Before 1896 the rule for driving a light locomotive, which is what cars were called back then, was a speed limit of 4 miles per hour and there was a requirement to have a person walk in front of the vehicle with a red flag. The flag waver’s job was to let people know that the dangerous vehicle was coming. In 1896, the speed limit was raised to 14 mph and the need for a flag waver was abolished.
Co-President of the Red Flag Horseless Carriage Tour Mark Hempen shares a little history on how the new law was celebrated, “They started in London England, a tour that goes from London England to Brighton England. That started in 1896 and they still do that tour to this day. Here in the United States there are just very few places where we have a London or a New London that is close enough to a Brighton or a New Brighton to recreate this tour and here in Southeast Iowa we just happen to be fortunate enough to have New London, Iowa and Brighton close enough to do this.”
The event kicks off this Wednesday in Mount Pleasant. Twenty-Nine cars dating back to 1927 or older will be participating in the Red Flag Horseless Carriage Tour of Southeast Iowa.
The Southeast Iowa Tour will begin on Thursday. Cars will tour West Point, Montrose and on to Keokuk.
The New London to Brighton tour is on Saturday, September 24th. For more information visit the Red Flag Horseless Carriage Tour’s website. A link to that site is with this story at kciiradio.com.

http://www.redflagmotortour.com/