Judge — October 12, 1907 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Fool That Is Hurting the Automobile Business" This October 1907 *Judge* cartoon satirizes reckless driving as damaging the nascent automobile industry. The caricatured driver—depicted with exaggerated features suggesting incompetence or foolishness—operates a car wildly out of control, kicking up dust clouds while his hat flies off. Mechanical parts scatter in his wake. The satire critiques unsafe drivers whose accidents and dangerous behavior were undermining public confidence in automobiles during this early era. Rather than blaming the vehicle itself, the cartoon blames the "fool" operator, suggesting that reckless individuals threatened the automobile business's reputation and commercial viability. This reflects contemporary concerns about traffic safety as cars became more common on American roads.