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Classic Car


Subdeacon Joe

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6 hours ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

How did they determine he was speeding at 29 KMH back in 1894? I doubt there was a posted limit. The only way I can think of is some bureaucrat who didn't like cars was laying for him with a stop watch over a measured distance.

From memory of a transportation history class at university: there were posts put at a certain distance on the side of the road.  The enforcement constable would measure the time.  The system was only as accurate as the man watching the clock.  To be most accurate, he would time from the shadow of the post hitting the tire til the next shadow.  

 

Before that, it was common for a lantern ordinance.  The driver had to have a walker a set distance in advance of him carrying a lantern.  The lantern gave warning to those animal drawn conveyances so they could stop and get a handle on skittish critters before the horseless carriage came by.  The person being required to walk kept the devices below 6mph.  Ironic that now The horse drawn carriages are required to have two lanterns for the safety of the cars.

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