Evening star., 1938-07-13
HIGHWAY SIGNS
TOP|C0F EXPERTS
Would Require Motorists to
Drive More Slowly at
! Night.

Proposals to increase the size oi
warning signs on the Nations high-
ways were considered today b traf1e
experts attending the National eCon-
ference on Street and Highway Safety
at the United States Chamber of
Commerce.
The committee for revision of the
manual on uniform traffic control
problems met to study the problems
of highway markers and traffic lights
after another group of experts yestcr-
day approved a proposal to require
motorists to drive more slowly at night
than in the daytime.
Urge Uniform Speed
The committee on unil II traffic
laws urged speed limit pi iogram for
adoption by the States. including:
l. A maximum Of Is miles an hour
in business and residential areas.
2. A maximum of so miles an hour
on the open road.
3. A maximum of As miles an hour
for open road driving at night.
The proposal for lower highway
speed limits at night was advocated by
Sidney j. Williams of the National
Safety Council. who also won approval
by the committee of proposal that
a higher daytime limit than the gen.
eral so miles an hour may be proper
for some Of the Western plains States.
E. w. James of the Bureau of Pub
lie Roads is chairman Of the commit
tee studying recommendations for re-
visions in traffic control devices. Many
OF the experts felt there is a definite
need for increasing the size of most
highway markers, described as row so
small in most instances that it is dif-
f1cult for motorists to see and recog-
nize them.
Bicycles Held Menace.
Another problem gaining attention
Of the traffic experts concerned the
menace Of increasing numbers Of BIZ
cycles. A special committee was ap-
pointed to study the situation.
The menace of the bicycle is so
perturbing to the country's traffic ex-
perts that the National Conference
on Street and Highway Safety, meet
ing here. appointed a special commit
tee today to decide how to control it
Lew E. Wallace, Iowa commissioner
of motor vehicles, was placed in
charge of the committee, which hopes
to turn up with a tentative answer
before the conference finishes its de-
liberations at the United States Cham
ber Of Commerce this week.
Mr.. Wallace suggested this morn
ing that the parents of children who
violate the bicycle ordinances be made
responsible for their offsprings' faults
He said he despaired of ever getting
a judge to enforce the penalty against
boys and girls taken into custody fol
"scorching" or disobeying signals OF
wheeling recklessly.
"And it's the children who are the
problem. Mr.. Wallace said vehement
ly. my heavens. you know how
tense you get driving along behind q
boy on . bicycle. You don't know
what he's going to do. Maybe he'll
stop. Maybe go left. Maybe 60 right
Maybe get right in front Of you. I'll
nerve shattering.
We've tried all kinds of things te
cope with it in our State, but we
haven't gotten anywhere. There isn't
any answer to it yet. It's got me
buffaloed"
The injection of the bicycle into
the deliberations Of the conference
was unexpected. The so delegates
who come from all sections of the
country. have for their chief aim the
establishment of uniform traffic laws
throughout the United States.