Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-30
%HE recent controversy be-
tween Traffic Director Will
liam H. Harland and Rich

liam H. Harland and Rich
mond B. Keech, peoples
counsel to the Public Utilities
Commission, over the passing to
the right or left of safety zones
and platforms has not settled any
arguments by any means.
Final settlement of the question
will not be made in all probability
until the courts have rendered
their Interpretation. In the mean
time, as often is the case, the
motorists are left in quandary.
It all depends as to the congeS-
ton of the thoroughfare, whether
or not the platform is painted,
and last, but not least, whether a
policeman is in sight, as to what
the driver of an automobile
may do.
Mr.. Harland says that no one
may disregard an official sign.
That seems right, all right, but
Just what is an official sign. Is it
necessary or not to have the
authorship of the Police Depart
ment appended to the painted di-
rection to make it official? Opin-
' ions differ as to this idea. If such
were necessary to legalize the
sign, then the painted arrow in
dicating a one-way street would
not be legal, for the name Police
Department is not appended be-
meath.
Why Bar Lanes?
On the other hand, why is it
that on every limitation of park
ing sign the words Police Depart
ment are always inscribed? Is
it to make it legal?
Every one could be saved from
this perplexing situation if Mr..
Harland would order all the di-
rections, Keep to the Right"
taken off the platforms. These signs
are not on all the platforms and
surround none Of the safety zones.
If there is any danger existing
to pedestrians, surely there is
more at the safety zones, for it is
easier to run across them than a
platform.
After all is said and done, there
is no reason at all why there
should be any lane barred from
motor vehicular traffic and left
alone for the street cars. Side
walks have been narrowed at the
expense of shade trees just to
widen the street and allow more
room for traffic. Residents miss
the shade trees, that will take
years to be replaced, but give them
up without comment, knowing it
is necessary for the advances of
the motor age. But after that a
Just complaint is registered that
q part of the street, and the part
abutting the center, is barred
from usage. Such a condition
does not exist in any of the larger
cities of the country.
It has been suggested that II
the artists" of the District Of
Columbia need employment, let
them paint pictures of the Capt.
toll or White House on the sides
of the platforms. This would be
far better than the stenciling Of
keep to the right"
Report Not Necessary.
Many motorists are not exactly
certain as to just what the require
mentS are in the case of an acct
dent. OF course, the majority
know that the first thing to do
is to look after any injured party
that IS humanitarian law
more than a traffic regulation.
The majority know that one must
make his or her identity known
or face heavy penalties.
In many States it Is the duty of
Rhn 6RjUnH nf aITfnH14 nlNiln
whether he is the party respon-
sible for the accident or not, to
report the happening to the
police. Many motorists Of Wash
ington have been told to do that,
too, If the accident occurs in this
city. This, however, although a
good thing to do, is not necessary.
Paragraph A of section 10 gives
the following requirements:
mo individual, while operating
a motor vehicle in the District,
knowing that such motor vehicle
has struck any individual or any
vehicle, or that such vehicle has
been struck by any other vehicle,
shall leave the place where the
injury or collision occurred with
out stopping and giving his name,
place of residence, including street
and number, and registration and
operators permit numbers to the
individual so struck or to the
owner or operator Of the other
vehicle, if such owner or operator
is present, or if such owner or
operator is not present, then to
bystanderS. Any operator whose
vehicle strikes or causes personal
injury to an individual and who
fails to conform to the require
ments of this subdivision shall,
upon conviction of the first Of
Tense, be fined not less than 500,
nor more than $500, and shall be
imprisoned for term of not less
than so days and not more than
six months, and upon conviction of
a second or subsequent offenSe
shall be fined not less than $500
D nor more than $1,000 and shall be
imprisoned for term of not less
than six months nor more than
one year. And any operator
whose vehicle strikes or causes
damage to any other vehicle and
who fails to conform to the re-
uuirements of this subdivision
shall upon conviction of the first
offenSe be fined not more than
$500 or imprisoned not more than
six months, or both; and for the
second or any other subsequent
offenSe be fined not more than
$1,000 or imprisoned not more