Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-23
In the Motor World
BY q. ADAMS HOWARD.
~ YATCH out for the
Al school children" This
Wv is the advice Of Traf-
fic Director William

" " is the advice OF Traf-
' fic Director William
II. Harland to all motorists in the
National Capital. Mr.. Harland re-
turned to this city last Monday
the opening day of school, follow
Ing a short vacation at North
Beach.
Mr.. Harland believes that every
care should be taken in protecting
the 10000 or more education seek
erS who began the years grind
again a week ago. The director
also is of the opinion that the
parents and school teachers
should set apart a few minutes to
instruct the children in traffic
safety.
Protection for Children.
IF the motorists exercise due
care in tar driving and the chill
dren are taught to watch out be-
fore crossing the streets there will
be no accidents involving the flu
ture citizens of the District of CO.
lumbia. Every motoriSt should a.
all times have his car under per-
feet control, and when he notices
children playing on the sidewalks
he should reduce the speed of his
car. Being within the speed limit
is not enough.
THE children must be instruct
ed not to dart out into the street
without warning, and that the
proper place to cross Is at the in
terSection, not in the middle of
the block" The student patrols
to enable little children in cross
ing the streets was praised by Mr..
Harland.
The new traffic signals at the
intersection of Florida avenue.
Connecticut avenue and S street
should be in operation by now.
For the first time the new method
of having the amber light overlap
the red and green signal is tried.
Gradually this method will be ap-
piled to the other traffic lights of
the city. At the above interSec-
ton the green signal will be on fol
80 seconds for Connecticut avenue
traffic. For the cross streets the
green light will be on for 20 Sec
ondS.
Mr.. Harland is very anxious to
have the lights scheduled for in
Stallation near the various schools
be put into operation first. These
signals, he believes, add to the
safety of the school children.
The next signals to be installed
will be five lights at the interSec-
ton of Kalorama road, Connect
cut avenue and AShmead place.
Heretofore, left-hand turns were
prohibited on vehicles entering
Connecticut avenue from the cross
street. With the lights, this regu-
lation will be changed.
Next on the list is the interSec-
ton of Mckinley and Morrison
streets and Connecticut avenue.
This intersection faces the Eliza
beth Brown School. Following in
Stallation here, traffic lights viii
be installed shortly at Eighteenth
street and Columbia road.
Installation WORK at these places
and others, including the runnino
of underground conduitS and
cables. has heen in progress for
some time. This preparatory work
takes a great deal of time. but it
Is only short time upon the COM
pletion of this work that the lights
can be put into complete opera
ton.
Free Tests.
The director is anxious for the
public'S attention to be again
called to the fact that under the
supervision of the Traffic Bureau
a shop is maintained to test both
headlights and brakes, free of cost.
The shop is maintained directly III
back of the Traffic Bureau. AL
though repair work cannot lie
done, adjustments on headlights
will be made. The motoriSt IN
visiting this shop need not fear
arrest if his headlights or brakes
are found to be not working prop
erly. If adjustment cannot be
made there, he will be told what
is necessary to be done. Both the
director and his assistant, M. O.
Eldridge, have noticed lately many
machines on the streets of the
city with glazing or defective
lights.
The office of the director o!
traffic is daily beSieged with
rapid fire statesmen. Any appli-
ance that might have anything tt
do with traffic is brought in. II
the former Secretary of Commerce;
had approved all the devices that
these statesmen say he has, ne
could not have possibly attended
to any of his cabinet duties. Mr.
Hoover has approved this" is like
unto the saying of many q news
paper visitor with the hopes oil
"Selling" some news by saying, 81
used to be newspaper man my
self once"
The other day a man from far
off Texas came in to the Traffic
Bureau with device to be PLACED
on the street at an intersection
with the words stop" SLOW" INC
left turn" or what have you, in
scribed upon them. This devlct
by it's position, is scheduled Z
catch the eye of motoriSt niue!
easier than a sign on a lamp
post. Should a wheel of a ma
chine bv mistake strike the Sigr
It merely would flap down. ant
after the wheel passed over woulc
flap back into place. Similar trsf'
fic devices have been installed i!
other cities, most of them smaller
in size than the National Capital
In these towns the device is made
of rubber. The Texas salesman
exhibited one of metal. Il don
want to sell YOU these. I lust wan
you to try them" was the Zine
he reed.
eve cannot nut on the street