Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-14
MOTORING
BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.
BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.
careless pedestrianism to be
on our concrete highways.

" national association are under
way and first steps have beer
taken in the establishment of work
ing headquarters in Washington.
The field and the need for such ar
organization are so apparent that one
wonders why action is so belated.
A pooling of the interests and ideas
of the men who sell motor cars as a
livelihood seems so logical that 1t is
hard to believe that it already has
not been done. But, nevertheless
a survey shows. The field is virgin
And brighter. greener, more allur-
ing field of organization has not
appeared on the horizon i'll many
many moons.
For years. men in the street have
whispered and talked openly about
the things wrong" with the auto
business" Long ago, the brains OF
the industry remedied the once
glarine errors of manufacturers in
their relations with the dealers. And,
year by year. the plane OF leadership
has been raised until today, motor
car dealers are generally viewed as
a set of intelligent, substantial, high
type business men who deal with
their customers with strict regard
for the ethics of reputable trading.
The garage, tire. accessory and
ultimate consumer" fields have been
bettered through organization. All
but the Car statesmen, in whose ranks
there are numerous Improvements
that we'll could be made. These are
obvious to their employers and GUS
toners alike An organization, pro-
viding an interchange of ideas. sales
conventions. solutions to difficult
selling problems. creed designed to
increase respect for the profession
and, most important of all, uplifting
inspiration, would close the last gap
in the motor line.
The sponsors of the National
Automotive Salesmens' Association
deserve encouragement, and doubtless
the manufacturers and dealers will
be first to give it, since higher type
and more stable brand of statesmen
ship. in the final analysis, would
serve them we'll.
Automatic signal lights. capable of
moving enormous volumns OF traffic
with speed and safety, have been
coming in for some relatively severe
criticism during the last few months
from motorists, and, more rarely,
from some traffic engineer. Defend
ers of the signal lights, answering
this criticism, do not claim they pro-
vide a panacea for all traffic accl-
dents and delays, but maintain
stanchly that it is not the use of
the lights so much as the misuse OF
them that provides the basis OF cur
rent complaint.
The automatic traffic light. adopted
at first by large cities, quickly caught
the imagination of small communities
with metropolitan ideas, and signal
lights began to appear at thousands
of intersections where traffic condi-
tions did not fully warrant their use.
AS a result, a cumulative impression
grew up that the lights were good
only for delaying traffic. In addi-
ton, some cities placed lights at in
tersections in residential sections
where they were not necessary, ex-
cept possibly during rush hours.
Furthermore, in various large CEN
tiers the signal lights have been the
subject of much experimentation.
The synchronized system would be
tried for awhile. Then the block
system would be applied. The mo-
torist was kept busy trying to keep
up with the lights. There still is
need for uniformity in the use of the
lights in different cities. even advo-
Gates of such a traffic control meth
cd maintain.
It is such varied uses of the lights
that are held to be abuses which do
not reflect upon the potential merit
of the system itself.
Perhaps it is true that many small
cities could abandon their signal
lights and that they could be cut
out in some residential sections of
the larger cities, but where would
New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and
other cities traffic be without the
red and green beacons?
Washington offers to its motorists
an exceptional number of splendid
motor jaunts about the city-more
delightful ones, in fact, than almost
any other community in the country.
One can make the ride fit time, in
clination, mood and hour of the day.
For instance, Rock Creek Park Of
fers an endless number of beautiful
rides along its heavily shaded roads.
There it always is cool, always is
charming, always is soothing and
comforting. Rock Creek Parks high
ways and byways give to the motor
ist something for his every mood
Truly. II is the brightest gem in
Washington's diadem of natural
beauty.
Then one has the Speedway. 1t
too, has its charms and attractions
whether in the cool of the evening
or the bright sunlight of Summer
morning or afternoon. 1t is rela-
lively brief turn about the Potomac's
edge, yet it is refreshing whenever
TAKEN and quite relief from the
busy streets from which it is not far
distant.
Massachusetts avenue extended ant
out Wisconsin offers to the motoris,
who wants to confine his ramblings
to a brief period of time smooth-as-
glass boulevards, pleasant breezes
and changing topography-hills and
straightaways.
There are many other such little
tours about the city-around the
Capitol. out Connecticut avenue
through Maryland avenue northeast
out to the District line through Fiji
teenth and H streets, in and about
Soldiers Home and scores OF others
Each of them can be made to fit q
mood and the exigencies of time
each of them beckons to the Wash.