Evening star., 1936-04-23
MOTOR HORN CURB
At NIGHT PLANNED
$500 Fine or Year in Prison
Maximum Penalty Un-
der Proposal.

A maximum penalty OF a tne OF
$500 or imprisonment up to one year
faces automobile drivers who blow
horns between II pm. and am, be-
ginning July 1, under plans of the
Noise Abatement Committee named
by Commissioner Hazen.
While Police Court judges infre-
quently levy the maximum penalty,
punishment of that drastic extent Is
provided in recommendations adopted
late yesterday by the committee.
Hazen said the Commissioners would
make the requested change in the
traffic regulations.
This is only a part Of the plans OF
the committee. An attack, mostly
through cooperative work, is planned
on street car and bus noises, news
boys who hawk papers at late hours
near hotels. noisy milk wagons, per-
sons who run radios full blast and
even rafting manhole covers.
The proposed amendment reads:
Between the hours of II pm. and
7 am, it shall be unlawful for the
driver of any motor vehicle, except
those belonging to the Fire and Po-
lice Departments, ambulances and
other emergency vehicles when re-
spending to emergency calls to use a
horn on such vehicles for any purpose
whatever. In those cases which would
ordinarily call for the use of the horn
as a warning of danger, such vehicles
shall slow down or stop and then pro-
ceed with caution"
Van Duzer Makes Statement.
Traffic Director William A. Van Du-
ger, chairman of the Noise Abatement
Committee, made public a statement
in justification of the proposed
amendment. 1t said: THE present
regulation which prohibits the use OF
a horn except as a reasonable
warning is being constantly vio-
lated. Many drivers, when approach
ing intersections. sound their horns
instead of slowing down. Many
drivers, when passing parked cars.
sound their horns and pass these cars
at a high rate of speed, instead of
slowing down and passing the cars
under proper control.
MANY drivers, especially at night
passing through residential streets
sound their horns for no reason what
ever except perhaps to clear the right
of way for themselves.
MANY drivers use their horns to
notify friends they are waiting for
and using the door bell. Such horn
blowing in residential neighborhoods
should be specifically and definitely
prohibited by regulations"
Under one proposal. drivers of
emergency vehicles and of the Fire
and Police Departments would be for
hidden to use sirens on return trips
from emergency calls.
Street Car Noise Cited.
The Public Utilities Commission was
sent suggestion that it make pc
riodic inspection of all cross-over
tracks to see that they are properly
maintained to keep noise to a mini
mum. Practices of motormen in
changing bells when automobiles are
in front of street cars, awaiting q
change in traffic lights. also would
be attacked. Another hope was that
'as rapidly as possible the obsolete
worn-out street cars be replaced by
modern vehicles"
Newspaper publishers are to be
asked to cooperate in preventing
newsboys from making undue noise in
the vicinity of hotels and the COM
mittee suggests additional regulations
II necessary.
Police would be asked to en-
force regulations against unnecessary
amounts of noise by street vendors.
Hazen referred to the corporation
counsel's Office requests for additional
regulations barring noises by trucks,
which could be eliminated by proper
equipment. The suggestion was that
trucks having solid tires, loose body or
tail gate be removed from the street
until necessary repairs are made.
Equipment of the milk delivery
wagons with rubber tires, and, if
possible, that something be done to
reduce the noise of the "clop. clop" of
horse-drawn vehicles also were urged.
AS to radios, police would be in
structed to enforce present regula-
tions against any nuisance being
caused by loud operation.