Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-16
POLICEMEN PASS
TRAFFIC EXAMINATION 100 PCT.
Reporter of Star Gives Test to Men on
Beats, Using Questions Which Dis
qualify Many License Applicants.

Washington policemen know their
traff1c regulations. can even answer the
somewhat ambiguous questions put to
applicants for learners permits to drive
at the Traffic Bureau, a Star reporter
found yesterday.
With reports from the TRAFFIC Bureau
that of the upward of $4,000 persons
given examinations for learners per-
mits last year, about 80 per cent were
sent back for more thorough perusal
of the traffic regulations, The Star
sought yesterday to find out just what
the men on the beats and the police
men on other than traffic duty knew
about traffic regulations.
Answers leo Per Cent Perfect.
A sample learners permit examina-
ton, copied down while the reporter sat
beside an examiner in the Traffic Bu-
reau, was submitted to more than
score of Washington policemen in the
precincts and picked at random on the
streets and the answers were 100 per
cent perfect. The questions on which
most of the license applicants fail to
qualify were given emphasis in an at
tempt to catch the guardians OF the
out avail.
The quizzing. however, did not include
the parking regulations, for the police
men blandly admit they do not know all
the local parking regulations. but de-
clare they can set you right on any
parking problem you might run across in
their particular bailiwick. Nor are the
permit applicants questioned on any but
the most general parking regulations,
their examination being confined to the
first % pages of the traffic regulations,
which set forth only general driving
and parking regulations.
Sample Of Examination.
Here is the sample examination which
the policemen passed 100 per cent, but
which takes toll of about one-third OF
those who apply at the Traffic Bureau
for licenses:
What is the speed limit in the Dis
trict?
What do you do In case Of an acct
dent?
How near to a street corner may you
park?
How near to q FIRE hydrant?
How near q street car stop sign?
What do you do when coming out OF
an alley?
I10" SAOOC Ahoy JOu NOAAS ~ - SeAN~S
car that is stopped. discharging and
taking on passengers?
How close may you follow fast-moving
traffic?
When two cars meet at a street in
tersection which one has the right OF
way?
Suppose the car which ordinarily
should have the right of way is going
to make right or left turn, then which
car would have the right Of way?
How long may you park abreast?
When may you turn In the middle
of a block?
These questions generally suffice to
satisfy the examiner that the applicant
either has or has not read the traffic
but II he has any doubts
he puts few more questions as to gen.
eral driving, such as the regulations
governing the rotary left turn, the reg
ulations governing other left turns and
the regulations governing leaving a
parking space.
The alley question, turning in the
middle Of the block, right Of way and
governing actions following
an accident trip up the greatest num-
Der of those who fail to pass the first
learners permit test, according to the
Traffic Bureau examiners.
Must Stick to Book.
The answers must stick to the book,
according to Assistant Traffic Director
M, Q. Eldridge, whose work largely
deals with permit issuance and their
The assistant traffic di-
rector examines many applicants him.
self, Just to keep his hand in, and finds
that while practically all persons who
apply at the bureau for permits have
q working knowledge Of the rules OF
driving, they make a miserable failure
in the examination If they have not
read the roles.
1--WE want them to read the rules, and
get the idea of them, realize what
they're for, so we make them stick to
the book in making their answers"
Eldridge declares. Lots of people come
in here and keep too far on the safe
side of the regulations. For instance,
some people say that the speed limit Is
10 or 20 miles an hour, or that you may
park 20 feet from q fire plug, or that
you may follow fast-moving traffic at a
distance of 80 feet. We know right
away they haven't read the regulations.
so we give them book and tell them
to come back in couple Of days and
make the right answers"
No Trick Questions.
Despite the ambiguous nature Of such
questions as How long may you park
abreast?" the answer to which is not
at all, the examiners and Eldridge main
tain that they do not try to catch ap-
plicantS on trick questions, that some