Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-06
In the Motor World
BY G. ADAMS HOWARD.
.HERE seems to be a speed
I regulation in the District


Corporation Counsel William w.
Bride. But If in doubt over the
recent action of the Commission
ride with you.
It is perhaps better that way.
Any change in the regulations
should be clear and definite, so no
misunderstanding could exist. Mr..
Van DuZer'S omission in deSignat-
ing speed limitations was not in
tended purpoSely. He appears to
be open minded about change
later, but at present states that
he has not been here long enough
to make a decision as yet. While
in the Pennsylvania Highway De-
partment he recommended that
the ban on speeding be lifted with
the view that the regulation
against reckless driving would
suffice. This recommendation was
turned down, but it is not held
unlikely that it might be recon-
Sidered at later date.
Tendency Shown.
The tendency to lift the ban
on speeding, however. cannot be
overlooked. Two more States
Nevada and Oregon-have re-
moved their arbitrary speed lin
its. Now the tourists may travel
at any speed reasonable and
proper" in Connecticut, Florida,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine,
Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ore
gon, Tennessee, Vermont, WiScon-
sin and Wyoming.
In seven other States, in which
fixed maximum speed limits still
are enforced, the limit has been
recently raised. California has
increased its limit from 40 to As
miles per hour. Delaware has
boosted the limit from 35 to 40.
Massachusetts,, which has long
borne the unique distinction of
having the lowest maximum speed
limit, has raised the limit from 20
to 80 miles an hour. New York
now permits 40 miles per hour
speed. The North Dakota limit
has been raised to so miles per
hour maximum, and West Virginia
permits IS miles per hour this year,
in contrast to 35 miles per hour
last year. Not so long ago Vir-
GINA raised her limit to As miles
per hour. Many of these States
and a few others pay little atten-
ton to the driver who goes a few
miles per hour over the prescribed
limits.
It is interesting to note that no
State has decreased it's maximum
speed limit, and no State which
has tried out the no-fiXed-l limit
plan has reverted to the enforce
ment of an arbitrary limit.
In those States in which no ar
bitrary speed limit is enforced it
it Is not to be assumed that there
are no driving regulations. The
phrase reasonable and proper"
means just what it implies. On
the open road, free of traffic, the
motorist may "let her out" just as
fast as he can MAINTAIN complete
control of his automobile. At all
times he must be able to bring his
car to a complete stop within the
assured clear distance ahead On
curves, hills and at road intersec-
tions, the driver must hold the
machine at sufficiently low speed
to be able to cope with any traffic
situation. In other words, the
motorist is bound to a program of
common-sense driving.
Automobile manufacturers, who
keep a keen ear turned to the
pulse of the buying public, lose
little time in adopting improve
nentS in design or engineering
when such changes have found
favor with the average owner.
Recent Changes.
Among the changes in recent
years which are now in wide
spread use, but were unheard of
a few seasons ago, are free
wheeling" hardly beyond its first
public birthday; completely rub
Der mounted engine supports,
silent transmission, low = hung
body designs, methods of eliminat-
ing the gasoline vacuum" tank
and many other highly specialized
refinementS. OF course, numerous
alterations have been tested and
rejected, but the major changes
have been of a lasting nature.
The principal reason for the
fast-changing automotive picture
is the peculiar wisdom of motor
car owners. AS buying class, car
owners are better informed than
buyers in any other merchandising
field, possibly because the automo-
bile Is comparatively a twentieth
century product, born and de-
veloped under the eyes of the liv-
Ing generations.
Modern buyers, having become
accustomed to up-to-the-minute
improvements, now expect them
as a matter of course. Thus man
ufacturers maintain elaborate ex-
perimental laboratories, where lit
orally thousands of today's i'm
provements are undergoing rigor-
Gus tests to determine their value.
A new development, perfection
Of which will lend to the joys OF
motoring, is the new clutch con-
troll, a Bendix product, which Is
said to make it possible to go
through traffic, starting, stopping
and shifting gears of a motor vehi-
Gle without the driver touching
the clutch pedal. On the surface
it looks like some manufacturers
are entering the free wheeling
field by back door.
The Clutch Control.
1.-THE left foot has lost it's driv-
ing job" was the declaration of
engineers, as they explained de-
MOTOR DON'TS