Evening star., 1948-10-18
ss's's."~ Letters to The Star ss@1lxs.
Virginia Creeper' Defended

Virginia Creeper' Defended
To the Editor Of The STAR
Perhaps unconsciously, "Damyankee." whose
letter appeared in your October II issue, has
given demonstration Of complete justitica-
tion for the use Of the appellation which he
uses as his sobriquet. The uncouth language
he used because some slow driver delayed him,
and by implication other useful citizens"
would amply justify much more vigorous
term Of opprobrium.
In the second sentence of his letter, DAM
yankee" has positively identified himself, to
me ut least, when he speaks of having to worm,
pry and blast" his way through trafic on Lee
boulevard. He Is the guy who ceased to learn
to drive as soon as he found out how to blow
the horn.
On dripping or icy morning, particularly,
''Damyankee" could, if he were alert" ire
sponsible." competent" and bright" enough,
| see two solid lines Of cars making their way to-
ward Washington along Lee boulevard, being
driven with due skill and caution and at the
reduced speed made necessary by road condi-
| tions. He sees, instead, only a car ahead Of
him travelling at less than the reckless speed
which he stupidity considers necessary in order
| to conserve his valuable time So he proceeds
to blast" his way through with his horn. If
the driver ahead continues on his careful way,
this useful citizen cuts in or bumps his way
into the other lane, and BLASTS" some more.
| Perhaps when that, too, fails to make room
for him and his damphool driving, he cuts
across the center line to the left side of the
highway, passes few cars and when lotion
| truck looms up ahead of him, cuts back into
| the line with no regard for the closely packed
&w.N 0YN>
| boulevard.
for years have driven into Washington on
| Lee boulevard at the most congested hour of
the morning and back at night when trafic
| 10 heaviest. Occasionally, do see a driver
| going unreasonably slow But the drivers who
| really hold back traffic, and there are a great
many Of them, are those who waste time get
| ting under way again after stopping for red
light. If there are 20 cars In the line waiting
| for the green light, and each wastes only
| few seconds after the car ahead has started
to move. the total time lost amounts to halt
! or more Of the duration Of the green light.
The cars behind have to wait until the light
comes on green again. whereas they might
have passed on the first light If those ahead
had been sufficiently alert
| For me, II you will take the "Damysnkee"
type of drivers of that highway, I'll get along
with the slow drivers and those who take
nap while the trafhc light shows red.
c. L. CHAPLIN.
| 70 the Editor Of The Star:
The rush h-hour trafnc situation on Lee boule-
ward obviously is bad but the contention Of
Exhausted Motorist' and "Damyankee" that
Virginians can't drive Is simply q lot of tripe
These complaining gentlemen, 1t seems, have
been forced to live unwillingly in the backward
South-driven by some unfair and discrimina-
tory pressure such as high Government salaries.
Apparently, 1t needs to be pointed out to
them that the trafhc jam which pains them
SO Is composed mainly of individuals In the
same sad circumstances as themselves. Who
knows but that the dawdling driver in front
Of "Damyankee' is another migrant from
Bangor or Canandaigua3 Arlington County. is
not crowded with southerners. 1t is crowded
with x-Northerners.
Not that mind. Those who complain are
merely making the fundamental error of di-
recting their spleen at the nearest convenient
object, like the golfer who smashes his clubs.
The proper target really Is the Virginia De-
partment Of Highways. Before any one opens
nre on the latter, however, he should take a
good dispassionate look at the roads Of few
other States They are no better.
Some OF my most depressing automotive
moments have been spent in Providence Bos-
ton. Philadelphia and Jersey City. Turning
| to the local scene, Silver Spring before the
opening Of the new underpass was sample
| Of entangled trafac that made F street look
like the Merritt Parkway.
| For two years drove every day from Falls
Church to Silver Spring via the District. When
in Maryland and the District I would look
! Of me- and think nasty thoughts about Mary
land drivers, District drivers or people from
the Middle West, a the case might be- 1t was
forced on my attention after a while, though,
that there really was no correlation at all
between . persons license plates and the way
he drove. A road hog is the same everywhere.
Let us stop jumping up and down and tear
ing our hair, and try to act like sensible human
beings. LAWRENCE FLEMING.
| To the Editor Of The Star:
fervently disagree with 'Dsmyankee" in
| more ways than one. am q native Virginian
and not . Virginia lout,' so called by Dam
yankee" My husband and are slow drivers
for many reasons. partly because We haven't
the money to buy new car now, nor had we
. few hundred dollars to pay ION the side"
for new car before now.
we are not "unalert, irresponsible, lncom-
petent." We are just>a intelligent and perhaps
more 10 than "Damyankee." No wonder so
many innocent people have to suffer in wrecks
and mishaps when there are speed demons
lacking respect for their fellowmen riding the
highways, including Lee boulevard. What right
has anybody to suggest that slow drivers be
forced to use the back roads7 How much is
expected Of Q young married couple? How can
we ever have q home of our own If we are
expected to buy new car at today's prices in
order to keep up with the speed demons?
And last. may add that since "Damyankee"
does not like the way Virginia operates, and
since he thinks the people are louts why
doesn't he go back to where he came from? A
| 'Damyankee" never will be missed by South