Judge — March 12, 1910 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1910 Judge magazine cartoon satirizes speed laws and traffic safety. The image shows a reckless driver in a toy-like automobile crashing through a "Penitentiary" gate marked "Sped Law," while a police officer flies off a rooftop in pursuit. The caption asks "When Will This Come True?" The satire criticizes dangerous drivers who violate speed regulations—suggesting they deserve imprisonment. The exaggerated, chaotic scene emphasizes how automobile speeding posed a serious public hazard in the early motor-car era, when traffic laws were new and compliance was poor. The cartoon advocates for stricter enforcement of speed limits to protect public safety, mocking those who recklessly endanger others on the road.