Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25

Of the more progressive driver is be-
lieved to be of invaluable assistance in
speeding up traffic and in making 1t
more pleaSurable. Director Marsh
touched on this when he told the Phila-
delphia Chamber that the parking
problem and the confusion in the
minds of motorists regarding restric-
lions are merely passing mental condi-
tons. There was a strong suggestion in
his potent talk that through proper
regard for present restrictions there
will be such improvement as to make
possible the elimination of restrictions
after more permanent type OF i'm
provement has developed.
Less Congestion.
A survey shows that in one city some
OF the places where parking is now
limited to 10-minute stops is not as
congeSted as 1t was several years ago
when parking was limited to 40 min
utes. There still is disposition to as
sumo that this is due to the greater
restriction of parking. but facts reveal
that many merchants have moved to
outlying sections of the city.
Many cities also are discovering that
short parking tends to confuse motor
lists and complicate traffic by occasion9
ing too much placement of cars. While
parking garages are becoming indis-
penSable to the motorist who desires to
leave his car for any length of time in
congested districts there always will be
the desire for brief parking of cars i'm
mediately in front of the building which
the motortSt or his passengers desire to
enter.
In all discussions of traffic, little con-
sideration seems to be given to the diff
ference between the parked car without
driver and the one with driver at
the wheel. This difference, however Is
recognized by the police in actual prac-
tice, as is best illustrated by the large
number of automobiles parked near the
entrances to New York department
stores and the larger shops. With the
drivers at the wheel, however, imme-
date movement is possible in the event
that the cars are found, to obStruct
moving traffic in any way.
Police Lenient.
In many cases the police do not in
terfere with motorists who park their
cars in officially forbidden places near
hotels, provided the drivers are guests
of the hotel and the cars are watched
by doormen who will arrange for their
movement If that becomes necessary,
Such practice, and it is surprisingly
common in many cities, has been crit
NCCu 40 a plNleEG SySIeIIl, DuL While
privilege unquestionably does exist the
practice has deeper significance. What
actually happens in many instances is
the fact that the restrictions keep away
from the hotel cars owned by persons
who have no logical need for being near
these particular buildings.
1t has been said that if only shoppers
parkd near the shops it would not be
necessary to impede the free use of
cars so severely. In a vague sort of
way, parking is being changed so that
it will be possible to leave cars for rea-
sonable periods where they logically
belong.
Traffic betterment is also closely
linked up with improvement in car de-
sign: The change in two of the lead
ing low priced makes has done more to
speed up traffic than any other single
development. Cars that formerly
stalled and sputtered at the trafic
otlcer's signal to go" now flash ahead.
BY the end OF this year the Deputy
Police Commissioner of New York esti-
mates that there will be traffic lights at
5000 intersections in that city alone.
This tends toward Standardization and
MISUNDERSTANDING that goes a long
way toward making it increasingly
easier for the average motor car driver
to get about quickly and safely.