Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 132, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 November 1904 — ROAD SIGNALS. [ARTICLE]

ROAD SIGNALS.

BETWEEN AUTOMOBILES AND TEAMS. Editor Republics : Now that automobiles have come to stay, it is best that there should be a good nnderstanding between drivers of these maobints and the pnblio at large, referring especially to the drivers of horses on onr streets and highways, Every vebiole for oarrying passengers 01 merchandise has equal rights on publio highways with every other vehicle, whether propelled by hand or machinery or drawo by animals; but it is the duty of eaoh person in oontrol of such vehicles to respeot the rights of others, and this applies as fully to the driver of a horse as to the driver of a machine, or to the mother wheeling her baby-carri-age.

For instance, no person who does not understand the handling cf horses has any more right upon the public highway with a timid or fraoti'us horse, or with rotten harness, or without a constant oontrol of the lines, than the driver of au automobile has to run reoklessly or without complete oontrol of his maohiue. Therefore since it is extremtlv difficult for the machine-driver to knew to a oertainty just bow either persons or animals will behave npon his approach, and furthermore, since a constant stoppage for teams is Most annoying where time is au objsot, particularly when snoh stoppage it really unnecessary, the following well-known railroad signals are earnestly recommended in the belief that their adoption by both parties will promote a very friendly feeling and help to educate horses to the new conditions: First, let the machine-driver clow the orossing signals on hie horn when approaching teams or obeoured road-crossing until convinced (hat his approach is noticed, meanwhile keeping hie machine under oontrol.

Seoond, let the horse-driver always give one of two return signals to the maobioe-driver, namely, either the “Cjme-Ahead” sigtal, by raising his arm straight np above his head and waving it from side to side, or the ‘ Slow Down” signal, by holding bis arm oat-j level with his shoulder and moving it np and down. Tbe machine driver will then go on oast the team, or will stop, or slow down, or get out and lead the team according to oirenmatanoes and the signal he gets. Third, if the horse-driver fails to give any signal whatever, let the maohine driver govern himself accordingly and always enquire why no signal was given. If this is done, and a little care is taken on both sides, horses will soon take no more notice of the machines here than they do in ether places where automobiles are m re numerous. F. A. Rosa. I. M' Washburn, M. D. J. J. Montgomery. Uhas. T. Dve. W. T. Elmore. E. Besser, VI. D.