Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-03
In the Motor World
BY q. ADAMS HOWARD.

TT appears that the director OF
traffic, william H. Harland,
and his assistant, M. o. Ed
u ridge, will go down fighting
in defense of the rotary left
hand turn. It is their pet and
they will remain true to it to the
end, and that end in view of re-
cent developments does not look
far off.
Every one is entitled to his per-
sonal convictions. and in this
matter both Mr.. Harland and Mr..
Eldridge are most sincere. They
believe in the rotary turn because
in their opinion it is safer. The
only thing disappointing is that
they are not a little more sporty
about it.
Adoption Likely.
They admit that in all proba-
bility the manner of making a
left-hand turn as prescribed in
the Municipal Code will be
adopted. They admit that uni
forrnity is to be desired. But at
the same time, with uniform pes
siInisrn, they predict dire conse-
quences-increaSed accidents and
congestion. That does not seem
to be fair attitude to assume.
A policy of having nothing to
say at present is being attempted.
But a few questions breaks down
the silence is golden" idea every
time. An example is as follows:
What is new about the left
hand turn situation today, Mr..
Harland?"
I'VE are not discussing it at
present. Our policy is to keep
quiet about it right now"
There was an article in the
paper that the vote was 4 to
L"
THAT was not supposed to
have gotten out yet. However,
we are not discuss"
wouldn't it be a fine time for
q grandilloquent gesture to say
that"
cit isn't time to say anything.
Who knows what the full COM
mittee will adopt?"
Cleveland is the only other
large city that has the rotary
turn besides the National Capt.
tai. Isn't their traffic fatality
average very high?"
Speed Laws Responsible.
Eyes; it is. But the rotary turn
has nothing to do with it. They
have some very antiquated speed
lawS-an extremely low maximum
that no one obeyS nor is it en-
forced. Motorists drive at any
speed. That is the cause of their
high figures. Washington has the
sanest speed regulations Of any
city in the country. That is why
we are first on the list"
But you do believe in uni
3ornity, don't you?"
"Of course, I do. WaShington'S
regulations are nearer to the pre-
scribed measures in the code than
any other city-except for a few
things. Why, look at what New
York did-the new police COM
missioner. He has any Hoover
left turn"
Mr.. Harland hands over a PAM
phlet describing the authorized
left-hand turns for the metropo-
lis.
There they now make the left
turn when the lights on a light
controlled street are red, to get
into a street not controlled by the
signals. To turn into street
controlled by lights from a street
not controlled by lights the mo-
torist must wait until the green
light is on"
: "Well, the lights on the traffic
controlled street are red at all
times a turn can be made, aren't
they?"
Eyes, but when a street is con-
trolled by lights they make the
turn around the button at the
center of the intersection, and
when the intersection is con-
trolled by a policeman the motor
ist turns inside of the button.
When there are neither lights or
policemen, the turn can be made
around or inside of the button by
the motorist. That is not uni
formity."
"All left turns are made from
the left lane of traffic, aren't
they? Isn't the matter of going
around the button or inside the
button just a trivial matter?"
eyes, but it isn't uniform"
But it is nearly uniform. Don't
you have to get near a certain
thing often before you can get it?
Those small differences can be
easily ironed out"
ooh, you newspaper men-the
railroads aren't all"
But here the heat ends the ar
gument.
Traffic Bureau Moves.
The Traffic Bureau, along with
some of the other branches of the
District government, has moved
to new headquarters. Tomorrow
IL, \