Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-26
RESENT CONFLICTS
IN TRAFFIC LAWS
Motorists Say Roads Lack
Markings, Forcing Passage
Through Congestion.

Sore spots in the national motor
touring situation in 1928 were stressed
in q preliminary survey made public
by the national headquarters Of the
American Automobile Association here
today.
While pointing out that touring con-
ditions this season were on the whole
better than ever before the national
motoring body asserted that the multi
plicity and diversity of traffic rules and
ordinances, together with failure TO
mark through routes for cities and
to encourage belt lines around thickly
populated areas, had materially dimin-
ished the sum total Of the pleasure OF
the Nations motor tourist caravan.
The A. A. A. survey Is based on re-
ports to national headquarters from
l.065 affiliated motor clubs that have
handled millions OF tours since the
opening OF the travel season.
All Sections Complain.
From all sections OF the country,
said the A. A. A. statement, comes
the same story. 1t Is story of mil
lions of motor tourists, who are tired
Of running the gantlet Of traffic regu-
lations that change not only from State
W GJldtE. 0uh 4iSLil t'hAA W tpHii
and even every few minutes from ham
let 10 hamlet in the same county. The
worry, the strain on the driver who
must be ever on the alert to observe
changing regulations, the waste OF time
and energy mars the pleasure of the
tour for hundreds Of thousands o!
people
Our review Of the conditions en-
countered by the motor caravan thi;
season as regards tratiic regulations
affords another conclusive piece Of evi.
dence Of the urgent need for the inn
mediate adoption by the entire eoun-
! try of the uniform motor vehicle or
dinance
THE second body of dissatisfaction
/ brought out by our survey vents itself
| on the hundreds OF cities and towns
/ that have not yet realized the Impor-
lance of carrying the marking Of the
main highways through them. This
/ failure Is in strong contrast to thf
/ splendid work that has been done and
! is being done by the State highway de-
partments In marking the highway sec
/ tons under their jurisdiction, Some
] cities carry the route numbers and
signs through them The others viii
| follow when ii dawns on them that
every time they let foreign motorist
! wander In the maze Of their streets
! they are losing an opportunity to make
friend"
| Raps Commercial Interests.
| The A. A. A. statement took gen
| tie rap at the well meaning but mis-
| guided commercial interests" that are
| opposing belt lines around cities foi
| through motor traffic
J
This opposition TO the creation and
! development OF belt lines Is perpetual
/ ing IN an aggravated form the con
! gesti0n. the hazard and the inconvcn.
/ icnce incident 10 the pouring Of hun
! dreds OF thousands OF motor tourist
| through the bottle necks Of many oi
/ our large cities One can readily UNI
dcrstand the legitimate interest in tbs
! enormous business created by the motor
! tourists But IL Is difficult to perceive
what benefit Is derived from compel
! Ing the motorist whose destination may
/ be- hundreds Of miles away 10 waste
! his time by running the gantlct of a
! city
/ If the tourist has business In 4
| city he will stop over belt lines OF
| no belt lines II he has no business
| there, the delays he may encounter
! by being virtually forced TO go through
| IL will only result in resentment ant
| Ill viii and not In increased business
| for the city. II should be remembered
! that the easier and safer travel Is made
! for the motoriat. the more cities hi
| will ultimately visit, and the more
time he will have for stopovers. sight,
seeing and spending"