́speed less than that heretofore specified and at no time and in no place, greater than is reasonable and proper, having regard to traffic, the use of the way, and the safety of the public. In traversing a crossing of intersecting ways or in going around a corner or sharp curve in a road, the operator shall sound his horn or bell.

SECT. 9. Every person having control or charge of an automobile or motor cycle, shall, whenever upon any public street or way and approaching any vehicle drawn by a horse or horses or approaching any horse upon which any person is riding, operate, manage and control such automobile or motor cycle in such a manner as to exercise every reasonable precaution to prevent the frightening of such horse or horses and to insure the safety and protection of any person riding or driving the same. And, if such horse or horses appear to be frightened, the person in control of such automobile or motor cycle shall reduce its speed, and if requested by the raising of a hand or other signal, by the rider or driver of such horse or horses, shall not proceed further towards such animal and in cases of extreme fright shall upon request reduce the motive power to a full stop.

SECT. 12. Nothing in this act shall be construed to prevent the selectmen of any town, or the joint boards of the selectmen of two or more adjoining towns, from issuing a special permit to the manager or person in charge of an automobile meet or gathering, for trials of speed or endurance upon a particular highway or over a specified route. But such permit shall be limited to days specified therein. Every family residing on such highway or route shall be notified in writing, and the public shall be notified by publication in the local newspapers issued the week next prior to such meeting, that such permit has been granted. All expenses incurred under this section shall be paid by the applicant and no such permit shall be a protection from the general provisions of this act except upon

a strict compliance herewith, and shall in no way annul or modify any of the provisions of section nine of this act.

VERMONT.

SECTION 1. No motor vehicle shall be run on a public way or private way laid out under authority of statute in a careless or negligent manner. If a person runs a motor vehicle at a rate of speed exceeding twenty-five miles an hour outside a city or incorporated village, or at a rate of speed exceeding ten miles an hour within a city, incorporated village or the thickly settled part of a town, it shall be prima facie evidence that the motor vehicle was run carelessly or negligently. Nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to affect the rights of the proper officials of a city, incorporated village, or the selectmen of a town, and said officials shall have authority to make special regulations as to the speed of such motor vehicles upon narrow or dangerous roads or ways. Such special regulations, however, shall be subject to an appeal to the state highway commissioner, whose decision in the case shall be final. No such special regulations shall be effective unless notice of the same is posted conspicuously in such road or way a reasonable distance from a point where such narrow or dangerous place exists.

.

MASSACHUSETTS.

ACTS OF 1905, CHAPTER 366.

[As amended by Acts of 1906, Chapter 412, Section 9.]

AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE SPEED AT WHICH AUTOMOBILES AND MOTOR CYCLES MAY BE OPERATED ON PUBLIC WAYS.

Be it enacted, etc., as follows:

SECTION 1. The city council of a city or the board of aldermen of a city having no common council, and the selectmen of a

town, may make special regulations as to the speed of automobiles and motor cycles and as to the use of such vehicles on particular roads or ways, including their complete exclusion therefrom. If they determine that on any particular way a speed greater than the speeds specified in section eight of chapter four hundred and seventy-three of the acts of nineteen hundred and three may be permitted with safety, they may make such special regulations as may appear to them to be necessary: provided, however, that no such special regulation increasing or lessening the speed at which automobiles and motor cycles may be run on the public highways, or excluding them therefrom, shall be effective unless such regulation shall have been published in one or more newspapers, if there be any, published in such city or town, otherwise in one or more newspapers published in the county in which the city or town is situated. If, within sixty days after the publication of such notice, not less than fifty residents of Massachusetts, at least ten of whom shall be taxpayers of the city or town, file a written protest with the Massachusetts highway commission, such special regulation shall not be valid until approved by said board after public notice and a hearing given by said board in the city or town. Such special regulations shall be posted conspicuously by or under the direction of the Massachusetts highway commission on sign boards at such points as the board may deem necessary. The cost of such sign boards and the expenses in connection with their erection and maintenance shall be paid out of the appropriation for expenses in connection with the registration of automobiles and motor cycles and the licensing of operators thereof. No ordinance, by-law or regulation now in force in any city or town which regulates the speed at which automobiles or motor cycles shall be run upon its public ways shall hereafter have any force or effect. Nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to affect the rights of boards of park commissioners, as established by law.

SECTION 2. Section fourteen of chapter four hundred and seventy-three of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and three is hereby repealed. Approved May 4, 1905.

SECTION 7. Every person having control or charge of an automobile or motor cycle shall, whenever upon any public street or way and approaching any vehicle drawn by a horse or horses, or approaching any horse upon which any person is riding, operate, manage and control such automobile or motor cycle in such manner as to exercise every reasonable precaution to prevent the frightening of such horse or horses and to insure the safety and protection of any person riding or driving the And if such horse or horses appear to be frightened, the person in control of such automobile or motor cycle shall reduce its speed, and if requested by signal or otherwise by the rider or driver of such horse or horses, shall not proceed farther towards such animal unless such movement be necessary to avoid accident or injury, or until such animal appears to be under the control of its rider or driver, and in case of extreme · fright shall reduce the motive power to a full stop.

same.

SECTION 8. Every person operating an automobile or motor cycle on any public or private way laid out under the authority of law shall run it at a rate of speed at no time greater than is reasonable and proper, having regard to traffic and the use of the way and the safety of the public. If the rate of speed of an automobile or motor cycle operated on any such way outside the thickly settled or business part of a city or town exceeds twenty miles an hour for the distance of one quarter of a mile such rate of speed shall be prima facie evidence that the person operating such automobile or motor cycle is running it at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and proper having regard to traffic and the use of the way and the safety of the public. If the rate of speed of an automobile or motor cycle operated on any such way inside the thickly settled or business part of a

city or town exceeds twelve miles an hour for the distance of one eighth of a mile such rate of speed shall be prima facie evidence that the person operating such automobile or motor cycle is running it at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and proper, having regard to traffic and the use of the way and the safety of the public. If the rate of speed of an automobile or motor cycle operated on any such way upon approaching a crossing of intersecting ways, or in traversing a crossing or intersection of ways, or in going around a corner or a curve in the highway where the operator's view of the road traffic is obstructed, exceeds eight miles an hour such rate of speed shall be prima facie evidence that the person operating such automobile or motor cycle is running it at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and proper, having regard to traffic and the use of the way and the safety of the public.

[The phrase "thickly settled or business part of a city or town,'

shall be deemed to mean the territory of a city or town contiguous to any such way which is built up with structures devoted to business, or the territory of a city or town contiguous to any such way where the dwelling houses are situated at such distances as will average less than two hundred feet between such dwelling houses for a distance of a quarter of a mile or over.— Acts of 1906, chapter 412, section 2.]

RHODE ISLAND.

SEC. 4. Every person having control or charge of an automobile, motor car, or motor cycle shall, whenever upon any public street or way and approaching any vehicle drawn by a horse or horses, or approaching any horse upon which any person is riding, operate, manage, and control such automobile, motor car, or motor cycle in such manner as to exercise every reasonable precaution to prevent frightening of such horse or horses and to insure the safety and protection of any person