Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-02-12
MODERN AUTOS
ECLIPSE Wind
States Remove Speed
Limits, But Watch
Recklessness

10
Most people in this country travel
Easter than the ancient winged gods
who, mythology says, sped as fast
as the wind. Wind ordinarily trav-
els no faster than 20 or 80 miles an
hour. The American, equipped with
an automobile rather than a pair of
wings, can hardly ~confine himself TO
that speed and occasionally he may
pass an so mile gale.
VI late this question has arisen.
Are automobile manufacturers JUS
titled in advertising the speed quail
ties of their cars? The answer is
yes. The public is demanding speed.
Science and engineering have pro-
vided cars that travel fast with safe
~. Better roads are being built.
Roads are the most important ex-
ternal factor affecting automobile
speeds. Before rural highway i'm
~provement became widespread,
states were entirely sensible in es-
tablishing speed limits on main
thoroughfare. But now that rural
roads are, on the whole, much bet
ter than they were a few years ago,
It is only proper to expect states
a have built considerable mile
ages of hard pavements TO raise the
.spesd limit.
- State Laws Faster
Several states, among them lndl-
ana, North Carolina, Maryland, New
Hampshire, Oregon and Washington,
now permit motorists to travel ten
to twenty miles more an hour tnan
formerly. Michigan with a vast mile
age of concrete roads, has gone a
step farther by making no hmlta-
tion beyond that of stipulating PEN
alties for reckless driving, a reser-
walton which still gives that state q
definite check on those who endan-
ger the lives and property OF oth-
ers. Michigan's new law states that
q car shall not be driven at a speed
more nor less than is reasonable and
proper. Thus the slow-poke is re-
membered.
With all the potential speed auto
mobile manufacturers are making
available to the individual, it is fol-
1y not to take full advantage Of It
As railroad engines were bettered
tracks were built more substantial
ly. Light rails replaced the strap
iron, heavier steel replaced the light
rails, and now on railroad trunk
lines rails are used weighing 13C
pounds per yard which safely carry
60-mile an hour trains. Expert
ments with concrete roadbeds give
promise of still faster trains at nc
sacrifice of safety.
Speed Gets Results
The same principle must be ap'
piled to roads so that the automo'
bile's greatest efficiency can be at.
tanned. Automobiles are now de
signed in such a manner that the
gasoline consumption approaches 1
minimum at about as miles an hour
At this speed also, even though the
motorist is. driving one of the cheap.
er cars, viii be found motor smooth
ness. The vibrations of old, thai
caused back seat occupants TO griI
top supports with terror, have van
ished.
Danger in some degree is always
present in automobile driving. Or
smooth. hard surfaced roads, equip,
ped with well banked curves, con.
spicuously marked railroad cross
ings and highway intersections, the
| accident likelihood is reduced to a
4 minimum. With confidence in the
road surface, and with complete Wis.
Utility, the matarost can select h:
own speed. But III travelling at
high rate the motorist is charged
with being doubly alert, for 1886 fee
are required in which Il stop a cal
travelling so miles an hour.
After all, it makes little differ
ence to accident records whethe,
automobiles are designed to traye
80 or 80 miles an hour, for there ar
those incapable drivers who vii
have accidents at 20 miles an hour
A number of states have at leas
weeded out most OF the unfitte,
drivers by requiring examination
and tests.
The age of personal speed is here
The day is not far distant when on,
will travel from coast to coast il
six or sever days. This can be don,
now, but not altogether comfortabl,
or entirely safely.