Evening star., 1934-12-09


operation with less noise.
Noise in regard to motorists
frequent use OF automobile horns
would be better termed.
Now a horn has its uSageS, b
for its usages automobiles woul
should be used instead of the br
but that warning does not inclu,
death or to waking up half of tt
at night.
A gentle tap on the horn button
generally is all to be desired If the
driver warned by this sound does not
heed, the chances are he will not
heed a louder blast or a succession
Of toots.
It Is aggravating for a driver at an
Intersection controlled by traffic
lights not to move of when the green
signal appears. But 1t is far more
disagreeable for the car behind to
try to blow him of the road. A gen.
tie tap on the button In city driving
should be sufficient at all times. 1t
should be enough to indicate to the
car ahead that you wish to pass.
Continuous blasts invariably will
cause the driver ahead to get stub
born and refuse to pull over. That
action, Of course. constitutes one of
the chief dangers to be found in the
city, and your horn action, whatever
It may be, Is not an excuse.
Country Warning Different.
Horn blowing in the country Is
slightly different. There, because of
higher speeds and curves, additional
warnings are needed. But even
there discrimination can be used.
Bus horns on buses and bus horns
on pleasure vehicles In the city should
be handled gently. If not their
noise sounds like steam locomotive.
Luckily horses are not much in evil
dence these days. for even the mod
ernized dobbin would die an untimely
death from fright.
One of the most inexcusable noises
Is from horns blowing in traffic jams.
Unquestionably the driver of the car
ahead is anxious to move of as
quickly as the drivers behind him. He
may be held up by some circumstance
unseen by those in the rear, or he
may have stalled his car. In the
d
many cars back of him is liable to
greatly disconcert him or Illustrate
him that the getaway Is more de-
layed.
Along this line the American Auto
mobile Association has something to
point out. In a recent release the
A. A. A. appeals to city officials to
follow the example Of foreign capitals
in noise disarmament" and outlaw
raucous sounding OF automobile horns
The national motoring body states
that London, Paris, Rome and Berlin
have already put anti-noise ordi-
nances into effect and secured notable
success, with the police dealing in
drastic fashion with those who violate
the regulations against unnecessary
noise.
Safer Motoring Seen.
I'm addition to bringing about
new era of quiet on the streets of
American cities, particularly in resi-
dental areas" said Thomas P. Henry
Of Detroit, Mich. president of the
A. A. A., "a ban on the loud and
continuous blowing Of automobile
horns would also contribute to safer
motoring conditions. The horn was
to cars ahead and behind, but not one
out Of every hundred blasts carries
any such significance today. II this
abuse was brought under control
motorists would pay more attention
to the brakes. The result would be
more respect for boulevard stops.
slower speeds in turning corners, less
hurrying in congested traffic and
decrease in the number of drivers con-
stantly weaving their cars in and out
of the lanes of traffic.
ANY program to reduce noise on
our streets might also include drive
against open exhausts on motorcycles,
backfiring Of engines and other un-
necessary noises
With reference to noise disarma-
ment" in foreign capitals, the A. A. A.
says:
London authorities recently banned
use Of auto horns between 1880 pm.
and am, with the threat Of $40
fine for offenders. Reports on the
campaign are to the effect that
motorists responded to the order and
that within a five-mile radius OF
Charing Cross there prevailed de-
gree of quiet unknown since the ad-
vent Of the automotive era. Whether
anything so sweeping could be at
tempted in the United States is open
to question, but there is certainly
room for experimentation and i'm
provement. Undoubtedly, campaign
OF public education would accom-
plish much in the way Of eliminating
useless noise.
American tourists returning from
Berlin have expressed surprise at the
absence of noise from automobile
horns and street cars. A 50-mark fine
($20 in American money! is imposed
for the unnecessary blowing OF auto
horns and sirens. It is also inter-
esting to note that the chief Of police
of Berlin has visited number Of
cities in this country and was amazed
at the failure to do anything to stop
the erve-wracking din that charac-
terizes the streets of all American
cities and towns today"
Fatigue in Driving.
Mental and bodily fatigue looms
rs an important element to be con-
sidered in relation to reduction Of
highway accidents, according to con-
clusions reached by the Keystone
Automobile Club through extensive
study Of accident reports.
Club Investigators have found, for
example, that automobile accidents
in the morning rush" hours are only
about one-third Of the number re-
corded in the evening rush" hours.
Over q period Of five years, this ratio
OF highway crashes held good In the
reports examined.
There is q lesson for motorists In
these figures" says Keystone bull
letin. "The motorist, fresh and alert
in the morning, drives with ease and
confidence. After a hard days work
his physical, mental and nerve efh-
cheney is not up to par, and his driv-
ing lacks the assurance of the morn