The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1931-08-27

the causes Of motor vehicle acct
dents, the more I am convinced
that while there are many sides to
this question the trouble back of it
all can be summed up in two
Road Hogging."
The accidents which result in
death or serious injury are usually
due to violation Of one of a few
fundamental rules Of the road,
rules which have been written into
the uniform vehicle code of the Ma
tional Conference on Street and
Highway Safety and which are a
part of the law in all or nearly all
the state. I refer to such prac-
tices as driving beyond the left CT
the center of road which has two
or more lanes contending for the
right-of-way at intersections, pass
ing other cars on the crest of a hill
or at curves or intersections where
the view is obstructed, making left
turns without adequate signal
weaving in and out or cutting in
on other traffic, parking on the
travelled portion of the roadway
passing street cars taking or dis
charging passengers, driving with
glaring or improperly adjusted
lights.
Every one Of these errors shows
evidence of disregard OF the
rights Of others on the road. The
driver who commits these errors is
not treating other drivers as he
would have them treat him. He is
guilty of discourtesy of the worst
kind. An error of conduct in the
home or office may hurt ones feel
ings, but if it is unintentional, it
may be righted by an apology. Usu-
ally you can quickly escape the So
cial boor. But there is no escape
from the boor behind the steering
wheel. Friends riding with him in
his own car, strangers meeting him
on the road, are, alike at his mercy,
and he leaves wonds which can
never be healed, and vacancies in
the family circle which can never
be filled.
When we speak Of a road hog,
we usually think of a person with
big car or truck going down the
middle of the highway and forcing
other drivers to take the ditch or
stay behind him. Such deliberate
misconduct is of course inexcusable
but in it's consequences it is per-
haps not as serious as thoughtless-
ness. Such driver at least gives
plain notice Of his hoggishness, and
the driver of smaller vehicle who
contends with him for the road is
simply foolhardy. But when we
meet car on the wrong side of the
road at the crest of a hill, when the
car ahead Of us makes a sudden left
turn without a signal, when he
starts weaving in and out Of con-
gested traffic, we have no time nor
opportunity to get out of his way,
and it is just luck if we escape an
accident. .-.
Usually these things are not done
deliberately but thoughtlessly. The
driver who takes the trouble to con-
slider the matter at all would know
that when violating most of the
rules in the traffic code, he Is en-
dangering himself as much as 9TH
|ers,
Misconduct on the road becomes
all the more astonishing when we
consider that much of it is COM
mitted by intelligent, educated per.
sons, who have a high code of eth
les and courtesy in their business
dealings and their social conduct.
Why they should become such
Doors when they get behind the
steering wheel is difficult to under
stand. A large share Of accidents,
it is true, are caused by persons
who are mentally or physically de-
ficient, and who should never be
permitted to drive motor vehicle
Some are caused by business and
professional men who permit their
minds to wander into other fields,