Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-08-23
SOMETHING ABOUT WHEELS
And The Rights Of WbeeInan

an economical vehicle. speedy, safe,
and afTording healthful exercise is as
sured This is the outcome Of the in
yention Of the Safety" aud its sup
eriority over the old style high wheel.
It's use Is to-day a much on the side
Of necessity as Of sport, especially in
the cities, where good roads are the
rule, and where summer and winter
it can be utilized. The writer having
noticed the steady growth of bicycling
propensities in Lancaster. and being
/ himself an enthusiastic admirer Of the
wheel desires to say few words in
regard to the rights Of the eycler. and
at the same time to point out a few Of
his liabilities. He has noticed a GER.
tain ill-feeling existing between those
driving upon the road and those rid
ing wheels. and has also noticed a hos
tility to the wheel on the part of loot
passengers, who seem to regard the
appearance Of a bicycle on the horizon
much as a Spanish bull regards the
red banner of a matador. This is not
as it should be- The driver of a team
upon the roads has rights, and the
pedestrian has rights; but the bicycler
is not an outlaw, and he also has
rights. The trouble is that one or
the other of these three is apt to con-
slider himself king of the road and en-
titled to its monopoly. In regard to
foot passengers the cycler should use
the greatest caution, as a swiftly
moving bicycle is a dangerous thing
to collide with. The cycler should
give timely warning of his approach
and should, If necessary, turn out.
But the foot passenger should not
stubbornly hold the only path a eye
Ter can safely ride over. compelling
him to turn aside into ditch or to
dismount, when step one way or the
other would allow the cycler to 90 on
his way rejoicing, and that too, with
out any inconvenience to the pedes-
trian.
There is especial danger to foot
passengers at night, as the bicycle is
both unseen and unheard. and. dash
ing swiftly out of the darkness, is
likely to bewilder and injure the foot
passenger. In most of the cities BIZ
cycles are required by ordinance to
carry lamp after dark as warning
This is proper and would be cOndu
Give to the safety of all if adopted
here. In the absence of legislative
prohibition, riders of bicycles have the
same rights on highways as those us
ing any other kind of vehicle. If
drivers of teams viii not recognize
that fact, as they seem inclined not to
do, the recognition may be forced on
them by a damage suit, if the injured
cycler so desires Time and time
again | have seen wheelmen crowded
entirely off the track into ruts which
threw them, or into bitches which
performed the same kindly office,
sometimes injured and sometimes
with broken wheels, because someone
in light spring buggy preferred all
the road to giving the cyclist a foot,
| flor that is about all he needs). Such
conduct is outrageous, and in several
! damage suits brought for this cause,
the courts have upheld the rights of
| the wheelman, and awarded him COM
pensation for the injuries sustained.
Where the ground outside the track
will permit the cycler to turn out, he
will gladly do so. 1t is less trouble to
all concerned. Or, where he meets a
heavily loaded wagon, courtesy de-
mands, perhaps that he dismount
and give the wagon the whole track;
but where, as is most often the case,
the driver can as easily as not give
the bicycler a small strip of the track
on which to pass, his legal duty is to
do so, and by his refusal so to act he
proclaims himself not only disrespect-
full of the rights of others, but very
pronounced specimen of what is call
ed ''the American hog"
The law of the road in Wisconsin is
as follows. (Sec. 1891 r. 81 when
ever any persons shall meet each other
on any bridge or road, travelling with
carriages, wagons, sleighs, sleds, OR
OTHER VEHICLES, each person shall
reasonably drive his carriage or OTHER
VEHICLE to the right of the middle of
the travelled part of such bridge or
road, so that the respective carriages,
or OTHER VEHICLES aforesaid may pass
each other without interference; and
every person offending against this
section. shall forfeit not exceeding
twenty dollars and shall be liable to
the party injured for all damages sus-
tanned thereby
There is no prohibition against BIZ
cycles in the laws of Wisconsin. A
bicycle comes within the words ''or
OTHER VEHICLES of the statute. 1t
is as much vehicle as a wagon or
carriage, and the rider of wheel has
rights which must be respected.
There are Doors to be met with on the
road who take special delight in get
ting the cycler into difficulty by mon
opolizing the track and forcing the
wheelmen into disaster among the
ruts, bitches and fences at the side of
the road Their attention is called to
the statute in the hope that they viii,
in The words Of the temperance orator.
..pause and think. " think. even if it