Evening star., 1939-08-31

vance in So ~
called warning
signals" from Capt. Smith.
the old bulb horn to the supposedly
melodious chime horn" and all of
them to me are more or less
nuisance.
Our country is far advanced in
motor car manufacture, yet we are
tagging far behind many European
countries in cutting down on all
unnecessary noises in the operation
of motor car.
All old-timers recall the 'muf1er
cut-out' and how if the car we
purchased was not equipped with
such a contraption, one of the first
accessories we had installed was a
'cut-out"-how we enjoyed putting
1t into operation and hearing the
'machine-gun tattoo" We also had
q great delight in attaching exhaust
whistles and we would use them at
the slightest provocation, or without
any sound reason.
Quiet Operation Sought.
AS time when on the motor car
manufacturer went to great effort
to make his car as quiet in opera
ton as possible. Several of the
higher priced cars were sold with
an understanding that the purchaser
would not attach thereto or make
use of any 'cut-out' or other noise
making device
Along about 1910 most cities had
regulations prohibiting the use of
''cut-outs." A typical traffic regu-
lation of 1910 reads: That every
motor vehicle of whatsoever kind
shall be provided with muffler
to be so complete in construction
as to prevent any unnecessary noise
-. and said muffler shall not be
) 'cut-out in any park or public
grounds, nor in any built-up Sec
ton
Later this was extended to include
the corporate limits" of a city or
town. AS We progressed the use of
the 'cut-out' was prohibited even in
rural areas, and today the 'cut-out'
is actually almost non-existant.
Unfortunately we have not pro-
gressed in our warning signals or
devices" regulation quite as rapidly.
Back in 1910 or thereabouts, our
regulation as to warning devices
read somewhat like this: mo bell,
horn, gong, whistle, drum. or other
noise-making article, instrument, or
device shall be struck or sounded on
or in any street, avenue, alley, high
way, footWay, sidewalk, parking, or
other public space motor vehicles
shall sound suitable bell, gong, or
horn when necessary to warn per-
sons of their approach"
Present Law Adopted.
AS time went on the bell or
gong" was eliminated, and the use
of the horn restricted until along in
early 1888, when the District of Co.
lumbia enacted regulation that
reads as follows: Every motor We
hicle when operated upon a highway
shall be equipped with a horn in
good working order, capable of emit
ting sound audible under normal con
ditions from a distance of not less
than 200 feet, and it shall be unlaW-
full, except as otherwise provided in
this section, for any vehicle to be
equipped with, or for any person to
use upon vehicle, any bell, siren
compression or exhaust whistle, OF
for any person, at any time, to use
horn otherwise than as a reason
able warning of danger or to make
any unnecessary or unreasonably
| loud or harsh sounds by means of a
horn or other warning device. Pro.
vided, that the sounding of auto.
mobile horns between 1901 am. anc
Z am. is prohibited except for bona
f1de emergency vehicles on emer.
gency calls"
This was considered quite pro-
gressive step, but I feel we can gt
still further in silencing our auto
horns and eliminating unnecessary
noise in our cities. True, in 1887
New York City adopted an anti.
noise" ordinance, but after a few
months it seems they were righ
back where they started.
Accidents Drop in Rome.
I recently read an article, pub.
lished in Public Safety" titled
''The Horns and the Dilemma" L
stated that in 1884 Mussolini or.
dered, There shall be no more auto.
mobile horns blown in Rome" Thi!
article claims that following thi.
edict accidents in which people were
killed or injured in Italy began te
drop.
Havana. Cuba, has an ordinanc,
prohibiting horns being sounded be.
tween midnight and am. under.
stand in Bucharest, Rumania, horn!
. are prohibited at all times. I agre,
with DR.. Miller McClintock, director
of Yale University's Bureau O.
Street Traffic Research. He says
MANY Of the best drivers I know d,
not use their horns more than {
half-dozen times a year"
I have made many trips aroune
the city of Washington, durin,