The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-06
Police May Assist
 Motor Vehicle Dept.
State Troopers May Combat Truck Drivers Open War; fare Oh Connecticut Highways

Open warfare on the highways
 of Connecticut between different
 groups of truck drivers has been
 discovered by motor vehicle de- pertinent inspectors, and Commis- sioner Michael A. Connor said to- day he plans to ask the coopera- ton of the state police department in combating the situation and en- surfing the driving safety for the general public.
 Complaints have been registered with the motor vehicle department from time to time alleging that trucks were travelling over the roads in groups and obstructing traffic. A motor vehicle inspec- tor held up two trucks recently for 'ganging" and was told it was done deliberately to safeguard the drivers. Allegations were made to the inspector by the drivers that trucks not carrying certain insig- mia on their windshields, showing affiliation with drivers organiZa- tions, were stopped on the road by pickets, the drivers mistreated and trucks damaged before being allowed to proceed.
 The drivers interviewed by the inspector asserted they found safe- ty in numbers as their only pro- lection and planned to move along the roads in groups of two or more. The men claimed that this situation had developed since the truck drivers strikes some weeks ago.
 The truck drivers had adopted an unusual formation In which to travel, an arrangement that threat ened the safety of general traffic on the road and which will re- ceive the close attention of motor vehicle inspectors until the prac- tise is stopped. The leading truck rode well over the center of the road, making it almost impossible for traffic to pass. The other -rucks in group are on the right land side of the road. Traffic com ing up in the rear of the trucks pass the vehicles on the right hand side and then find their way blocked by the leading truck. Sig nals receive little attention until the driver of the second truck blinks his headlamps several times whereupon the driver of the lead ing truck pulls over and gives room to pass.
 The explanation of this maneuv- CT, according to the driver inter- viewed Is that the drivers of the trucks on the right side of the road have a chance to inspect the occupants of cars seeking to pass tho lead truck. If the inspection is satisfactory the signal Is given the advance truck to clear the road. On the other hand if they are suspicious, they have the cars bottled up and, in a group. can de- fend themselves.
 The danger of this practice rests in the predicament in which gen. eral traffic is placed when ap- preaching traffic forces the ad- vance truck to pull over on the right.hand side of the road, leav- ing the cars behind to extricate themselves as best they can. With two or more trucks on the right hand side of the road such traffic can only stop as quickly as pos- sible and try to pull behind the trucks before traffic coming to- wards them creates a jam. As traffic behind a truck. cannot see ahead drivers are 1unprepared for the emergency and serious acci- dents can result from this planned "ganging" of the road by truck op- orators. r<.
 It is this phase of the situation which interests Commissioner Con- nor. Conflicts between truck driv- CTS is a police matter, requiring complaint by assaulted parties either to the state police or to the proper city or town authorities wherein the assault took place. But the proper use of the road by all traffic is motor vehicle depart ment problem, and, as such, the commissioner proposes to make sure that the "ganging" practice is eliminated. To achieve that end the inspection section of the depart ment has been given instructions to check night traffic carefully and the commissioner plans to seek tho aid of the state police in establish ing night patrols on the truck thoroughfares through the state.