OCR Text |
Show Let the Modern Phaethons Beware 1 1 1 Travelers Ins. Co. Safely Service The speed demon has always existed ex-isted in one form or another. Greek mythology in the' story of how Phaethon Phae-thon drove his father's chariot offers perhaps the earliest example of what can happen when people drive a vehicle so fast that it gets beyond their ability to control it. It will be remembered that Phaethon wished to prove that Apollo, the God of the Sun, was his father, and for his proof, sought to persuade his father to let him drive the chariot. Apollo finally consented with reluctance, and after many warnings and instructions, in-structions, the boy set out. Then Phaethon lost control of the fiery norses and set the world on fire. Jupiter had to toss a thunderbolt at Phaethon to stop him. This myth is strangely modern. People are warned today about the dangers of speed. But many drivers try to set the world on fire by their speed, just as Phaethon did. When the horse and buggy cluttered clut-tered up the streets, the speed demon was in evidence. Usually the horse made up for any deficiency in the judgment of the driver. Then, when the bicycle rage was at its) height, there were many who gave a good imitation of how a human being tried to overcome the force of l wind resistance. In the early days of the automobile, loud complaints were made about the dangers of a speed of five or ten miles an hour. The public today may be inclined to poke fun at the earlier examples of the speed demon, but perhaps the present age will be laughed at in some distant day because of the way many rush about in cars. Last year the rate of death per accident which involved exceeding the speed limit was 35 per cent worse than the average death rate for all accidents due to improper driving practices. A word to the wise is sufficient. It has been said that if everybody would drive about 20 per cent slower a lot of the national oversupply of automobile accidents would be reduced. |