Judge, 1925-09-26 · page 15 of 37
Judge — September 26, 1925 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Judge* magazine presents automotive-era humor through two pieces: **Top cartoon**: A chaotic scene showing multiple cars careening wildly off a road, with the caption "How it seems to ride with a careful driver"—satirizing reckless driving by depicting the opposite of safety. **"The Motorist's Dictionary"**: A humorous glossary mocking early 1920s car culture and driver behaviors. Key jokes include: - "Clutch" as intimate behavior (spooning/wrestling holds) - "Flat Tires" as nervous passengers - "Bolt" as fleeing from police - "Siren" as picking up women at country clubs - References to flasks and alcohol consumption (Prohibition-era coded language) **Bottom cartoon**: Two well-dressed men confront a third figure, with dialogue about "an enterprising undertaker who follows me around"—dark humor suggesting the driver is so reckless he needs funeral services nearby. The overall satire targets dangerous driving, drunk driving culture, and the moral anxieties surrounding automobiles as symbols of youth rebellion and lawlessness in the Jazz Age.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Motorist’s Dictionary ILUTCH—Term for affectionate posture taken by spooners and midnight joy riders. Known as “Half Nelson” in wrestling. Azel—Swedish surname, male. Flat -Tires—Persons who get panicky when you go twenty-five and want to get out and walk when you hit thirty. Bolt—Action taken upon hearing a cop’s whistle. Nut—One armed driver, speeder, ete. Spark Plug (obs.)—Term formerly applied by youthful Romeos to the old gray mare of the days of the buggy. Blow Out—When the bottled stuff is uncorked at the road house. Brake—Faux Pas, such as calling the friend’s car a “hunk of tin,” etc. Siren—You usually bring one home Saturday night from the country club. Cooling- System—Liquid contained in flask, usually taken in small gulps with one eye out for cops. Pan—What the average motorist ‘ “Wane (garage term Where the AAMC ANA AAT aT Co one-armed driver parks his spare Vicrim—Who’s that with you—your confederate? arm. George Bancroft Duren “Oh, no—just an enterprising undertaker who follows me around.” | comicbooks.com