Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-12

decorations enhance the beauty
OF the automobile.
!. But the economy question re-
= mains to be proved. At f1rst
thought it appears inconsistent
More speed and more power
should bring higher oil and gaso-
line bills. 1t takes gasoline anc
oil to make the motor run, and
there are no known improvements
. at present that will cut down to
any great extent their need.
A Question of Economy.
Now the manufacturers claim
that other Improvements passed
/. over by the average observer and
the increased accessibility of all
. parts will not only compensate
but will make the actual upkeep
.. Of the car cheaper than in former
years. But will the accessibility
OF getting at the valves even up
: for their increased number in
many motors? It remains to be
seen.
Curiously, the various producers
have done little or nothing to aid
the motorist in his parking prob
lens. 1t was anticipated, before
: many of the models came out,
that there would be a general
trend to shorter wheel bases. This
~ certinly is not the case, and in
many instances the wheel bases
are much longer. So for the pres
ent year, at least, many a motoriSt
will find his parking difficulties
worse than ever.
Sport ands Open Cars.
One factor worthy of note is
:. the appearance of many sport
and open cars being exhibited
this year, greatly surprising the
number shown last year. For
some time it has been the con-
senSuS of opinion that the closed
model was preferable. Volume of
sales of these kinds have been
proof positive.
Is it, then, the thought of the
manufacturer to try to bring
back the open cars to popular
choice once more? 1t is believed
O110t JkLAo ID 11Ob bllC Co0C. WIldI
seems to be the idea is that the
motor industry is attempting to
. foster the theory that each fam
fly, whenever it is possible, should
have a set of cars-both a closed
car and an open one.
Visitors from Washington to
the New York show were i'm
pressed, or rather depressed, over
the length of time before the sig
nal lights changed. Most of the
lights operate on three and four
minute schedules. 1t was found
almost impossible to cross the
street when the light was red, be-
cause cars were damned up to-
gether for blocks awaiting their
move. 1t is not necessary to state
: the condition Of things when the
light was green and the relentless
pack, comprised mainly of taxi
cabs, was let loose.
Capital Versus New York.
Other Washingtonians, many OF
them wont to snarl and growl
over 80 and 40 seconds of wait
Ing, should sojourn in New York
for the comparison, which is, as it
generally is, odious.
A typical scene for the taxi
driver when confronted by a red
light is to slump back into his
seat, pull his hat on one side OF
his head, scratch the tufts nerv-
ously and view the situation with
p the most respondent attitude that
mortal man may assume. If he
has a cigarette with him, he will
light it, and maybe two of them
before the light changes.
The surface street cars there, q
few still surviving, still bear signs
THAT What New York demands
for 1880 is traffic relief" The
same signs were in evidence las
year, with the exception that the
number 1929 appeared. More
than 1900 people were killed las
year in New York. In Washing.
ton there were 81. Two less ir
the National Capital than the
year before, and more than 20t
more in New York than in 1929.
District motorists mpla IL
about Washington circles. At Co
lumbus Circle, in New York, traf
fic Is allowed only to move NORTH
and south. Streets above or be-
low are available for east ant
west traffic. Pedestrians have tn,
time of their lives there, for the.
are really safe. But would loca
motorists uphold such a plan a
p one of the circles here? What
Forced to 60 a block out Of thei
way?
Local residents should visi
other cities before complaining
here.
Between the New York shoy
and the annual event in Wash
ington an exposition commence
tomorrow in Atlantic City. whel
the twenty-Seventh annual con
4vention of the American Roa,
Builders Association convenes a
the great auditorium. The con
,vention will last the entire wee
and a crowd of $4,000 is expected
More than 500 car leads Of ex
hibits will be shown.
American Road Builders.
The American Road Builder!
A Association was organized In 1870:
= The object of the association /
scientific and technical. and 1t