The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-08-29
VOLUNTEER PATROLS
 ARE NOW PROPOSED
Motor Vehicle Commissioners lnaugurates Safe Driv- ing Campaign With Plea for Suppression
 of RecklesSneSS

them. Upon this department the burden rests almost exclusively.
 The department attempts to scru- tinize every driver before he is per- mitted to operate upon the high ways. Examinations are given and an attempt made to exercise some, degree of vigilance over these driv- CTS. Naturally such vigilance must be limited. It is impossible under present conditions to have officers on all of the highways at all times to regulate and observe the thous- ands of operators on the road. It is our purpose however to form in Connecticut what might be termed a Citizens Volunteer Motor patrol. Right now responsible and public. spirited citizens, aware of the grav- ity of the task, are actively CO., operating with the department in the reporting of careless and repre- hensible driving. The department will take cognizance of these reports. Our complaint section, of the department will notify offend CTS and attempt to impress upon the latter the serious aspects of their department. Many have al- heady voluntarily offered to assist the department iA this mattert and I invite each and every one of you at this time to affiliate yourselves with this movement. Every opera tor on the highway, because his own safety and life are involved. should take upon himself the bur- den of policing the other fellow. It is no great task individually and collectively 1t will bring to the de- partment the names of those per- sons Who are a menace to the safety of the public. The depart ment wants to know not only about obvious attractions it wants to know particularly of those instances of recklessness which can be attri- buted in large part to fragrant ex- hibitions of bad manners. You and you and you can bring these to our attention. Each of you should consider simself an integral part of the department. Your license, in a sense, constitutes a commission from themotor vehicle commission CT to report these cases. You will not be inconvenienced. You will not be under obligation to report in person or to be present at a hearing. Simply make 8 report of infractions and the department will follow up the case from that point.
 As I have already pointed out the death rate in Connecticut Is in- creasing rapidly. To be sure acci- dents are fewer but death result ing from them are more numerous. I think 1t can safely be stated that because of the higher rate of speed at which cars are now operated,
 I O a more likely to end in fatality. Speed is a definite factor unques- tionably but the problem of tho department, as l see 1t, Is to an- otherwise sane and reasonable peo- ple. to rashness once behind the wheel. Psychologists and students vestigations and given great study to the complex forces which turn decent citizen into an upstart and a boor the moment he finds him. self at the wheel of a motor ve- hici<. Why, they ask. does the driving of a motor car bring out the meanest traits in a mans char acter? Speedy driving, with its att tendant nervous tension, they say, Is frequently little motre than the attempt of an individual to "show off"-to show in a word how much faster his car is,, or at least how much more daring a driver he is than the other more sane and moderate persons ol the road. Ere quently fast driving Is nothing short of arrogance-the impulse of Haunt the rights of others, to do as one pleases so long as the possi- bility of reprimand or actual ap- prehension is remote. The operator who insists upon crowding people from the roads, who takes an al- most fiendish delight in making others on the highway apprehen- sive of their lives simply because he feels that he can make a safe getaway Is at heart coward and like all towards a bully as well. He invariably performs his arrogant acts on the highway be- cause of the realization that he can escape the consequence of them. He is in no sense different from the small town bully who picks on the little fellows in the neighborhood, safe in the feeling that they don't dare or can't hit back.
 Now it Is precisely this type of fellow--you have met him often that the department of motor ve- hicles wants to Know about. We can have this information only if each of you will report these cases to us. Our experience with such matters you may be sure will guar antee their proper disposition. Not only will you be serving your fel- low citizens we'll but in the end may actually cause to be taken from the highways a potential menace to your own life and pro- perty.
 It Is customary of course to at tribute carelessness as the chief cause<of accidents but careless ness is a rather mild term for what may quite properly be down. right disregard for the rights of others. Such disregard can not lightly be dismissed but is certain ly severely reprehensible when 1t is not actually criminal.
 Many of course are not con- scious of the fact that they are making exhibitions of their char acters in driving a car. They do not appreciate that only by their actions are people judged. It never occurs to them that their negh- H am.-4 HL-H