Evening star., 1935-11-17
CALIFORNIA SIGNAL
PLAN URGED HERE|
Los Angeles System OF
Traffic Control Based on
Three Warnings.

fos Angeles system OF motor ana Pc
destrian traffic control, which provides
three separate types Of warnings AT
controlled intersections, Is suggested
in a letter received by Th Evening
Star Safety Council from Leonard M.
Brin. 1922 Eighteenth street
"I think" he explained, that
criticism of the Washington signal
system is in order. in this respect. be-
cause it is very often Impossible to
see changes from red to green due TO
the position of the observer in rela-
ton to the position of the lights on
their standards.
LOS Angeles also uses muffied bells
which ring when the lights change
and the semaphores alternate. Thus
traffic has Cd lights, (2) semaphores'
and (3) bells-three distinct warnings
from the same point of contact"
3O-MiIe Speed Limit.
Explaining that Los Angeles has
city speed limit of 80 miles per hour,
with IS miles at intersections, the lat
ter strictly enforced, Mr.. Brin said:
II think that the local speed laws
are too rigid. Twenty-Five miles max
imum is too slow, for one half the
population is crawling while the other
half is trying to get around them onto
a clear road. This creates dangerous
situations.
"The department Of local drivers
Is not, generally. good. note dis
tinct lack of courtesy. They will not
give way to allow car to go through.
nor will they halt at an intersection
when it is apparent that by entering
1t they will block traffic on the left
and right. Hand signaling is only in
dulged in infrequently and then not in
a manner as to denote the intentions
of the signaler.
Motorists must be taught to make
left turns from the center of the
street and right turns from the ex-
treme right side Of the street. Vehic-
ular raffic should be permitted to run
on car tracks so as to permit a
natural flow of traffic Double park
ing should be eliminated and vigorous
action against these violators will re-
duce this very great evil.
"Taxicabs Best Driven"
"TaXicabs are perhaps the best
driven vehicles in the city, but their
drivers should learn to park their
cabs parallel and close to curbs when
discharging or receiving patrons.
Police scout cars should be painted
white or some other color so as to be
easily identified by all Such would
have a decidedly strong effect on
drivers, who could spot them In
traffic. At present, painted dark blue
they are not to be identified. This
may have its virtues, but it also has
Its drawbacks
The letter from Mr.. Brin Is one oi
hundreds received by the Safety
Council dealing with the local traffic
situation in its many aspects. Ex-
cerpts from some of these letters
follow:
II have been quite interested in the
safety suggestions as to pedestrian
control to prevent their injury o.
death. Before the pedestrian is regu
lated, the regulations should be ad
JuSted and enforced to give tht
pedestrian a chance. refer especial.
ly to the timing of the lights, the
right-hand turns of automobiles on q
green light and the right of way oil
pedestrians at uncontrolled corners
A green light should stay on long
enough so pedestrian walking at an
average rate can cross the street, and
the yellow lights should stay on longer
"A pedestrian crossing on a green
light must do so at his peril if an
automobile driver wants to make q
right or left hand turn. About the
same situation occurs at corners un-
controlled by lights or by policeman
AS a result the pedestrian must
often hurry back to the curb or make
wild leap for life, much to the
amusement of the reckless driver. !
would like to ask the traffic director
How many drivers have been arrested
for refusing to yield right of way to
the pedestrian?' These conditions are
responsible, at least in part, for
pedestrians crossing streets in the
middle of the block and against red
lights"
r.. S. MCKINNEY.
eve are pleased to forward here
with cards from all in our organization
who are licensed to and do operate
trucks or pleasure cars. At the same
time we congratulate and compliment
you upon the safety campaign and
wish you continued and increased sue
cess.
JAMES E. COLLIFLOWER,
president James E. Colliflower g. Co."
"At the last meeting of the Six
teenth Street Heights Citizens Asso-
citation The Stars safety campaign
was unanimously indorsed.
"FREDA DOROTHY EGBERT,
Secretary"
II sign this pledge with a sincere
hope that it will, perhaps, help me to
be better driver.
In the interest of better control of
traffic I would like to indorse the
idea Of traffic lights in the middle OF
blocks, fixed to synchronize with the
lights on corners, and laws recurring
that pedestrians use those walks alone
and only when the light favors them
Isn't 1t possible to teach drivers
to keep their hands inside, instead OF
outside, of the car when they're driv-
ing? There is nothing more confusing
than trying to decide whether the
driver ahead is signaling or only
giving his left hand a breath of fresh
air. It is not only maddening to
other drivers to have to follow q
'dangler,' but it certainly must reduce
his efficiency.
"ELIZABETH s LORD"