Evening Star Newspaper, October 5, 1930, Page 63

In the Motor World BY G. ADAMS HOWARD. VERY day one is hearing more of the model municipal traffic ordinance, as adopted by the National Conference on Street and Highway Safety. More and more will be heard from time to time, because it was pro- mulgated in the interests of safety, and wise officials in various cities and towns throughout the United States are realizing the im- portance of uniformity, and are urging its adoption for their na- tive haunts. Perusal of the ordinance in its long entirety is a task. Lately its significant features have been “boiled down” to 25 short para- graphs, both readable and under- standable. These terse provisions are as follows: > Enforcement Measures. " 1. Confers authority upon and makes it the duty of the police department to enforce provisions of the ordinance, direct all traffic by person or visible or audible sig- nal, and provides penalties for failure or refusal of persons to comply with lawful orders, signals or directions of police officers. 2. Public employes driving ve- hicles shall obey traffic rules and regulations, unless operating an authorized emergency vehicle en- gaged in emergency work, or in the necessary performance of public duties. 3. Provides for the adoption of uniform official traffic signs, sig- nals, beacons and markers, 4. Provides for the installation of traffic control signals or lights on streets where traffic is heavy in order to increase the speed and movement of vehicles and safe- guard pedestrians. 5. Provides that where traffic signals are used the movement of traffic shall be directed by the words “stop,” “go” or “caution” or “wait,” or by the use of colored lights. 6. Where colored lights are used “red” shall indicate “stop,” “green” shall indicate “go,” and “yellow” shall indicate “caution” or “wait.” 7. Provides that pedestrians shall be giverf the right of way over vehicles at all crossings, or crosswalks, except where traffic is res.lhud by an officer or by sig- n 8. When any vehicle has stopped at a crosswalk or intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross, it is made unlawful for another ve- hicle from the rear to overtake or pass such stopped vehicle. Anent Pedestrians. 9. Pedestrians crossing streets in midblock or elsewhere than crosswalks shall yield right of way to vehicles on the roadway pro- vided that the driver is not re- lieved from the study of exercising due care for the safety of pedes- trians. 10. Provides rules regarding driving past street cars and pro- vides that vehicles must not re- main on street car tracks after the street car has signaled. 11. Provides that railway trains and street cars shall not block streets. 12. Provides that vehicles shall not stop in certain specified places on streets including an intersec- tion, crosswalk, or between a safety zone and the adjacent curb. 13. Provides for the creation of loading zones for passengers and freight vehicles, 14. Busses and taxicabs are pro- hibited from parking in places other than their designated stands | or zones, except as.they may be permitted to at other places to take on or let off passengers. 15. Provides that parking shall be entirely prohibited in certain places and at certain times and that pnrklx? time shall be limited in certain designated places. 16. Provides that no vehicle be permitted to park in such a man- ner that less than 10 feet of the width of the road remains avail- able for the free movement of traffic 17. Provides that all-night park- ing is prohibited. 18. vides that the use of a vehicie on the nmul.k;r thé pri- mary ying adver- tlshtm prohibited, and also that lpnklnu upon a street of a vehicle displayed for sale shall be unlawful. 19. Provides that all vehicles shall keep on the right side of the street, and that slow moving vehicles shall keep as closely as possible to the right curb, except where traffic conditions make it impracticable to do so. 20. Provides that right turns shall be made from the traffic lane nearest the right-hand curb, and that left turns shall be made from the traffic lane nearest the center of the street. In making left turns vehicles shall pass to the right of :}m center lines of the intersec- on. Those Left Turns. 21. Provides that all left turns shall be made on the “go” signal, unless otherwise directed by a po- | lice officer. 22. Provides that vehicles may not be turned to proceed in the opposite direction unless the movement can be made in safety and without backing or otherwise interfering with other traffic. 23. Provides that vehicles emerg- ’nr¥ from alleys, private roads, driveways or % uildings, shall stop immediately oefore proceeding across the sidewalk. 24. Provides that all vehicles on 8 side street or side road shall come to a full stop immediately before entering a “through street” or arterial highway. 25. Provides that vehicles left unattended on the street shall have brakes set and engines stop- ed, lnld that parked vehlcdesh am]{ uipped with proper lig! al nlgm, g\e light visible for a dis- tance of 500 feet. Provisions that are usually found in State laws regulating trafic may be inserted in the or- dinance by municipalities if de- sired. These include the question ©f persons driving while under the influence of intoxicants or nar- cotie drugs, reckless driving, re- strictions as to speed, driving on the right side of the street, and limitations on driving on the left side of the street, overtaking ve- hicles, following too closely, and right of way between vehicles. ves the pedes- jon at cross- required to yield the right of way to vehicles elsewhere in the streets and roadways. The latter require- ment, however, does not relieve the motorist from the duty of ex- ercismq care in midblock for the rotection of pedestrians. The anguage of the ordinance is not that the operator of the vehicle shall take the right of way, but that the pedestrian shall yield it. A consistent effort has been made in the preparation of the ordi- nance to afford a basic municipal traffic ordinance simple in its terms, easy to understand, and easy to apply to actual traffic con- ditions. Value of Auto Dollar. Engineering research in the au- tomotive industry is responsible for the continuous rise in the value of the “automobile dollar,” | Harlow H. Curtice, leader in the automotive industry, said recently. Mr. Curtice said the car manu- facturers have from year to year improved automobiles at no cost or with even lower cost to the pub- lic. These economies do not come out of the “blue sky,” he declared, but are a result of engineering achievement, which is responsible for improved cars and improved methods of making them. “If we produced today’s car with yesterday’s methods,” he said, “the cost of a car would be so prohibi- tive that they could be enjoyed by but relatively few persons. If we | produced yesterday’s car with to- day’s methods, the result would be more or less the same. I do not intend this as a disparagement of the early efforts of the engineers. On the contrary, we know their efforts made possible the high de- velopment of today’s car. Our vet- eran engineers today occupy, of course, as high a glnce in the in- dustry as any who came along later. . “There have been all-around hnprovemexg.s in practically every part of the ¢ar. Quick-drying lac- quer and the self-starter will al- ways stand out as some of the history-making major achieve- ments in the industry. These developments with their multi- tudinous benefits were a mighty influence in the progress of the industry. Developments. “After this, development follow- ed development. In 1927 the fuel supply system was revolutionized by introduction of the fuel pump. Besides its mechanical advan- tages, it made possible a savings of millions a year to purchasers of automobiles. This savings was important, but, far more impor- tant than this, the fuel pump made possible increased horse- power at much lower cost. So de- velopment of the fuel pump played a most important part in making most autotmobiles more efficient and at lower cost. “If the motorist would compare the cost of variois units on his car today with those of 10 or 15 years ago he -would be amazed. The instruments on the instru- ment board alone would today make a most interesting com- parison. Speedometers, many times more efficient today, are much lower in cost than years ago, so are ammeters, thermo gauges, oil gauges, gasoline gauges. The total savings to car owners over a period of a few years that engineering science has made possible through develop- ment of these instruments would be staggering. “There is no wonder that the value of the automobile dollar to- day is about twice the value of the cost of the living doilar in terms of 1914 purchasing power.” —_—— PAN-AMERICA TO BE WELL REPRESENTED Large Delegation Will Convene at Road Parley Opening in ‘Washington Tomorrow. Unusually keen interest is being shown throughout the Americas in the Sixth International Road Congress, ac- cording to an announcement by the American Organizing Commission, which is making arrangements for the - ering tomorrow in Washington. Vir- tually all the countries of North, Cen- tral and South America will have dele- gations on hand when the congress convenes, and added to these will be several official delegations from the islands off the mainland of the West~ ern Hemisphere. In recent years Latin American na- tions have become increasingly con- scious of the need of highway develop- ment and this consciousness is reflected in undertakings such as the Cuban Central Highway, extending the full length of the island; the Rio-Sao Paulo Highway in Brazil, the extensive im- provements on the road running north | through Chile, the Laredo-Mexico City %nghwly, as well as many other na- | tional and local developments that are in evidence everywhere. It is only nat- urz!, therefore, that, having held two Pan-American conferences on highways, with & third scheduled for Chile in 1332, a lively Interest should be dis- played in the world congress which is scheduled for Washington and which will be attended by official delegations from at least 62 governments, colonies and dependencies, in addition to the United States and the League of Nations. A total of 45 official delegates ac- credited by 19 governments or their subdivisions in the Western Hemisphere and not_including the United States, the American Organizing Commission has been informed, will participate in the session. In addition to these, at least one country, Paraguay, which is not sending an official delegate, will be | fepresented by an_individual 'who is | attending the congress in a private ca- pacity. He is Sergio Bobrovsky, a civil and consulting engineer of Asuncion. Many other inidviduals having mem- bership in the Permanent International Association of Road Congresses, under the auspices of which the congress is being held, will also be present from Canada and from Latin America as private individuals. Following are the countries from which official representatives are coming of Canada, one, and one each from the Province of Quebec and the Province of Nova Scotia; Argentina, two; Bermuda. including a special delegate represent- ing the State of Rio Grande del Norte; Chile, four; Colombia, two; Cuba, five; Ecuador, one; Costa Rica, one; Guate- mala, four; Honduras, one; Jamaica, ; Mexico, three; " Ni 3 | and the number of delegates: Dominion | two: Bolivia, three; Brazil, three, not | THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., OCTOBER -5. 1930—PART FOUR. —By FRANK BECK COMME DOWN THE ROAD—Recollections. . v Vi) RE! LADY RIVIN' A DAUTYMOBIL N SRR NN 80 NY TRIBUNE, INC. COURTS SET FORTH MOTORISTS' RIGHTS A. M. A. Cites Rulings of California and Maine Tribunals. ! Two' important decisions, involving fundamental rights of motorists, have just been rendered by two appellate courts, according to reports to the legal department of the American Motorists” Association. “Probably the more important of the two,” declares Thomas J. Keefe, general manager of the A. M. A, them, “is that of the District Court of* Appeals of the State of California. The decision, rendered September 16, holds unconstitutional that part of the State motor vehicle law which took away from the motorist his driver’s license in the event he did not satisfy any damage judgment within 15 days after the judgment.” The decision is important, Keefe points out, because of si; leg- islation in a number of States. “Buch legislation,” the court declared, is unfair discrimination against the driver who has not the finances to meet the judgment. The provision for can- cellation of a license to drive, based upon the ability of the driver to sat- isty a money damage judgment, gives to the person of means a distinct ad- vantage which has no connection what- ever with his ability to drive, and de- prives another person of valuable prop- erty rights because of his lack of means. The act is unconstitutional.” ‘The second decision, rendered by the Supreme Court of Maine, involves the right of an automobile owner to re- cover damages done his car under the following circumstanes: A, the owner (bailor), loaned his car to B, his son, to take friends to a dancé, Returning, B, the son, per- mitted one of his friends to drive. e friend (ballee) collided with X's car. A, the owner-bailor, sued X for damages to his car. The evidence showed that the son’s friend (bailee-driver) operated the car negligently. ‘The lower court, in effect, instructed the jury that the plaintiff, the bailor- owner, could not recover because of the contributory neflluence of the bailee- driver. The Maine Supreme Court re- versed the decision, ant law as follows: “The modern view is that in bail- ments, other than for carriage, the con- tributory negligence is not imputable to the ‘I:Llét:r wh:‘}-e bt.;le m&fi of bail- ment mage a person. The rhinv.lfl was rightly aggrieved at the instruction given by the lower court. The case is reversed.” Both decisions, it 1s pointed out by the legal department of the A. M. A., involves fundamental rights of motor- ists, and for this reason is being called to the attention of Washington motor- 1sts. summed up the NAPOLEON, OHIO, BRIDGE BUILT BY WATERLOO MAN Gov. Cooper Dedicates Structure Near Bcene of Mad Anthony Wayne's Exploits. Ohlo’s newest and perhaps most beautiful bridge, which just been built at “Napoleon” by a “Waterloo” contractor, wes dedicated at Napoleon, Ohlo, recently, with Gov. Myers Y. Cooper as principal speaker. This is & 750-foot, $300,000 concrete bridge over the historic anc scenic Maumee River— a stately but unassuming ‘“paleface” structure, which has driven its prede- cessor downstream after 50 years of service with the same relentiess effi clency that the valley’s great “paleface’ warrior, the famous “Mad Anhtony Wayne, used a century earlier in dri, the Indians down the same river to en the savage Western wars and pillages of the Revolution. The new bridge is located on United States_Highway No. 24, which runs from Pontiac, Mich. via Detroit, To- ledo, Napoleon, Fort Wayne, Peoria and | Quincy, to Kansas City, Mo., and which also serves Ohio State Highways Nos. 133 and 34. It is a reinforced concrete jarch bridze, with seven 95-foot clear spans, a 36-foot roadway and two 5-foot sidewalks. The project involved 18,000 cubic yards of excavation. James P. Ragan, president of the Henry County Bar Association, headed '-&:p:hwpmn Committee for Gov. T, Other decication speakers were Rob- ert N. Waid, State director of highways; George 8¢l and Harry J. Kirk, the latter now of Washington, D. C., former directors; D. H. O , de- eer, and George W. Miller of the Miller-Taylor Construction Co. Waterloo, Towa. i and Canals, Ottawa, while the two pro- vinclal delegates are Alex Fraser, chief engineer, Department of Roads, Que- bec, and R. W. Moflologh, chief engi- neer Department of Highways, Halitax, Nova Scotis. At least one other Ca. adian will be E! /7 NN RN \ SN SN Modern ladies in waiting can be seen any time at any traffic-controlled in- tersection. In motoring as in golf women have a natural advantage over men. Their inability to display brute strength con- stantly serves as a help rather than a handicap. A woman cannot exert as much pull on the handle of a golf club, and thus allows the club head to swing through ging behind. The result is a clean shot, in which the club head hits the ball squarely and gives it a good drive. In driving a car women usually apply a lighter touch to the controls and come out ahead. The newer cars are not responsive to main force. Dabs of paint on the cheeks suggest another kind of dabbing that points the way to safer driving. Now and again when it is necessary to quickly, especially in wet weather, tter re- sults can be had pedal rather than by jamming down on it all at once. This is a short story of three little girls in & coupe. One of them who was assuming the duties of the driver de- cided to make a U-turn. As the turn progressed she cut the wheels r and accelerated, a combination that put the car on two wheels and startied observers. There was a similar per- formance when she tried to straighten out the car too suddenly. U-turns usually are made in a lower gear, and therein lies the danger moving too fast. A skillful driver starts the turn in low and immediately starts shifting to second or high as the car goes around. Making the shift avoids the excessive acceleration. There is another moral in the above incident. The reason so many cars are upset while being straightened out of a skid or a sway is because drivers for- get that to every action there is an equal and opposjte reaction. It now is possible to obtain wardrobe trunks to stand on the running board of the car. A special fitting attaches to the running board permanently. All the porter does when you are starting away from a hotel is to set the trunk on end on the special fitting. No other paraphernalia is required except a smart-looking ‘waterproof cover which ‘l‘i‘dum with one of those patented slides. Some cars have small toggle switches under the instrument panel to switch off the dash light. One woman who was meticulous about dusting the car , Milady’s Motoring BY FREDERICK C. RUSSELL. | valuable in curing the habit of leaving in line with her hands instead of lag-| | gestion that is not so far removed from | by dabbing the brake | of | by the average driver seems to 57 E 3 L on the inside accidentally switched oft the light and went out of her way that evening to find some one to replace :h]gt turned out to be a perfectly good ulb, The week's safety suggestion con- cerns the importance of mi sul the gears are in neutral before crankey ing; otherwise the car may lurch into 2 pedestrian. A transmission lqck is the car in gear for ordinary city parking. Engines suffer with a form of indi-| the kind Junior contracts when he| tries to force too many apples into his system. This is clearly indicated from a sketch of the throttle and intake of ge ‘e‘n’llne which you are handling day No matter how you tramp on the accelerator, you can't make the engine take more fuel than it wants to. Nor- mally it is hungry for gas and will promptly take in all the extras it can get, but just try to open the throttle too wide and note how it momentarily slows down. That's auto indigestion. ‘The purpose of the super-charger which the men folk in the household talk so much about is to force gas vapor into the cylinders when the en- gine wants to take more than can be supplied through force of atmos- pheric pressure. For normal purposes the pressure of the air is enough to meet feeding requirements, and as handled be even too much in many cases. ‘When the elerator is depressed too far in c the engine's hesita- tion u-n.\l‘ s T'ute momentary, but in hill climbing its speed can be killed by feeding too much gas. quite a bit of skill to know just how much forcing is needed to Increase speed without overstepping the limit. It you find you are inclined to feed too much gas and get into the difficul- ties mentioned above, I would suggest that you have installed an accelerator that operates less freely. This will also be an advantage when driving over a rough road. ‘Women especially should bear in mind that acceleration which must be fol- lowed by immediate slowing down is wasteful, not only because it consymes an extra amount of gas and wears down brake lining, but also because it wastes oil. When an engine slows down suddenly ofl is sucked up the pistons into the ecylinders, it burns up. Carbon also collects at a faster rate. Because there is urgent need for more smooth pavements and because pave- ment construction provides a consider- able volume of work, communities throughout the country are discovering that accelerated highway programs are greatly relieving unemployment, acoord- *In. to E. E. Duffy, highway educational writer. Representative of what s pavement program can do for a State is the present, situation in Iewa, & State with a penchant for determining the whys and wherefores of its road expenditures. Thirty thousand workmen on Iowa roads are engaged this year in earning for themselves no less than $18,000,000. This means that more than half of the $33,000,000 Iowa is spending in 1930 on roads will go directly into the pockets of workinen. Further, all this road money will represent backed-up pur- chasing power that will stimulate busi- nesses and industries not even remotely connected with highways. Incidentally, Iowa’s roads were nine- tenths mud in 1920; at the end of 1930 they will rfaced through the money. Jowa is keeping her money in circulation. Superior, Wis., has, like many other cities, been engrossed in solving the un- employment problem. And Superior, similar to countless other cities, has a real need for additional smooth, hard surfaced streets. Accordingly, advan- tage is being taken of present bargain prices of pavement construction, with 50 blocks of concrete pavements doubt- ended. This construction program is not only providing considerable em- ployment but_the example is inducing = DEAD STORAGE less to be installed before the year is' Highway Building Aids Unemployment Situation, Says Educational Writer private businesses to broaden their activities and employment. Stimulation of construction by gov- ernmental units might seem at it glance an artificial means of back natural . However, in regarding public co etion on the basis of need alone it becomes obvious that the requirement for public struc- tures is not 2 r example, no community as yet can say that it has enough, or almost enough, well paved highways. Consequently those communities that are doing to speed up the building of needed im- provements are really contributing to & continued lull in business. PR ST A NS RS On the Right Track. From the Wheel. ‘The locomotive was nct behaving as a true locomotive should. First it would move ‘forward a hundred yards or so, and then, with a good deal of % it would ahift back to its original posi~ tion. For l'-fun &\num this h‘?ndm going on, while the passengers ra; along the train. ng 3 At _last one of them, unable to eon- ammummn.mhn- “What on earth i the matter?” he demanded. “Well,” the conductor said, “I'm not sure, but I think the engineer is teach- ing his wife to drive.” ® PRO-CIR (Proper Circulation) PRO-CIR rids your auto cooling system of all rust, scale and cofrosion. It permits your car to perform perfectly under all conditions. Get PRO-CIR At Any of These Stations: ere | P! DOWNWARD TREND BELIEVED CHECKED Optimism Expressed for Final Quarter in Auto Industry. From the standpoint of actual unit assembly the month of August marked the low point in automotive output so far this year, and judging from the current level of operations there is every indication that Se) ber will establish another low mark below that of August, according to B. H. Cram, president of Cram's Automotive Reports, Inc. Optimistic Opinions. Many optimistic opinions are being expressed at the present time regard- ing the condition of the industry dur- ing the final quarter of the year. These statements imply that there is going to be a substantial spurt in output, the result of the industry’s getting into production on schéduled new models and the ‘ufinmy of these new models required ‘for a complete sampling of the dealer organizations. There is un- doubtedly considerable reliance to be placed in these opinions. October and November should see more active opera- tions, but it is decidedly a problem open to much questioning as to whether or not the renewal of activities of this nature will be of such proportions as to mark a sharp upward turn in the production trend for the year. Check Downward Trend. Perhaps the best that can be looked for is the checking of the downward trend, which would in itself be an achievement of considerable promise. With the inventory situation well in hand and basically the soundest it has been in many seasons, the factories should and will- continue to maintain & conservative attitude and not throw away the advantage they have so far gained by opening up on a retail mar- ket which is still a decidedly doubtful quantity and which cannot be expected to show any real strength until the first of the year. ‘The sampling of dealers will account for a_considerable volume of produc- tion, leoking at it from a strictly sea- sonal standpoint, and this volume, as above stated, may reasonably be ex- cted to act as & stabilizer on the production trends for the balance of the year. If this proves to be the case, the situation in the final quarter of year may be looked upon with more has been warranted at uring the past six 92,500 Bus Total. ‘There are now a total of 92,500 motor busses in the United States. IT'S JUST AS EASY TO BECOME A GOOD DRIVER AS A BAD ONE No Reason to Be Mediocre Autoist If Born With Ordinary Intelligence, Dcclares BY H. CLIFFORD BROKAW. Automobile Technical Writer. One reader of these articles wi l:fl:;ow why it is that anybody is to be a poor automobile driver | when it is 8o much easier to be a good | one This is a sensible question. The answer is that nobody should be con- tent to be a mediocre driver for any reason whatever. The dissemination of information as to how it is really easler to drive efficiently may encourage some of the less efficient to brace up. A few facts about right driving might help. No one was ever born with all the requisite skill and knowledge required of a good automobile driver, but there is no one born with ordinary intelli- gence who cannot become just that— . g driver. One can be taught easily enough the mechanical work of steéring, gear shifting, engaging and disengaging the clutch, in which it is absolutely necessary to have skill. But good driving embraces more than mere mechanical performance; it includes elements which can only be acquired with practice, thorough knowledge of the capacity of one’s car, familiarity with traffic regulations, quick thinking and constant consideration of the other driver when on the road. One Main Rule. One might boil down all the rules of driving into one and that would be— driving in such a way that you feel that you have perfect control of your car. Every driver knows when he does not have this perfect control. And if he cannot tell, he ought not be driving & car at all. To maintain this control, which is so essential to driving, the good operator always sees to it that his car is in such shape that it re- sponds easily and quickly to every com- mand. He has it overhauled and oiled at necessary intervals. Besides control of his car, the good driver has control over himself, he is invariably cool- headed and restrained, and lets no ex- citement or nervousness creep into his lving. A good driver thinks of the rights of others to enjoy safety on the road. He operates his car so that other drivers need not be harassed by his movements. ‘Wherever he can he allows a safe mar- gin for unexpected turns, stops or changes in speed, so. that no matter what unusual move is made by some- one else or which he may need to make . there is & margin of time and space to avold trouble. “Getting be- what he do is an excellent addition to the requisites of the good driver, and becomes a possi- bility when the driver is so familiar with his own car that he is not con- sclous of effort in maneuvering it. Proper Speed Essential. ‘To regulate one’s speed in accordance with conditions on the road over which one travels is another escential, and it is a good point never to exceed a rate of ?eed above which one cannot safely when there is other traffic close at hand. Crowded streets and intersec- tions require different degrees of speed Brokaw. to that of the less trafficked streets and open highways. The idea that travel- ing at a moderately fast rate is safer than going slow has become prevalent, and the good driver is alert to all portunities which are his for gain | speed where it is advisbale to do so. | " Besides, the good operator acquires & | sense of steadiness on the road. He does not spurt ahead suddenly for a few rods and then slow down again unex- pectedly behind the vehicle just ahead, especially when his good judgment could have told him that an even spee’ would have saved his motor from the strain of fast acceleration and his run- ning gear and brake linings from the unnecessary burden of quick braking, his passengers from the anxiety of & possible accident, and the driver be- hind from unpleasant thoughts. Driv ing at a moderate speed and steady | saves the most time and wear on one's | car. Especially is this true over long stretches. i And the will and inclination to obey signals is another essential of good driving, whether they come from other cars, traffic police, road signs or auto- matic signals. Automatic signals should be treated with as much respect as the whistle or indication from a police- man. Signaling one’s intentions to other drivers is another requisite, whether they be to back out from & | parking space, pull out from the curb, | suddenly change one's direction, stop, slow up or make any other move. No False Sense. A good driver has no false sense of security engendered by years of driv- ing experfence that makes him feel Jjustified in driving in a manner which he would condemn in others. And he has & wary eye for the pedestrians, 8o that they have an even chance to cross the street with dignity and safety. Ke does not blow his horn incessantly where it is im] because of traffic conditions. And he blows his horn just enough to let the other fellow know he wants to pass and to warn people afoot without subject- mi them to fright. t is not so hard to become a good driver. Skill in stees can be ac- quired, obedience to traffic regulations and signals can become a habit, one can be taught to use brakes as needed and to take the precautions neeuufi to keep the car under control times on steep and long grades. To look out for the engine is a phrase most people have heard since childhood. It is not difficult to realize that the steering wheel requires the use of both arms, and that animated conversation is not the privilege of the driver. An operator can be classed as a good driver when he has & realization of what good driving means, appreciates the responsibility which is his and the elements of safety and danger which are under his control, and then makes use of his knowledge and experience and ability to meet the conditions of stop | automobile traveling. Mr. Brokaw will be glad to write on any automobile subject which a reader of this article may desire. HIGHWAY PROPOSED TO MIDNIGHT SUN Legislation Sponsored by Semator Norbeck Offers Route Into Arectic Circle. Steps toward the building of a “road to the land of the Midnight Sun” have already been taken by Congress, accord- m the American Au%obfle Asso- The A. A. A. pointed out that & pend- ing measure, introduced by Senator Nor- beck of South Dakota, provides for a report on the feasibility of a highway from Fairbanks to Point Barrow on the Arctic Coast or some other it at ‘which the midnight sun is visible. “The proposal,” said the national mo- toring body, “is in line with the study of a proposed highway to connect the Northwestern part of the United States with British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska. The Dominion of Canada is co-operating with the United States.” The A. A. A. statement continues: “There is a growing sentiment, espe- cially in the West, for a highway con- necting this country and its Territory of Alaska, penetrating one of the most pic- turesque sections of Canada. Western affiliations of the A. A. A. have given the project considerable support, and are receiving the ascistance of motor clubs in all parts of the country. “The desire of Americans to travel be- yond the borders of their own country is evidenced by the heavy annual flow 1 into Canada. The move to- aking the land of the Midnight Sun accessible to car owners will be watched with great interest.” —_— Concerning Inertia. Inertia, says one automotive neer, is the force that keeps a mofl‘t from having the crankcase drained ‘when he knows it needs it. HIGH EDGES PREVENT - SIAMESE WASHOUTS Oriental Road Building Reverses the Crown Plan Used in United Statés, As motorists who travel unfrequented roads have occasion to know, & newly constru ily has 8 water. pract accepted standard in most countries, is reverse of the method in far-of where, instead of a crown, the i so constructed that the edges are 8l inches higher than the center, according to a report submitted for the Sixth In- ternational Road Congeu, which will be held in Washington in October. This report was submitted by Luang Prinya- gnvnmlyl, chief of the Department of 'ays, Bangkok, Siam. Because Siam is generally flat, it was stated in the report, the highways con- sist mostly of embankments. Due to frequent and torrential rains, if the roads were built with crowns the sur- faces would soon be seriously damaged. To eliminate this they are constructed originally with the sides higher than the center and thus the water is retained in the roadway, seeping through the earth and helping to compact it, says Prinya- vibulya. Within a year, it has been found, a new road will be fairly tflm{lfl b{ this method, while of the other r&‘ of road virtually nothing would remain. ‘The writer points out that, timber be- ing plentiful, bridges on new highways are made of wood. — Scotch C_nb Supplemented by Bus. EDINBURGH, Scotland _(#).~The horse-drawn cab has bowed to the motor bus in Scotland’s capital. In five years horse carriages have dro) from 102 to 41, while omnibuses increased from 335 to 840. Foravery brief period, new Pierce-Arrows are going to be remarkably easy to ewn. This is an intense period of stock re- adjustments — widespread throughout the industry—and today’s Pierce-Arrow values are a conspicuous consequence. e $9695 HARRY SOMMERS, Inec. 1727 Conn. Ave. SALES—OFFICE Distributors Potomac 0858 SE 1909 M St. N.W. RVICE—PARTS And at Pierce-Arrow Showrooms Everywhere