Evening star., 1895-07-22

To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
Having at all times guarded zealously
the best interests of it's many friends and
readers, / feel The Star will not refuse to
advance few ideas and suggestions, that
if followed by the makers and protectors
Of our law and rights. will prove of meal
culable benefit to all the riders of the BIZ
cycle throughout the District.
The courts having decided the bicycle
vehicle, why should it and its riders not
be accorded the same rights that are given
other vehicles and their occupants? Do we
not see every day some rider driven into
the curb stone and often hurt, even though
he be on the right side Of the street. While
the driver of a coal cart or other vehicle
drives on the left with perfect impunity.
Again. I wish to ask, is there not regu-
lation requiring all vehicles of any nature
to keep to the right? If so, why do not our
police see that IT Is enforced? The bicycle
Is vehicle and must be ridden in the
streets and not on the pavements. nor has
any means so far been invented by which
they can be ridden with safety upon the
telegraph wires or house tops. A trial OF
the latter mode, however, would be about
as safe as many Of the streets OF Wash
ington, owing to the fact that the average
engineer (of mules and horses) has not been
taught to respect the rights of a vehicle or
its occupant, that by running into, or over,
he can himself in no way sustain injury or
probable arrest. There is regulation In
the District requiring all bicycles to carry
a light, and from the number Of victims in
Judge Mtller's sanctuary each morning 1t
would appear as if eve:y policeman carried
a field glass SO powerful that Ightless
rider could be seen on the darkest night
anywhere within the District, and Incl
dentally it might be mentioned that Judge
Miller generally enEghtens the victim con-
cerning Lights to the extent of about -.
Exactly right. No fairer or more honest
man ever adorned the bench than Judge
Miller. The law says let there be lights,
and all riders should be made to obey it.
Now, this Is good as far as it goes. but 1t
does not go far enough. Why should the
law be so rigidly enforced against bicycles
aad so notoriously lax, as regards regula-
tons concerning all other vehicles? Why
should be forced to run into curb stone
or against tree when I am on the right
side of the street by vehicle coming from
an opposite direction on the left in open
violati ton Of the law? Only a few days
since one OF the most prominent physicians
in the city was riding with his wife on one
of our streets when wagon dashed around
the corner, driven by man very drunk. or,
at least, one that did not appear as If he
had been inb!bing milk. 1t was impossible
(though she made every effort to do so) for
the lady to escape with her wheel so she
Jumped as we'll rs she could and fell upon
th- curb stone, while the mule, narrowly
missing her. was allowed by the driver to
darce the two-step upon her wheel result
ing in it's almost complete annihiiatto1, and
the driver, upon befrg demonstrated with
by her husband. rose up In his righteous
Indignation and bravely challenged him for
a fight. Now. as usual and customary in
such cases, the policemen were extremely
conspicuous by Their absence. and this gen
tleman, not desiring any further publicity.
sent the wheel to shop and left with his
wife What howl of indignation and
scurrying around of the police in search of
the offender this affair would have caused
had the lady run over the wagon and
injured the mule.
Now, here all right and justice cries out
against such unfair and unjust discrimina-
ton Give US fair play Give us the e1-
gress on the rights of the public but make
that public equally observant of our rights
prescribed by law, but now totally lost
sight of and unobserved by its makers and
protectors Make us keep to the right
and apply the same law. from the vehicle
of the dispenser of music up to that of the
lordly Senator. thereby preventing I'M
H w ROBINSON