Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-17
CHECK ON DRIVERS
OF BUSES URGED
Blamed for Slowing Up TRAIT
fic by Keeping to Mid
die of Street.
BY WILLIAM JLLMA\.

Lnat large measure or cooperation
from operators of bus lines in the city
Is imperative. The bus that comes
laundering down the middle of the
street seemingly taking advantage
of its enormous size to brighten other
vehicular and pedestrian traffic out
Of its path. has become the object of
increasing criticism as the number of
such vehicles has increased.
Conceding that the motor bus which
serves thousands daily is of tremen-
dous Importance in the municipal
transportation scheme. many declare
the tactics of bus drivers generally
are multiplying many of the virtues
claimed for this medium when 1t
began to operate here.
The chief advantage claimed for
this type of public carrier was that
its fieXibility gave 1t a measure Of
superiority over the trolley car in re-
lation to the rest of the traffic EN-
bodying II" mobile principles Of the
passenger automobile, it was believed
mat the bus would be highly adapt
able and interfere far less with traffic
generally than any other large pas
senger transportation unit.
Brook No Interference.
Now. ii is argued, this potential ad.
vantage has been sacrificed because
or the apparent intention OF a ma.
Jority of bus drivers to brook no in.
reference. even that which is legal
and Just, from other vehicle operators.
rms is the most emphatic allegation
brought against the bus driver and
It's result is declared to be an obvious
OIL ft1e rf a. 4
deleterious animus between the bus
and passenger car operator.
1T is questioned by many critics
that the officials of the larger bus
companies are aware of the tactics
employed by their drivers. Obedience
10 the traffic regulations and a courte-
Gus regard for the rights OF other
street users is demanded of their
chauffeurs by ma jority of bus line
operators. Keeping check on the
practices of their men who are cours-
ing the streets every hour of the day,
however, is virtual impossibility in
some cases. But, il is argued that
the schedules maintained by the
BUSES should be sufficiently flexible
to enable the bus driver at all times
to conform to the traffic regulations
and the tenets of courteous driving
Keep i'm Middle of Street.
s chief among the evils laid to the
bus Is that its driver, under virtually
Eaii conditions of traffic, persists in
susurping the middle of the street.
making ii impossible to pass except
zone get far over to the left side of
sthe street. On crowded thorough
STARE, where this is impossible, many
drivers find that the one chance to
ssiip by the huge bus comes only when
"a pulls over to the right curb to take
Eon or discharge passengers.
The effect of this practice is
general slowing up of traffic, result.
ing in congestion and its consequent
dangers.
Whether ii is because the noise of
yhis vehicle browns out the appeal Of
sthe horn of the car behind or because
sof his conviction that might makes
fright The middle of the street bus
idriver is declared ITO be one of the
most Irritating factors in Washington
traffic.
Other Charges Brought.
Other serious charges are brought
against the bus operator. One is that
me exceeds the speed limit, particu-
.larly at street intersections, evidently
sassuming that the vehicles size and
momentum will terrorize other cars
sout of their legal rights at the corner.
The efficient air brakes with which
the larger BUSES are equipped may
make them relatively safer at high
speeds, but the fact that four-wheel
brakes have achieved the same effect
sfor the passenger car has seen them
given no especial rights in the way
lof higher speeds. This is pointed out
semphatically by observers who main
tain that the speed laws apply to all
vehicles.
! The stop signs erected at boulevards
were intended to apply TO busses as
well as to privately owned automo-
aoiles. hut it is held rare. indeed, that
1he schedule of the bus operator per.
mits him to comply with the regula.
stion which specifies waiting for
schance to enter the important thor
oughfare without impeding it's vehicu-
flar stream. While many of them stop
momentarily, but few meet the further
requirement of entering the arterial
highway only when the way is clear.
Create Traffic SnarIs.
4 This is nota bic particularly in 20.
somac Park. through which The Vir-
Ginia suburban busses are routed. md
IN the Massachusetts avenue section.
Some particularly annoying traffic
snarls of truly serious proportions are
created by the busses of all lines.
There is little question that the one
0n sixteenth street is among the most
prominent. The hill above Florida
avenue Is one that offers considera Bile
resistance to the heavily laden buses.
9nd unless the driver makes the con-
6eSsIon Of driving over to the right
curb every vehicle on this greatly
tised boulevard is retarded
Because travel is so heavy in both
directions, the busses travelling in the
hliddle of this street present an In
furmountable obstacle to all vehicles
behind them.
al The same situation, although of
less serious extent because OF the
fewer intersecting streets and the
higher speed limit. prevails on Massa
ehusctts avenue beyond Sheridan Cir.
File. When they are filled to capacity
curing the rush hours the busses on
This thorouehfare are unable to climb
the hill al the legal speed limit OF 80
miles an hour. The narrowness of
Z the street and the heavy traffic in the
opposite direction serve TO limit the
possibilities of passing.
~ Uses Horn Emphatically.
~ The bus driver. who never will re.
spond 20 the horn Of another car. is
! Haid 40 make himself particularly OBJ
noxi0us by emphatic use of his own
when his way is cut off by privately
owned automobile. This. together with
his other practices which have been
subject 10 emphatic criticism, is said
$40 be engendering "A feeling of an
tipathy between the bus driver and
hnotorist that reacts unfavorably upon
both.
Is conceding that the fact that they
Serve so many thousa nds daily gives
the bus certain unQuestioned rights
\ critics Of the drivers maintain that o
femedy should he found for the abuses
that have grown up within the last
This IiaS