The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-13
100000 Little White Cards
Passed Out in 1890;
1885 Cough Up
FRIEND MAKES 1T RIGHT
Police Wage Losing Battle
in Effort to Enforce
Traffic Law.
Oscar got q little sticker,
Was Oscar filled with woe?
No. Oscar was a wise guy.
The fright" bird he aid know.

y
Apparently a majority of the
erring motorists of indianapolis
bear the name Oscar.
From a check of figures at police
headquarters, it is revealed that but
a small per cent of the motorists
who receive stickers for violation
of the city's parking laws, ever walk
into the Office of city clerk and
plank down currency of the realm
Captain Lewis Johnson, head OF
the traffic department, estimates
that traffic policemen, tramping or
riding the streets of Indianapolis
for twelve months in 1890, marked
and slipped 10000 little white
cards under windshield Wipers.
Small Percentage Pays
And of that number, 1885 holders
Of those little tickets, came dutifully
to police headquarters and paid
$1,000 for first, second and third
offenses.
During the first five months OF
1881, the motoring public has re-
sponded little better to the de-
mands of the law.
According to the records, fines
we're paid on 5,049 stickerS. in
January, March, April, and May
There are no compiled figures for
February, 1881, but taking for
granted the number might have
been as high as 1900, 6,549 Stickers
would have been returned and paid
According to Johnson, $4,000
stickers have been distributed this
year.
Policemen will admit their efforts
to teach the motoring public where
and where not to park are hard
work. Many motorists who dash
out to their cars just as the sticke1
is. being put in place often try to
hand it back to the policeman
They Play Tricks
Then there is the group of auto
lists who spy from office windows
They note the time when the traf-
flc cop places the little mark on q
tire. They count up the time limit
and just few minutes before he
is due again, either rub of the mark
or move the car.
The new traffic law, which ha,
been more or less of a delayed pass
due to a technical slip-up, probably
will reduce the number of viola
tors when it begins to operate again
Tow-in of automobiles does no
appeal to the motorists, and more
than once last week, when the tow.
in order was enforced police re-
ceived the bird" from spectators.
Efforts have been made severa
times by police and city officials tx
stop sticker- fixing. But, appar
emily. it only has temporary eff
feet.
Everybody Is Fixing
Through politicians and employe.
of city, state and county, comes {
steady stream of stickers to bt
fixed.
Sometimes single sticker vii
go through three or four hands be-
fore it gets to the party with the
power to fix it. They are sent tx
the proper place by messenger, mail
Office boys and stenographers.
Police officials who have studied
the situation say there is no Other
demand of the law that sends sc
many persons scurrying for G
''f1xer."
Patrol wagons have been used tt
impress the Importance of a traf.
f1c sticker on those who have re.
ceived them, but fail to appear
either in court or at the traffic de.
partnent office.
But there always is a "hxer" anC
always several hundred persons tt
whom he is "the friend in need"