100 years ago: Lawrence visitor observes unusual number of ‘jay-drivers’

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Aug. 17, 1913:

  • “The Jay-Drivers ye will have with ye always. But Lawrence seems to be over crowded with these violators of the rules of the road just now. They are out in large numbers and the evil seems to be spreading rapidly. It requires a stranger to notice the condition of affairs that exists in Lawrence. A visitor to the city, who drove in in a car, found himself in such a swarm of jay-drivers the other evening that he was almost forced to seek aid in getting his machine out of the jumble. Cars darted in front of him coming from the opposite side of the street and going in the wrong direction, they were merely cutting across to get into the opposite side of the street or were pulling out after having gone in in this fashion. The stranger picked up a witness and started on a little run south on Massachusetts street. There there were autos and carriages lined up wrong; a taxi-cab was running madly down the east side of the street and going south; a little later a motorcyclist darted north on the opposite side; cars that were attempting to keep the regulations were endangered; but no one seemed to think of the jay-driving ordinance, it is a perfectly good ordinance but its best use seems to be to occupy a certain space in the city’s book of laws and regulations. The stranger mused at the lack of law enforcement and turned his machine onto a side street to avoid an almost certain collision. He has an opinion of Lawrence that is damaging and because of a condition that might easily be remedied. Jay-driving is a municipal evil and the jay-drivers should have some sort of a treatment.”
  • “The official log book of the Golden Belt Road has been issued and a copy received at this office. The book carries out the color of the road’s signs and is golden from cover to cover. Sixty pages with map give a complete log of the road from Kansas City to the Colorado line, 490.5 miles, in both directions with every turn and descriptions of many points of interest. Advertisements tell of the hotels and garages en route and several of the towns have attractive advertisements. The association is working to have every mile of the road made a perfect highway; nearly every state has designated it as a county road. This route is becoming known the country over as one of the finest motor roads and the best marked for its length in America. The book will be distributed free by commercial clubs to the members; garages and hotels will also distribute them. A copy will be sent postpaid for 25 cents by the president, C. M. Harger, Abilene, the proceeds going to the road association funds.”