Evening star., 1935-01-13
Likened to Spoiled Child.

The fretful, irritated, willful and dis.
obedient Enotorist reminds Mr.. Var
Duser Of spoiled child, whose unrea-
sonableness is not unworthy of pity
even though it is annoying
"A spoiled child is unreasonable be-
cause he is unreasoning." says the
District traffic chief. Your unrea-
sonable motorist is no different"
The middle-aged man who figures In
the anecdote with which this article
started would not have found himself
into trouble if he tried to understand
the why" Of the traffic regulations
instead of viewing them from the
standpoint of what effect they had
upon him. OF that, Mr.. Van Duzer
Is convinced.
If the issue of prohibiting parking
in front Of large buildings were pre-
sented for a vote on the part of the
public, 1t would carry almost unani-
mously, once the why Of it were per-
ceived," he says. He is convinced, too,
that the testy individual in the anec-
dote would be emphatically in favor
Of it.
On his imaginary ballot on the sub
ject Mr.. Van Duzer would state the
issue as follows:
Should reasonable space be left at
the entrance of large buildings suffi-
cient to permit the easy exit of occu-
pants in case of fire or other emer-
gency, and correlatively easy entrance
OF emergency crews and their equip
ment?"
That is the why" Of the regulation
and, once aware of it, no normally
Intelligent person could vote mega
lively on the subject. But the unrea-
soning motorist often looks at the
prohibition of parking in such q case
as a trap set to catch him in a viola
tion instead of a rule designed to
prevent his and other cars from en-
trapping occupants of such buildings
In event of an emergency.
Motoring would be lot safer and
motordom much happier if it sought
out the why of all the regulations
TO which it Is subject, says Mr.. Van
Duzer. Then, drivers would see all
regulations carry the justification of
common sense.
Take. for example, that which says
that driver must pull over and per-
NIT an overtaking car to pass at the
sound OF the latter's horn" he SAYS.
1--WE heard that regulation called
silly by altogether too many motorists.
It is nothing of the kind. Experience
has shown that if the driver about to
be passed is required to allow reason
able space, it removes the element of
challenge which might result In a
breakneck driving duel; indeed, did so
often result in just that before the
regulation was enacted
Going back to the parking sub
Ject again, another regulation that
comes in for large share of unrea-
soning denunciation Is that which
prohibits leaving ones car too close to
q street intersection. The space looks
vastly desirable to any individual in
q hurry to get somewhere and har-
aSsed by the presence Of an automo-
bile that he cannot leave anywhere,
However, 1t is much more desirable
TO the mass of motorists and pedes-
trtans that the space be unoccupied
for it means they will have that de-
gree Of visibility which is indispens-
able to the prevention of accidents.
Vision Is Obstructed.
Gears parked too close to intersec-
tions obstruct vision. Experience tells
US the sad story that more than three
fftts Of all accidents happen at in
tersections-and that, of these, many
are due to lack of visibility. Is it |
not fair that we should translate this |
experience into regulation prohibit
Ing parking within 20 feet, or more, of |
The motoriSt who parks his car in |
violation of this rule, Mr.. Van Duzer
says, usually is one of the loudest |
critics of the same conduct on the
part Of others.
"Give him a ticket for doing the
same thing, however, and he will pro-
Test even more loudly" he declares.
A much violated rule, the common
sense of which Is interchangeable, d
cited by the District trafnc head a
that which specifies vehicles shall
come to q stop before emerging from
allsyways- and private driveways In
The rule is based upon recognition J