Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-27

ode method or left-hand turning
he importance of uniformity and
left turn. Approximately
we're added to the heretofore pub
e picture of practically universal
pei any lingering belief that there
n Conference reversing itSel: on
left.
/ tainly leads to many delays and acct
dents which would be readily avoided
were we all educated in the same school.
| which would be the case II trafic rules
were uniform" Likewise Hathaway G.
Kemper, executive vice president. Lum-
bermen'S Mutual Casualty Co., one Of the
| leading automobile mutuals of the world.
proved himself to be in perfect accord
with this when he wrote from Chic.sgo,
uniformity In traflc rules would force
sharp reductions In our national auto
mobile accident ratios by enabling
tourists to know and obey the law
wherever they may be-"
MIR. Whites comments on the Hoover
left turn methods are Of particular In
terest because Philadelphia has but re-
Gently adopted that method. having In
the past made the turn from the right
traff1c lane nearest the curb. 1t dis
necessary confusion resulting from the
change In order to attain the desired
end OF uniformity instead OF adhering
to some provincial method. For about
two months" he wrote. 1.-The new code
has been in effect and there has de-
veloped a great deal of confusion on
account Of the change. This is nat
ural, but doesn't mean that 1t isn't
the proper solution. 1t will take time
to adjust the matter. but eventually
our rule on the left turn will be like
those Of the majority Of other loca-
tons: that is, from the center lane Of
traffic"
Chicago Adopts Code.
As has been noted before. Chicago
is user Of the Hoover method, and
this is again reported by Mr.. Kemper as
well as by Leslie ]. Sorenson, city traf1lc
engineer, who stated that the new Chi
cago ordnance lis almost identical with
the Hoover code provisions governing
the left turn" and added that I'VE now
have q very great volume Of interstate
and q still greater volume Of intercity
traffic, therefore the vital Importance
Of uniformity in traffic rules"
Clifford Davis, vice mayor and COM
missioner Of fire and police Of Men,
phis, Tenn, reported that the Hoover
code in its entirety will be adopted in
this community within the year. There
should be uniformity in trafiic rules In
order that visitors and tourists may
proceed in traffic In foreign localities
with as much ease and convenience as
possible"
Writing from Baltimore, Lucius 8.
StorrS, executive chairman, United Rail-
ways & Electric Co. stated that as far
as he knew Baltimore has always OBJ
served the provisions governing the left
turn adopted recently In the Hoover
CODE" and further that II consider 1t
of great Importance that there be uni
fornity in trafflc rules throughout the
country in order that traffic movements
may be made as safe and expeditions
as possible. A variety Of State traffic
rules is productive of uncertainty, de-
lay and accident"
Fred H. Galley, secretary Of the Cleve-
land Automobile Club, likewise aligned
himself with the supporters of uni
formity, saying: We are certainly of
the opinion that there should be uni
formity in traffic regulations, so far as
such uniformity may be practical" but
that there might be local conditions
which would make 1t impossible to
apply exactly the same rules every
where.
Stresses Safety Value.
The safety value Of uniformity was
stressed by F. C. Lynch, director, Kan
sas City Safety Council, who. after
stating that his community is governed
by the left turn, in accordance with
the Hoover code provisions, continued:
II consider uniformity of traffic rules
OF the utmost importance. The two
most difficult problems which We have
with traffic are, first. safety and. sec
ond, capacity. The safety factor is ma
terially reduced by lack Of uniformity.
A large per cent of accidents are a re-
suit Of the lack of communication be-
ton each motorist assumes that the
other will proceed In accordance with
the custom Of the motoriSt In his COM
munity. InaSmuch as the customs are
established from the laws regulating
traffic movement. 1t is obvious that the
lack Of uniformity will cause each mo-
torist to proceed upon the assumption
that the other motorists will do some
thing entirely different from that which
actually happens. Second, capacity de-
ponds on fluid movement u traffic, and
this is materially reduced whenever a
stranger in the city drives slowly and
cautiously, with the hope that he will
not violate any of the trafic regula-
tons with which he is not familiar"
With the report Of ]. Allen Davis.
associate counsel, Automobile Club Of
Southern California, this remarkably
comprehensive survey is brought to q
close. "Our regulations provide that the
left turn at an intersection shall be
made from the left traffic lane, which
is in accord with the model national
ordinance and which represents q sound
basic principle governing such left
turn" wrote Mr.. Davis. Continuing. he
said, 1.-THE city of Los Angeles and APP
proximately 30 other cities In this State
have adopted local traffic regulations
which are in almost complete accord
with the model municipal traffic ordi-
nance, and our State motor vehicle law
is In very close harmony with the uni
form vehicle code formulated by the
Hoover Conference.
ST believe it is of the utmost impor-
lance that basically sound and reason
able traffic regulations be adopted and
enforced and that such regulations
should be uniform. particularly as they
affect the movement or vehicles. Bas-
ically sound and reasonable rules expe-
dite trafiic with safety. Utter confusion.
non observance and traffic accidents.are
the penalties for conflicting or contra
dictpry regulations in different cities
and States"