Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17
MERCHANTS BRAND
LEFT-TURN RULING
CONFUSING, COSTLY.
Only Abolition of Practice Will
Save Capitals Traffic Rep
utation, Is Plea.
UNIFORMITY is CALLED
SOLUTION TO NIGHTMARE
Kansas Policeman SCOTS at D. c.
Motorists Story of Rotary
Turn.


hand turn which are called obstacles !
for tourists, should be changed at once |
in the opinion of Washington business |
men, represented by the Board of Trade |
and the Merchants and Manufacturers |
Association. according to statements |
made today by George w. Offutt, vice |
president of the former and Edward d. |
Shaw, secretary of the latter organiza-
ton. 1t is likewise generally agreed by
them that uniformity III regulations is
essential both from the standpoint OF
visitors and Of local drivers, and they
expressed the opinion that steps should
be taken at once to do away with the
present situation where one rule is III
force at one corner while block away
another method of turning left is
prescribed
Il notice" said Mr.. Offutt, who is
also chairman of the traffic committee
of the Board of Trade, that Mr.. Smith,
executive vice president of the Ameri-
can Automobile Association, estimates
10000 tourists annually avoid Washing
ton because of anticipated traffic dlttl-
culties He is certainly in the best po-
sition of any one l know to make
worthwhile approximation. but II he
were SO per cent in error, it is still far
too high price to pay IN order to &C.
cupy the exclusive privilege OF being
different from the rest of the country.
have no doubt that the situation here
is very confusing to visitors--it is bad
enough for those who drive here daily.
Too Many Exceptions.
'I have always favored the left-hand
turn from the left lane of traffic, and
since the PRONUNCIATION of the Hoover
code we have believed Washington should
adopt it in the interests of uniformity.
Ac Sfondc differ from
tically all other cities and also have
at least five classes of exceptions here.
At Sixteenth and I streets buses are
permitted to make the Hoover turn, and
at Wisconsin avenue and M street the
Hoover turn Is used for traffic going
into M street 1t is also used on all
one-way streets and at all uncontrolled
intersections the Uniform Code left turn
is the rule. Also drivers of cars bear
ing foreign tags are merely aomonlShed
when they try to make the uniform LETT
turn instead of the Washington rotary
one.
i believe that it is time for us TO
change the left-turn regulations, nor
only in the interests of uniformity, but
because in my opinion. the Washington
rotary turn retards the flow OF traffic
concluded Mr. Offutt.
1T seems thoroughly ridiculous" said
Mr. Shaw, that a city which ranks
fourth in the United States in hotel
accommodations should do anything in
furious TO the tourist trade unless abSo-
iutely necessary and certainly the
rotary left-hand turn is not essential.
I do not think it is any safer than the
left lane turn of the Hoover code, ana
know 1t is confusing to strangers here:
We have had reports to that effect, ana
I have seen many, many visitors be-
wildered in their efforts to travel
around and through Washington. We
have been trying to get the Hoover
left turn adopted here because we pc
lieve in uniform traffic rules. and be-
cause we consider it to be the soundesC
method. I am a strong believer in
system which will be the same oil over
the country, and 1 likewise am con-
WINGED that we should have set OF
uniform rules throughout the city.
A Confusing Situation.
"At the present time it is hard, and
st times actually impossible. to drive
here with any feeling OF certainty be-
cause of the lack of uniformity In our
local traffic rules. Many times IN ap-
preaching an intersection, supposedly
police controlled, have, because OF the
traffic, been unable to see the policeman
until practically at the corner. Count
ing on the presence Of the traffic officer,
I have worked my Car into the right
lane preparatory to executing the WASH
ington rotary turn only to find him alb
sent for some reason. The fact that ne
was not there of course changed the
rule in effect so that the Hoover turn
was the one required and it was then
impossible to cross the traffic to get to
the left lane. Consequently could not
make the turn l wanted, but was forced
to drive on-all because of the lack OF
uniformity in our own traffic rules for
all intersections and at all times.
k~Il %IA& L. n
bill has been introduced in the Legls-
lature which will require uniformity
throughout the State in the municipal
traffic codes. Possibly we will be able
to get some congressional help here be-
fore long"
That Washington's aloof position in
regard to the left turn creates contu-
sion we'll beyond the city confines is
the claim of c. P. Clark, general man
ager of the American Automobile As
ISOLATION. "A short time ago." said
Mr.. Clark, II was in Topeka, Kans,
where Mr.. H. w. Tallman. a former
washingtonian, is manager Of the Sun
flower Auto Club. He told me that
recently visitor there with D. G. tag
was arrested for obstructing traffic when
he tried to make left turn In the
washington rotary manner. Inc driver
explained to the policeman that he was
following the rule in his home city,
lieve that there was any such regula-
ton.
However. after some argument, he
recalled that Mr.. Tallmann was a
former Washingtonian and offered 10
release the visitor If the Auto Club
manager said such left turn was
actually authorized in the District OF
Columbia. They went together to the
club office where the officer presented
his case somewhat as follows: u
pinched this bird for obstructing tratfic
but he claims in Washington they have
some sort of crazy left-hand turn
where you pull over in front OF the
traffic on the other street before you
turn left. How about it? II they have
I'll let him go this time. but I don'
believe him."
"Mr. TaIImann says he finally con-
WINGED the policeman-at least enough
SO the driver was released-but that NJ
fears the officer Is still somewhat skep.
tical and inclined to the belief that i
was a case of one Washingtonian stand.
ing by a fellow townsman In distress.
Freaks Rome in Foot,