Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-20
An Overwhelming Sentiment.


rotary 1eft-hand turn used in this city
is either practical or safe Is contained
in answers to questionnaires sent mem
bers of the Hoover Conference on Street
and Highway Safety by The Star in
cities from the Atlantic to the Pacific
and from Canada to the Mexican Dor
der. Forty-two members In eighteen
cities and thirteen States have to date
written The Star In reply to two simple
queries: do you consider It Of impor-
lance that there be uniformity In traf-
fic rules, and If SO, why?" and "Eas
your community adopted the Hoover
code provision governing the left turn
/. e., to make the left turn from the
left traffic lane, and II not. why?" Only
one answer, and that from Cleveland
lis in agreement with the system used
here and this member points out that
the same turn Is used throughout the
Ohio city in direct contradiction to the
two different turns now in effect In
Washington.
The Star undertook this poll because
it believes in uniformity. It believes
as do many Of the Hoover COMMITTEES
men, that the automobile has abolished
State lines and that the motorist
should handle his car in essentially the
same manner In New York or in San
Francisco or Augusta, as he does in New
Orleans. It believes that traffic on
Gals. who impose peculiar schemes
provincial" many Of the trafic ex-
perts call them-upon a community,
are lacking In vision, are complacent
and are not working to the best inter-
est Of the city which employs them.
In 1920 the rotary turn now used IN
the National Capital, was first proposed
for this city. The Star opposed it on
the ground that any left turn made
from the right trafic lane Is fundamen-
tally wrong inasmuch as the motorist
making the maneuver must cross two
traffic lines, one at his rear, instead OF
merely the line which he Is facing. The
Star was pleased at that time to con-
tribute its bit to the defeat of q plan
that was wrong In conception and has
been proved wrong in practice since its
adoption here at the time the traffic
lights were first installed. It has been
consistent in its opposition for the nine
years up to the present date when the
rotary left turn, as practiced in Wash
ington, received national attention and
protest. Typical Of the replies that
have come to The Star IS the following
from Henry A. Reninger, president Of
the National Safety Council. Mr.. Rem
niger hits the Washington situation
squarely on the head, although perhaps
Internationally, when he describes the
attitude of traffic oflcials who COM
placently believe that they are right
and the rest Of the country Is wrong.
He says in part: .f'' .
While we all, theoretically, believe
In standard traff1c regulations, many
of us are inclined to feel that the
way to obtain uniformity Is by hav-
ing every one else adopt our par
ticular local regulations. Obviously
the only way we can ever get prac-
tical uniformity is by having each
State or city willing to make some
concessions in favor OF q standard
based on the general experience and
the prevailing practice. Lack Of uni
formity results In confusion, which
would be ridiculous II 1t did not so
often contribute to accidents and to
traffic tie-upS because Of some driver
unwittingly doing the wrong or UNI
expected, thing. ..
Other members in the Hoover confer
ence reply In almost the same strain.
They point out that while the rotary
turn has been tried In many COM
munities it has been found wanting.
They agree that there can be no correct
left turn-no left turn that does not
disrupt the driving practices Of hun
dreds and thousands Of motoristS-if It
does not start from the left trafiic lane.
from which point only one line Of
vehicles must be crossed to complete
the maneuver.
The Star does not intend to. give up
the tight for uniformity-uniformity In
all fundamental trafic regulations and
uniformity in driving practices. The
Star believes that It is not only fighting
the battle Of the great bulk Of wash
ingtonians, but is expressing the best
trafic thought Of all sections Of the
United States. There will be no COM
promise and no cessation until Wash
ington falls In step, on this important
matter, with the rest Of the country.
II Horace Greeley were alive today he
would contemplate vast resources and