The Washington times., 1935-06-22

incomplete, motorists who violated
traffic regulations have paid $780,
996 in collateral on 46,475 separate
violations. Last year, there were
only 41,287 offenSeS.
Parking Leads
AS might be expected, parking
Is the greatest stumbling block of
Mr.. Average Motorist..
Parking overtime, parking in re.
Stricted zones, parking abreast and
the like, do not, however, take
nearly so great a toll as does the
regulation which prohibits parking
on certain streets between the
hours of 4 and 6 p. m.
That regulation, according to
Sergt. John Agnew, in charge of
the Traffic Records Office at Po-
lice Headquarters, is the one most
flagrantly violated. In fact, he
says, it constitutes almost Is per
cent Of the total cases handled
while other parking offenses &C.
count for another Is per cent of
the sum total.
The majority Of the violations
are found, Of course, in the most
densely populated precincts, /, 2,
3, 8 and 10. These account for
more tickets in a single month
than the rest of the divisions will
give out in year.
None, however, has even come
close to approaching the total
number Of tickets given out by
the men of the Traffic Bureau.
There gentlemen tag an average
Of $500 cars a month, or some
thing like one car every three
minutes. Such is the speed with
which WaShingtonians violate
traffic regulations.
Most Serious
Speeding and reckless driving,
togther with driving while under
the influence Of liquor, the three
violations which the police de-
partment terms the most serious,
account for nearly 10000 cases in
themselves with speed leading
them all with a total of 1926
cases during the year 1884. In
the same period, driving while
drunk was only recorded in 347
instances.
Excuses vary with the indi-
vidual. The variety and orig
inality with which some offenders
can spring them almost suggests
genius.
All Of the old standbys, "I
didn't see any sign" my brother
had the car and I didn't know
he had got a ticket" Somebody
pushed my car back into that
space" and all the rest of them
come in for their share of use,
but new ones which crop up every
once in a while would do credit
to the most imaginative story
teller the world has ever known.
There was, for example, the
story told several days ago by
a man who had been given a
ticket for parking opposite a load
ing platform on Connecticut Ave
nue..
According to his narrative, he
was driving along the street read
ing a most important letter when
a. gust of wind tore it out of his
hand and carried it under the
loading platform. He Immediately
pulled his car over to the curb
and got out in an effort to re-
trieve the precious paper, and
while so engaged was given a
ticket for parking.
The story might have worked
in fact it was working-until one
of the officers who was listening
recalled that that particular load.
ing platform was Of concrete and
was securely planted on the street.
The gentleman paid his $500 and
said nothing more.
"Stolen Car"
The means which some Of
tenders employ to get out of
paying a ticket almost matches
the ingenuity Of the alibi artists.
None, however, have showed more
original than the man who re-
ceived a parking notice several
years ago.
He had parked his car in front
Of his place Of business and on
leaving was annoyed to discover
q ticket fastened to the wind
shield wiper. Instead of taking
it off, however, and driving to
the precinct to post collateral,
this man telephoned the Police
Department, told them his car
had been stolen, and went back
to the store.
The "stolen" car was recovered
in less than an hour and its
owner had only to say that it
was not parked in that space
when he last saw it in order to
have the ticket quaShed.
And so it goes! Every day
some new excuse or trick makes
its appearance. Every day an
average of 100 motorists post
collateral ranging from So to $25.
Every month there are about 600
accidents reported and every year
Washington motorists pay more
than 100000 for the privilege
of violating traffic regulations.
P1lhIic Ignorance of the Tor,eS.