The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-18
BENEFITS OF BICYCLES.
The Good Effects of the Wheel
Noticed in City and
Suburb.
Wayside Inns Springing Up Along
the Cyclists Route-Good Roads
Are Wanted.

AS revolutionary force in the social
world the bicycle has had no equal in
modern times. What it is doing is, in
fact, to put the human race on wheels for
the first time in its history. The proper
ton of people who are riding bicycles in
nearly every community is astonishingly
large. In many instances it may be said
that nearly every able-bodied man, woman
and child has Wheel and is regular
rider When we consider the increase in
rapidity of locomotion which is attained.
and the fact that it is self-supplied with
such ease. it is not surprising that the
changes required to meet the demands of
the new order of things are so many and
so radical as to amount virtually to max
ing the world over again, so far as travel
ing is concerned.
This Is peculiarly the case in the great
cities. In and about New York, for exam.
pie. there are at present something like
half million bicycle-riders. In the city
itself, on pleasant holidays, they swarm
like flies upon all the parkways and other
thoroughfares having asphalt or macadam
pavement. 1t is very clear that sooner OF
later they or the vehicles must give way,
for both cannot find room to remain with
safety. Indeed, there have been many
fatal accidents already, some of them
shocking in the extreme. The dangers in
crease as the number of wheelmen multi
plies. In a collision with any kind of We
hicle drawn by horse the bicycle-rider is
certain to get the worst of it. His vehicle in.
stead of being in any way protection, is
a menace to his welfare the moment il
comes in contact with any other moving
body. The fact that he cannot stand still
for ont yo oil oil 80 oI<I.
tional danger. These conditions make il
an absolute necessity that in all communi.
ties in which there are large numbers Of
wheeimen there should be separate road.
ways set apart for their especial use. Nc
city park should be laid out in future
without its bicycle pathway, nor is it likely
to be. The need of a separate roadway fol
horseback riders has been recognized in al
our great parks, yet in a roadway filled
with carriages an equestrian is much safer
from harm than bicycle rider. At pres
ent the wheelmen outnumber the horse
men hundred or more to one, and the
need OF separate provision for them is
| consequently too obvious to be questioned
But it is not in the parks alone that such
accommodation is necessary. There has
been much discussion in the New York
press for some months past about provid
ing suitable roadway for bicycles from
one end OF the city to the other, so that
riders may pass to and from their business
on their wheels. 1t has been urged that
the covering with asphalt of continuous
or connected line of streets would supply
this. but this is doubtful. The chances
would be that heavy wagons and carriages
OF all kinds would seek the same line OF
travel because of the superior roadbed, and
that 1t would become too crowded to DE
either safe or speedy thoroughfare fol
bicycles.
1t is not impossible that in time we may
see in all our great cities lines OF streets
reserved for bicycles. This might be done
were all the streets of the city paved
equally we'll, and it is one of the most be-
neicent effects Of the bicycle that it is max