Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-24
AGAINST LAMPS AND BELLS.
why Bicycle Riders Urg. That They Ne No
Longer Required.

Longer Required.
To the Editor Of The Evening star:
Just why some police regulations were ever
made is not clear. and WHY they are no, re-
pealed when it is found that they are Of no
value is also not clear
During the earlier DAYS Of cycling Il was
thought that n lamp would materially aid the
riding of bicycle at night by illuminating the
road asd il was also thought tina, the carving
OF neiis. whistles or similar alarms would avoid
coinsions with pedestrian. Acting upon TIN.
belief, not born Of experience. the; Cat,ital
.lub OF this city petitioncd the Commissioners
IN looo, or thereabouts. TO be allowed TO use
lamps and bells. but the petition was denied
upon the ground that they were nuisances.
As we were prevented from carving lnmn nv
Dell We soon learned that this denial of ,,ur re-
quest was really beneficial 20 us We rere
satished that lamps would be of no practical use
on the road and that so far rs warning poa,s
trians WIS concerned. they. like bells, would add
70 tne confusion OF the pedestrian and render
accidents more likely.
After going along quietly without finding
any occasion ior the use Of either lamp OF bell
Won can Imagine our surprise when We discov-
cred IN the police regulations a section reading:
a. "A sifeyriss and trcysrs in motion after sun
light cons or bo attached thereto SS g. l.. re.si,r
sounded 70 warn ieis1ns q their approach -
After wears Of practical experience demon
sary TO the safety Of pedestrian or rider We
were brought face 10 face with this regulation
which sprung into existence without cxplana-
lion OF Its appearance OF excuse for it's exist
ence.
Who demanded it? Why was il ever maae2
Certainly the author or authors could not have
had the safety OF the rider In mind or else the
rider would have been consulted. IL is equally
certain that the safety of the pedestrian could
not have entered into the mind Of the author.
Tor had he had day or nights practical ex-
perlence ne would have found out that the
pedestrian is far safer in being avoided by the
rider than IN being warned and attempting 10
avoid
The use Of lamps and bells has increased
reckless iidng. because many riders having
provided themselves with lamp and bell COM
slider that they have done all that is re- uired %
them, and do not exercise the care they woule
otherwise use
Only month so ago an elderly gentleman
was knocked down at 10th street and New York
avenue by a cyCiist. The accouu: in the raper
read: The boy is said 10 have had his lsmn
lighted and 10 have rang his bell as a wa. ming.
and IL therefore not Go blame"
IN other words, because the rider has his
lamp lighted and rings his bell he Is at liberty
70 ride a. recklessly a. he chooses and is not 70
blame IN case of accident. Now il the rider
has no bell nor lamp he will not ride as reck-
iessly as he does when he feels that he has done
all that Is required of HIM by Law. III anv rider
feels that there is any advantage gained in
having lamp or bell let that rider carry either
or ooth' but do not require that all Of u shall
load ourselves down in that manner
Such a requirement. works n rarticular hard
/ ship upon hundreds of clerks in the different
stores in the city. These men and women 90
TO work carly IN the morning and do not got
away from the store until after shutdown Yet
| they have 10 carry lamp down 90 the store
with them in the morning in order that they
may ride their machines home in the evening In
4 the lamps are lef: upon the machines during the
/ day they viii surely he stolen. To avoid this
/ the lamps have 10 be taken off the machine,
and put away in the store which bs,ides soil
ing the hands, results IN making the place 81
storing an oily, dirty hole. No one who has
not had practical experience with lamp can
form any idea Of the nuisance bicycle lamp
generally makes itself.
There is another and very serious objection
10 the use OF lamps. Aside from the exuense
of keeping them in condition for US. their fir,t
cost Is considerable. l venture 20 assert that
there are S2l.O00 inverted in bicycle lamps in
the city. This sum was paid not by those who
use me bicycle merely for pleasure-as thev
are greatly IN the minority-but by those who
use the bicycle in their daily business and can
i'll afford the OUTLAY.
On the 2sth of May party of riders started
on a tour down the Shenandoah valley and
reached Georgetown on their way home Just
about dusk. Here thew were arrested and
appearance in the Police Court
IL hardly seems reasonable that rider should
he expected 10 carry lamp or a bell during a
tour of several hundred miles in order that he
may wa-n the citizens Of Washington upon his
triumphant entry INTO these sacred recincts.
And yet that is just the result During the
recent league meet. when the CITY was filed i'm
visiting wheelmen, this regulation vas Gus
pended upon the thoughtful rerommenda-
ton OF Maj. Moore. and I think the
results Of the temporary suspension
Justify the claim that neither lEmp nor
bell is requisite to the safety OF the pedestrian
Does any enc recall any accident due 60 the
absence of the lamp on that occasion? ices
any one recall any accident due to thu absence
Of the bell on that occasion?
IL seems strange that this citv. which A.
looked upon ms progressive and A. one 81 the
best governed cities in the country should be
so Tar behind other cities OF less note and i'm
rortance IN a matter OF this kind Other
cities have ceased 20 looS upon the bicycle ~
toy or plaything, but regard i; Ne a
vehicle. a valuable business adjunct: and
instead OF hindering lite by such regulations
ar we have here have thrown aside such regu-
iafioHs and place reliance upon the skill COM
mon sense and judgment of the rider.
II is 10 be hoped that Maj. Moore viii see (as
all who have had practical experience see) that
the lamp is an uumitigated nuisance and is
productive Of more harm than good.
Give us a chance 10 prove that we are right
and thea If any harm is sceu TO come from the
abolition Of the regulation 1t can be restored.
W. ID