New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-01
POLICEMEN on BICYCLES.

lust after the recent unfortunate bicycle casu-
alty on the Boulevard. Superintendent Byrnes
was quoted a. saying that fast riding by wheel
men, or "scorching' as II Is called. was hard to
prevent on the public streets because the fast
riders could get away from any policeman who
should try To stop them when they are exceeding
the legal limit OF eight miles an hour" But Mr.
Ryrn~s and everybody else must recognize the
fact that the safety Of the public at large. as we'll
as the safety ~ the wheelmen Themselves. de-
mands that fast riding both on city streets and
park drives shall BE- prevented. The number OF
riders ~ both sexes IL increasing so rapidly that
the SMOOTH paved streets are already crowded
,ftcntmcs beyond the point OF safety. while 10
cros. them Is attended with not little danger.
For A rider To "scorch" along a street In which
there. are many bicycles and other Nehicles-not To
mention pedestrians crossing It's n pcrilous pas
time one means Of increasing the general snfety
Is to Increase the number OF wcllpaved thorough
fares. but even with u much larger number rapid
riding would not be robbed Of It's dangers The
only wise thing s to enforce the legal limit Of
eight miles an hour II IA few Of the "scorchers'
who speed along the streets with heads down and
backs bowed were arrested and fined. Il speedy
stop would be put to this dangerous business
But Superintendent Byrnes says that his police
to tina, objection IL easy. The thing to do is to
mount a few policemen on bicycles with instruc-
lions to Keep keen lookout for all riders who vio
late the ordinance. and 10 catch them at all haz-
ards. This would be a novel thing In NewYork.
but prcccdcns for 1t have been set In other cities
There Is "A squad Of three policemen on duty in
Prospect Park Brooklyn. and along the Coney
Island cycle Path and one of them distinguished
himself on a recent Sunday by chasing and catch
ING "A 'scorcher' from this city who was speeding
ihrough the Park at a rate nearly twice as fast
il permissible. We believe there has been only
one case Of this kind and In that one. unfort-
unatcly, the offender was discharged by the mag
strate before whom he was arraigned with
an admonition only. The bicycle squad has done
good service however, In protecting the cycle
n,th from invasion and spoation by horses and
vehicles and has demonstrated its practical Use
fuIness I'm the few weeks 1t has been In existence.
Only n few DAVIS ago a dispatch from Chicago
stated that the Lincoln Park Commissioners had
decided TO mount four park policemen on wheels.
although there was hitch on the point whether
the men should adopt "knickerbockers or stick
TO long trousers'-a minor matter which has no
bearing on the general question The earliest
step in mounting policemen on bicycles 80 far az
We have beeen able learn. was taken last faii IN
Philadelphia. In his report Tor the year. MT ~
NJ BETTER. the Director of Public Safety for that
city had this To say on the subject:
The Associated Cycling Clubs OF Phiiaus'pni. PM.
made the generous offer to this depn ,men' 'a h
fall TO pay the salaries OF number VI It'll, si. W ne
detailed for a time to apprehend bicycle rue,s VINO
were violating the ordinance governing spseu tE,'
Of way and lights had a report from me uiner.
ent lIeutenants as to the number of men VINO were
competent TO ride a bicycle and as 10 now many
men owned their wheels and detailed from this
M mber three whose services resulted IN me , ar
Of riI.
ever that the results accomplished viii so ar Tow
ard breaking the practice when and Of ridns
at night without bell light. The results oi th's
experiment have convinced me thar m sss them
for patrol duty without regard to district INES nor
only for the purpose OF watching sections of
the city where pocketbook-sna ching mas p.rvafer
less during the last year or. OF wnocket6ook
snatchng is done by footed young men; VINO n
have great advantage over an o'ncef' e'e" - '