Evening star., 1935-01-13


that the real answer to this problem
lies as much or more with the people
who walk as with the people who
drive motor vehicles. '-. sd
Until the pedestrian learns that it u
extremely dangerous to walk out from
behind parked cars and cross the
street in the middle Of the block and
until the parents Of small children
learn. that they cannot permit their
offspring to play in the street, this an,
nual daughter Is bound to continue:
know that 1t Is exasperating as a
pedestrian to 60 to an intersection
controlled by lights or q policeman
and be repeatedly forced back to the
curb when attempting to cross the
street on proper signal by drivers
making right and left-hand turns who
wheel around the corner blowing their
horns and overlooking the fact that
the pedestrian who crosses the street
on q proper signal has right Of way.
This practice on the part Of motorists
forces many pedestrians, to cross the
street in the middle Of the block.
On the other hand. As q driver Of
motor vehicle, 1t is most exasperating
to approach an intersection such as
Thirteenth and =. where all right and
left-hand turns are prohibited. to find
the intersection crowded with pedes-
trians crossing the street against the
red light. The drivers of motor We
hicles will have to learn to recognize
the rights Of pedestrians, and at the
same time the pedestrian should learn
to recognize the rights Of drivers.
Seeks Pedestrian Control.
have just about reached the con-
clusion that we should adopt . def
mite regulation which will make it
illegal for anybody to cross the street
in the middle of the block and for
pedestrians to cross the street against
the signal at any controlled intersec-
ton. At the present time we are
only regulating vehicular traffic. In
order to have complete regulation and
complete protection we must regulate
the pedestrian traffic as we'll, and
when we do regulate this traf6c We
must see to 1t that the pedestrians
rights are absolutely protected ss con-
trolled intersections and at all cross
walks.
Another serious cause Of some of our
trafiic troubles. especially in collision
cases, is the failure Of drivers to make
complete stops at stop signs and wait
until traffic on the main street has
sufficiently cleared to enable them to
enter or cross in safety. The selfish
disregard by drivers on the main street
In failing to yield to trafic which has
stopped on the side street and has
entered the main street In an effort
to cross, Is also responsible for many
accidents.
A study made of three important
intersections where stop signs were
erected shows that "a per cent of all
vehicles failed to stop at stop signs,
while 35.5 per cent made only . par.
tial stop under control, leaving AS
per cent which complied with the sign
by stopping. Thus, 55.5 per cent of
the drivers using the cross streets to
those intersections were potential
trouble makers, while only AS. per
cent complied with the regulations.
Penalties for failing to stop at stop
signs should. In my judgment, be- in
creased In an effort to break up this
practice Of failing to stop. Unless
more drivers learn TO stop at stop
signs, either on their own motion or
as a result Of convictions In court,
then the signs should be taken down
and we should return to the ordinary
right-of-way rule of the road at such
4 INT farcANfiN~aO sk ID
which is disregarded is an '.ctusl mem
ace on account Of the fact that the
driver on the main street Is expecting
the driver on the side street to stop.
II he fails to stop then an accident Is
likely to result.
Light Beating Scored.
Another common cause Of accidents
In the District Is that Of beating the
lights'-racing for the intersection to
get across before the lights change,
and thereby getting caught at the In
terSection and finishing ON the red;
also starting on the amber light, that
Is. before the green appears. This
practice has resulted In many serious
accidents and several fatalities. The
amber light following the green light
is not a go" signal; it simply means
get ready to Co." II one Is about
to enter the intersection it means
STOP" II it Is possible to do 50 be-
fore crossing the crosswalk.
Passing on the curve Is another
practice responsible for many acd-
dents, especially in the parks, It Is
like driving blindfolded because no one
knows who Is around the curve and
one should always approach q curve
under proper control and on the proper
side Of the highway.
Passing another car at an intersec-
ton Is dangerous practice which has
resulted In many serious accidents
and some fatalities One car may stop
for a pedestrian and another car may
run through; a pedestrian steps from
the front of the car which has stopped
and Is struck. The regulations spe-
ciflcally provide that at an uncon.