Chap. 42.—An ACT to regulate the running of automobiles, locomobiles, and other
vehicles and conveyances whose motive power is other than animals, and motor
bieveles and trievcles, along or over the public highways of the State and the
avenues, streets, and alleys of the cities.

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Approved December 20, 1902.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That it shall be
unlawful for any person or persons to run, or cause to be run, automo-
biles, locomobiles, or other such vehicles or carriage which has for its
motive power and is propelled by steam, electricity, gasoline, or any
power other than animal power, and motor bicycles ‘and tricycles along
or across any public road or highway, or anv avenue, street, or alley of
any city in the State of Virginia, at a greater rate of speed than fifteen
miles per hour.

2. The operator, owner, conductor, driver, or occupant of anv such
vehicle, or the rider of any such motor bievcle or tricvele, shall keep @
eareful look ahead for.the approach of horseback riders or vehicles
drawn by horses or other animal, shall check speed, keep his vehicle,
bicycle, or tricvele, as the case may be, under thorough and careful con-
trol, give ample roadway to such rider or vehicle, and ‘if signalled by such
rider or occupant of such vehicle, or be otherwise requested thereto, shalf
immediately bring his machine or vehicle, bicyele or tricycle, as the case
may be, to a full stop and allow ample time to such rider or vehicle to

ass.

3. When the operator, owner, conductor, driver, or occupant of any
such vehicle or machine, or the rider of any such bicycle or tricycle, as is
described in the first section, overtakes a horse or vehicle traveling in
same direction with himself, he shall slow down his speed, signal for the
road by bell or gong, and if the other vehicle stops, shall pass at a rate of
speed not greater than four miles per hour. Should the vehicle or traveler
not stop, and the said operator, owner, conductor, driver, or occupant of
such vehicle, or rider of any such bicycle or tricycle desire to pass, he shall
do so at a rate of speed not greater than mav be necessary, and shall in
al] cases use due diligence and care not to frighten the horse or horses.

+. Any one violating the provisions of this act shall be fined not less
than ten dollars, nor more than one hundred dollars, to be assessed by a
justice of the peace, and in addition thereto shall be liable for damages
actually incurred by reason of such neglect, and the automobile, locomo-
bile, or such other vehicle or machine, bievcle or trievele, may be seized
and impounded anywhere in the Commonwealth upon the order of a jus-
tice of the county or corporation in which the offense is committed, and
may by the order of such justice be sold to pay such fines or damages.

. In any case where any automobile, locomobile, or such other vehicle
or machine, motor bievele or tricvele, shall be impounded as provided in
preceding section, the officer shall fix upon a time and place for the sale
thereof, ‘and post notice of same at least ten davs before dav of sale at
three or more public places in his county or corporation, and shall publish
notice of sale in some paper published in his county or corporation (if
there be one published therein) for two consceutive weeks. At the time
and place so appointed such officer shall sell to the highest bidder, for
eash, the said automobile, locomobile, or other vehicle or machine, motor
bicycle or tricycle, and the surplus, if anv there be, after deducting the
amount of the fine, cost, and damage, shall be paid to the owner of said
property.

6. This act shall not apply to incorporated towns or cities which now
or shall hereafter have ordinances regulating speed of the vehicles or
machines mentioned in the preceding sections.

7. This act shall be in force from its passage.