THE AUTO SURVEYORS

What do the Automobile Clubs think of a private road police?

We asked various regional Automobile Clubs what they thought of the project that Mr. Auscher had submitted to Mr. Peytral, Minister of Public Works, concerning the organization of a private road police.

Here is the response from Mr. Rousset, President of the Automobile Club of Marseille:
My friends and I had had the idea of ​​such an organization for a long time. That is to say that we would be completely in favor of the government initiative, if it happens.
"As for the method of proceeding, we would be of the opinion that in order to achieve a result, it would be necessary for a few members of each club, chosen, of course, with the greatest care, from among those offering in all respects the necessary guarantees, to possess, duly sworn, the same powers as the police officers and commissioners,

"This private police would be responsible for monitoring the proper application of the Highway Code and municipal decrees, both in urban areas and in the open countryside. It would have the power to issue fines, if necessary, to all road users, whoever they may be, because you are aware that until now only motorists apply, more or less, the new regulations, and that it is just as impossible as one might think, to obtain that carters keep to their right and that herds are equipped with the regulatory light signals.

"We could also, as you suggest, serve as information agents for the public authorities to indicate to them all the special arrangements that should be made to the Code in force depending on where it is to be applied.

"We are, at the Automobile Club of Marseille, and we have always been, absolutely at the disposal of the public authorities.

"For more than 15 years, in fact, we have been administering examinations relating to the driving of motor vehicles, and since the creation of the U.N.A.T., we have provided this service exclusively and alone in our area of ​​influence, and, I believe, to the complete satisfaction of the authorities and the candidates.

We are convinced that we could provide, from the point of view of general traffic, automobile or not, very great services and are ready to devote ourselves to it as soon as we are asked.

Convinced that a press campaign in a newspaper like yours will have the happiest influence in this regard, we would be very happy to see Auto take this question in hand. >