Evening star., 1938-12-29

George E, Keneipp. manager of the
KeyStene Automobile Club. report
ed that his organization backed the
idea Of pedestrian protection" as
he called the plan often referred
to as pedestrian control. He sug-
gested a substitute wording of the
regulations, which he adapted from
the Connecticut State law, like
this:
mo pedestrian shall use any
street or highway negligently or
recklessly; or willfully fail to obey
the signal of any traffic officer or
the instructions of any traffic sig
nal device; or recklessly disregard
his own safety or the safety Of any
person by his use Of any street or
highway"
Maj. Ernest w. Brown, superin-
tendent of the metropolitan police,
made a brief statement In which
he said:
1T is not my purpose today to
advocate or oppose the adoption Of
a regulation controlling the move
ment Of pedestrians, but in the event
it is deemed advisable to adopt such
regulation in this jurisdiction,
your police department will put
forth every effort to bring about q
fair and impartial enforcement with
our limited personnel, which, as you
realize, Is not sufficient to permit
assigning an ofilcer to every con-
trolled trafnc intersection"
Mr.. Wender suggested that it
would be impossible to enforce the
regulations until the police force
were augmented. He spoke not only
for the Federation Of Citizens Asso-
Citations but for the Southwest
Citizens Association.
Special Signal Advised.
While giving. general support to
the comprehensive proposals for
pedestrian regulation, the Advisory
Board of the District Motor Club Of
the A. A. A. advised the Commits
sioners special signal must be pro-
vided for pedestrians. Richard M.
Ham and Burton w. Marsh, speak,
Ing for the club, said it had ap-
proved the ideas" involved in the
proposed regulations-one to require
pedestrian obedience to traffic sig
nails and traffic officers, and the
other to prohibit pedestrians from
crossing streets other than at q
crosswalk.
The A. A. A. Club, however, recon-
mended development concurrently
Of the following program:
!. A broad and extensive program
of education, to (a) develop public
opinion in support of sound meas
ures, for pedestrian convenience and
safety and 90 inform motorists
and pedestrians as to their respec-
tive rights and obligations.
2. Greater activity by police and
other officials on the pedestrian
problem.
3. Careful study and use Of pedes-
trfan accident data.
4. Adjustment of physical facilities
in order to safeguard and facilitate
pedestrian traffic.
Six-Point Plan Offered.
In discussion of needs for adjust
ment of physical facilities, the A. A.
A. board suggested the following
six-point plan:
There must be q signal face di-
rectly In front of each proper di-
rection Of pedestrian crossing at the
intersection. ..-
"A special signal for pedestrians
must be provided. It should indi-
cate the interval during which
pedestrians should start to cross.
The lights should disappear at that,
instant after which there is not,
sumeient time for pedestrians to-
start crossing with any assurance
Of reaching place of safety before
vehicular cross-trafiic begins to,
move.
Traffic signal lights should bs
adjusted % that u viii not b neces-