Evening star., 1941-03-28
Tells Of Traffic Jam
In Laurel, Nd.
Reader Urges Need
For Correction Of 'Bottleneek'
In Baltimore Boulevard

To tie Editor Of The Star:
High Army officials of Fort Meade
and other nearby Army posts had DEM
onstrated for them on Sunday realistic
example of what to expect in the way
of a refugee problem, were this country
ever attacked. Those motorists who were
unfortunate enough to be travelling be-
tween Washington and Baltimore last
Sunday afternoon will hereafter have a
clearer conception of what a bottle
neck" means.
Blue skies and balmy breezes beckoned
to the auto owner and an unprecedented
crowd swamped the surrounding high
ways and byways. Laurel, situated about
midway between Washington and Balti-
more. bore the brunt of this heavy
traffic; and highway patrolmen, lacking
proper cooperation between their de-
partment and the Laurel officials, were
helpless to remedy it, The Baltimore
Washington boulevard, of course. Is four
lanes the entire distance between the
two cities with the exception Of about
four blocks In Laurel, where unlimited
parking is permitted by local officials
despite efforts Of the highway patrol
to ban parking on the boulevard.
Sunday evening at 7 o'clock traffic
was backed up for 2 miles on the
Washington side of Laurel and 35 min
utes was required to negotiate the q
mile distance The snarl was so terrific
that a good many motorists found time
to step from their cars and stand on
their running boards to survey the
tangle. Upon arriving in downtown
Laurel it was found that six private
cars and one taxi were responsible to
great degree for all the trouble The
traffic, which heretofore had been dual
was now obliged to mesh itself into
single lane which sometimes can be
accomplished without mishap provided
supreme skill, daring and recklessness
are exhibited by the driver who happens
to be in the blocked lane Of trafflc. The
general attitude of the driver in the
free lane is 20. K. brother, you picked
that lane and now you're stuck with it."
The only way a neat "meshing' can be
accomplished is to hold out q hand
for left turn, race the motor and, If
the driver on the left shows the slight
est hesitance, zip in front of him before
he knows what has happened. This
maneuver usually brings swift retalia-
ton in the form of resounding bump
into the rear of ones car.
Imagine, if you can, the chaos that
would result from swift call for troops,
police or fire equipment in time of a
supreme emergency! An infinite amount
OF time would be lost. That is exactly
what spies and fifth columnists did in
Holland, Belgium and France; and it
so hampered the movement of Allied
troops that no effective resistance would
be offered the invaders. BY deliberately
inciting the populace of those countries
to leave their homes and block the roads
with their automobiles, pushcarts and
cattle, alien agents did much to hamper
the war efforts of the Allies.
An effort constantly is being made by
the State Highway Patrol through the
Highway Commission to remedy this con-
dition, but their efforts have been blocked
by the Laurel authorities whose business
interests profit to some extent from this
aggravated condition. However, it is
the opinion OF great many people that
through their shortsightedness these 10
cal factions are not only earning the
Ill will of the general motoring public
but are driving away prospective Gus
toners who ordinarily would shop there,
provided safer and more convenient
parking facilities were provided.
Boonesboro, Md, sometime ago was
faced with similar problem but instead
of closing their eyes and pretending
no problem existed the businessmen of
Boonesboro acquired and cindered a
parking lot, and the results in increased
business and good will have more than
rewarded them for their efforts.
Would it not be an example of good
sportsmanship on the part of Laurel
officials to refine their trafic control
signal and prohibit Sunday parking on
the boulevard in favor of more CO.
ordinated flow Of traffic? Then, in all
probability, the expression "Oh. I would
love to 60 to the sunrise services but
those traffic jams would make me lose
my religion all over again" very shortly
would become passe. r. R. s.
Towson, Md,