The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-03-08
GIVE STRANGERS A BREAK!

has traffic regulations drawn to fit the
conditions peculiar to each community.
There is great conflict as between one
community and another in those regula-
tiOns. What may be confusing to motorists
from distant sections may be perfectly
logical and proper to local residents. They
are familiar with their own laws and OBJ
serve them awithout conscious thought or
effort. & I
Realizing the inability of passing
motorists to be fully informed regarding
local traffic regulations, the majority of
modern communities, particularly those
catering to tourists, post signs indicating
the salient requirements of the ordinances.
Thus one-way and through streets, zones
where parking is prohibited and permit
ted and other rules are brought to atten-
ton of visiting motorists.
Occasionally, OF course, a motorist
unwittingly violates the local traffic reg
ulations. His attention attracted else
where or his mind filled with the thought
of finding a hotel or restaurant, the
motorist drives the wrong way in one
way street, goes through a stop street
without hating or parks where parking is
prohibited. In tourist centers such lapses
are frequent; SO the traffic officers of each
community usually adopt philosophic at
titude and courteously inform the stranger
of his mistake and offer a few suggestions
to enable him to avoid similar errors in the
future. If the motorist parks too closely to
an intersection or near fire plug the
traffic officer puts courtesy card back
of the windshield wiper and goes on his
way. The card informs the stranger that
a third violation of the regulations may re-
suit in court summons-but that he is
forgiven for his first mistakes.
That kind of treatment is appreciated
by the average stranger. 1t creates good
will and good will is the stuff that brings
the tourist back to that community again
and compels him to speak good word for
that community with the folks back home.
No city can buy good will. 1t must be
created, then nourished from time to time
TO keep II awe. ITdlllC pOHCclHcu CAN
and should be the messengers of good will
from the resort community to the stranger.
Key West policemen can perform no
greater service for this community than
dishing out liberal helpings of courtesy to
strangers. The policemen should be pro-
vided with courtesy cards to hand
stranger when he makes traffic mistake.
The Citizen has been informed the prac-
tice is now to issue an immediate court
summons to such unwilling violators of our
local laws This is mistake that creates
i'll will, and i'll WILL like an i'll wind, blows
nobody any good.
One of the most frequent violations
by strangers of our local laws is going the
wrong way in Duval street, our only one
way thoroughfare. The strangers can't
be blamed for those violations. Key West
is to blame Duval street is not clearly in
Dictated as a one-way street. There are no
signs at Front, Greene, Caroline, Eaton,
Southland or other intersections informing
the visitor that Duval street4is a one-way
street. This oversight should be corrected
at once. Wrong-way traffic is menace
to our visitors and to our own residents.
A little courtesy and few signs will
help Key West develop more rapidly as
resort city.