Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-18
SPEED IS HELD KEY
TO TRAFFIC KNOTS
Machines of Future to TraveI
Faster More Safely, Says
Auto Expert.
By H. CLIFFORD BROKAW,
Automobile Technical Adviser.

these days one has to travel along In a
car at a brisk rate of speed In order
not to interfere with the normal now
OF trafic. To loiter along at the Gus
tomary miles per hour Of = quarter Of a
century ago is not being done very
much.
various States are changing their
speed laws and are revising them up
ward That is. they are making the
maximum legal speed higher and
are able to get over the ground at the
rate of more than 200 miles an hour.
an almost incredible humiliation Of
space. It is interesting to contemplate
what Is likely to be normal rate CT
travel for the motor vehicles Of the fl-
ture.
Development Of the Car.
The automobile has had an interest
ing development. In the early days the
effort was mainly toward the problem
of keeping the automobile in motion,
irrespective of any particular speed En-
ginecrs working for automobile manu-
facturers specialized on the develop
nent of the engine. the starter, electric
lights and various other mechanical
aspects. The next development had to
do with perfecting the highway over
which motor cars had to be driven.
During recent years much stress has
been put upon the enhancing Of the
automobiles body from the standpoint
Of lines and color Also the automobile
comfort from the standpoint OF up
holstery snubbers, balloon tires and
the like.
It appears that the automobile now is
In the stage Of It's development where
much consideration is being given to
the matter of speed. or how fast can
an automobile be expected to travel
with safety over our modern highways
Many engineering problems are in
volved in this movement to increase the
rate Of speed of motor transportation 1t
Is one matter 70 annihilate space at the
rate of so or so miles an hour-it is
quite another matter to accomplish this
feat with comfort and safety
Some automobiles that are able to
reach these speeds do so with so much
vibration that the driver can hardly
keep his seat. The consequent strain
very great. 1t also Is important that
automobiles going at such rates should
be sure to stay on the road. This calls
for special study of body construction
and engineers have given this aspect
Of speed very much attention and with
very gratifying results. 1t is noticeable
that a good deal of the sales talk re-
speeding the latest automobile models
has to do with the speed AZ which the
new cars are able to travel This indi-
Gates that speed is receiving great con-
sideration at last.
Speed Retarded by Accidents.
It is somewhat dificult to understand
why speed has not been given more
the main purpose of the automobile Is
to enable people to get from one place
to another at a more rapid rate OF
speed. There has probably been some
hesitancy in talking about automobile
speed through fear. through the aSSo-
citation of speed with unfortunate acct.
dents. AS matter Of fact, a great
many motor accidents occur through
the slowness with which some people
Is estimated that rather few accidents
happen where speed is the only cause
OF course, II driver of an auto
mobile is intoxicated he is liable to
have an accident at whatever rate of
speed he Is going, but In his condition
he is quite likely to attempt to travel
at an excessive rate Of speed. It is
probably true that many automobile
accidents are laid to fast driving when
this Is not the nature of the cause.
Given a competent driver and an I'M
likelihood of his having an accident at
any speed which would not be consid-
cred reckless, and so miles an hour
would not be considered reckless under
such circumstances.
Since automobiles are being built to
handle more and more speed under the
direction of competent drivers, 1t Is ap-
parent that the trend in highway facili-
ties must be in the direction Of accom-
Of speed than have prevailed hereto
fore. The widening OF many Of our
highways so that four or more cars
can travel side by side without being
crowded is a move In the direction OF
making place for increased speeds. It
Is likely that the future will see auto
mobile roads constructed on an even
wider basis and that there also will be
numerous highways for pleasure cars
only, with trucks and the like trans
ferred to other highways especially for
their use. It also Is likely that there
will be further development in high.
ways which will have most Of the
crossings eliminated and signal lights
provided where road intersections are
found necessary. On such HIGHWAYS It
is already possible to maintain with
safety SpCCClS COIloIUCIAUly III CACCSo VI
those now legal on public highways.
Sees Solution Of Tangles.
II Is apparent that there must be
some increase in the rate Of speed at
which automobiles travel If people ere
to be able to get over the highways
Of the country with satisfaction. MANY
Of the trafic tangleS probably would be
less tangled IL higher general average
Of speed could be depended upon. In
other words, more speed instead Of less
may be the medium used to facilitate
the trafic Of highly congested areas.
One reason for the increase In speed
Is found in the experience Of automo-
bile drivers. Take the millions of per-
sons in the United States who are nov
thoroughly experienced in operating a
motor vehicle. It Is their tendency az
their experience increases to increase
their speed. Another reason for the In.
crease In speed lies in the increased ef-
ficiency OF the automobile itself. The
operator Of car now has q machine
over which he has great control. Ever
when going at so miles an hour he can
though the use of four.wheel brakes
bring his car to stop in an incredibly
short space.
efficiency Of the automobile engine the
nnotorist can, when necessary, get great
bursts of speed to carry him past dan
yer points. It is often as essential to
be able to shoot ahead in order to avoid
an accident as 1t is to come quickly to
stop. The fact that the motorist has
a better engine, better steering mech
assn. balloon tires. with better facili-
rs for gripping the road surface, tends
4 give automobile drivers a confidence
6rat was not attained a few years ago
y his confidence encourages the drivers
to pick UP on their speed In the assur-
ance that the conditions are such as to
permit them to proceed without endan-