
OF traffic smooth, rather than to
continue following the present prac-