Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-07-05
"Chirps" ~
from the
Democrats Pen

Well, Sir, saw III d he"sPoPoA '~
other day-and, by the way, one sees
a lot of stuff in daily print, that
might daily be left out; but that's
neither here nor there-I saw an item
in which a road cop wrote a common
datory letter to an automobile driver,
praising the mans care in manipula-
ting his machine. The officer said:
"He's the best driver I've ever SEEM"
Now, the circumstances were, that
the State officer was on special duty,
escorting a caravan up Route No. IL,
one day last week, and he reached his
conclusion about the drivers skill In
handling the reins-or, rather twist
ing the wheel-after the car had been
trailed twenty miles by the exponent
of safety Through Education"
Now, gentle reader, just between
man and manor you may be wo-
man, that's all right want to ask
YOU, in all candidness and sincerity, If
a cop should trail you for twenty
miles, wouldn't you try to be good!
Wouldn't you "scrupulously" observe
"highway and municipal speeds ?"
Wouldn't you give "all necessary hand
signals 2" Would you ever swerve
more than six inches from the path
well" on your side Of the highway"
And, at the same time, wouldn't you
say a few cuss words about that cops
holding your speedster down to a pal
try so miles, when a clear road and
good visibility would allow you to hit
her up to around 70? You needn't
answer these questions unless you
want to, but
Now, didn't notice anything in the
article referred to about that good
drivers being nd-although read
the other day about the blind taking
part in a ball game, and if a blind
batter can hit ball pitched by a
blind hurler, then driving car should
be easy for the sightless. AS I said,
/ didn't see anything about that driv-
er's not having the use of his eyes,
and, in almost all cars 1 ever saw,
there is a little piece of looking glass,
which serves to make ones hindsight
as good as ones foresight-you I'M
derstand.
Then, too, these motorcycle experts
wear uniform which they keep look
ing mighty neat and clean, and you
can see 'em afar off, and can hear
the putt-putt of their speedy con-
traption, giving warning of catas-
trophe-to your pocket book-unless
-. And in the face of all this; or,
rather, having all this in your rear,
don't you think you might get several
commendatory letters. Why, I believe
1 could drive my car down the pike in
such a way as to make the "commen-
dation" man referred to look like
piker.
How-some-ever, I amt sayin' that
this good driver isn't good all che
time. I amt sayin' he didn't take due
notice of the signs on the highway
and act accordingly. I amt sayin' he
was tryin' to "show off" before that
cop; but, I do say that with the law
right at his back, he had good reason
to be on his good behavior-and who
blames him? I amt sayin' that with
his car feeling good, the weather bet
ter, and he the best of all, that he
still wouldn't take chance and just
see how fast the wheels could turn
over. No, Sir, 1 don't want to de-
tract one iota from the praise heaped
upon him; but, with everything allow
ed him which is coming to him, can't
get rid of the vision of that cyclist
following him for twenty miles. Over
bum sapientibus salts est"