Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-28
In the Motor World
BY q. ADAMS. HOWARD.

highways of the State are equip
ped with a conpressed-air horn
to blow two or three trumpets.
These horns are extremely loud,
giving a volume Of sound that is
comparable to that of a locomo-
tive whistle. They make far more
noise than is necessary as a warn
ing signal.
I'm villages, towns and other
built-up sections, or even in the
open country, these blasts are
harmful to sick people and
enough to Startle the nerves of
even normal persons, and they
have become a great nuisance
from this standpoint.
The use of these horns is typi-
cal OF the get-out-of-th e-way at
titude of high-powered buses,
whose operators seem to delight
in frightening other users of the
highways and in trying to convey
the impression that the big bus
/ is the monarch of the road.
When these horns are blown in
the rear Of a car, the effect is so
startling as to brighten a person
to the extent Of forcing a car off
the road; there have been several
accidents caused in this manner.
There is no reason why the
bus should have louder warning
signal than any other motor We
hicle on the highway. Sirens are
forbidden for private cars, and
these horns are far worse than a
| siren. From the standpoint of
safety and the abatement of Sc
riouS nuisance, it becomes neces-
Sary to prohibit their use on the
highways of New Jersey"
Oppose Sign and Lights.
With the completion of a new
apartment house on Cathedral
avenue, just off Wisconsin and
Massachusetts, avenues, efforts
have been increased to remove the
stop sign on the former street.
1t is pointed out that traffic now
on Cathedral avenue outnumberS
that on Massachusetts avenue
from the American University
more than 10 to l. Mr.. Harland,
in considering the matter, says
that he is aware of that fact, but
that Massachusetts avenue is an
arterial highway and Cathedral
avenue is not. A compromise
might relieve the situation by the
replacing of the stop sign at the
intersection there with a slow
sign.
Complaint against the traffic
signal lights at TWenty-Second
and P streets northwest are con-
tinuing. It is being brought be-
fore the attention of Mr.. Harland
that there is very little east and
west traffic on P street at that in
tersection and that the heavy
traffic is constantly on Twenty
second street, going north and
south. The heavineSS of the
traffic is causing considerable con-
gestion, 1t is said. because of the
closenesS of the lights there
Massachusetts, avenue and Q
street. It is believed by many that
the intersection at Twenty second
and P streets does not warrant
the continuance of the lights.
Junking of automobiles on pub
lie highways has become a great
nuisance. Many States, includ-
ing the District of Columbia, are
delving into some plan to elimi-
nate this Objectionable habit.
Connecticut has demonstrated
through its Motor Vehicle Depart
ment that the automobile grave
yard can be eliminated and the
highway freed of this modern eye
sore. Since July 1, 1929, more
than 1000 dumps of abandoned
cars have been removed from
Connecticut roadsides.
Connecticut Stops Junking.
This cleanup has been accom-
plished through new law enact
ed by the Legislature of 1929. The
law defines the display to public
view of two or more motor vehi-
cles, or equivalent parts thereof,
unfit for use on the highway, as
motor vehicle junk business" or
motor vehicle junk yard" and
then declares that no such Junk
business" or Junk yard" shall be
conducted except upon permits
sion from local authorities and
license from the Motor Vehicle
Commissioner. License fees are
fixed at $50 and 500, depending
upon the area of the yard, plus
an examination fee of SIS.
Since many automobile grave
yards are located upon property
the owners of which have no de-
sire to conduct an automobile junk
business, when called upon either
to apply for license or clean up,
they naturally choose the latter
course. Only about ITO yards have
actually been licensed, as COM
pared with 1000 collections of
abandoned cars and parts that
have been cleaned up and re-
moved
Having those actually engaged
in the motor junk business under
license enables the Motor Vehicle
Commissioner to prescribe and
enforce regulations which have
resulted in greatly reducing the
unsightliness Of such establish
ments and which will eventually
eliminate them.
The law has been contested sew
eral times in the courts and has
Sbeen sustained in each case so far.
Enforcement is supported by a
! favorable public opinion.