Evening star., 1895-06-08

constructions of the law that the wheel
man hardly knows just what his standing
is. so far as the law is concerned. Whether
or not the bicycle is to be regarded as a
vehicle. the same as Is wagon or carriage,
will probably not be finally settled until
there is some legislation on the subject.
When the bicycle first became popular
mere. and SO many of them appeared on
the. streets, there were accidents by the
wholesale, and when complaints had been
made for several months effort was
made to have some law enacted. The Com
missioners finally adopted regulation con-
cerning bells and lamps, as follows: "All
cycles, bicycles and tricycles in motion after
sundoWn snail display a suitable light, and
also have light gong or bell so attached
thereto as to he readily sounded to warn
persons of their approach"
When this regulation was first enacted
the police were active, and many riders
who objected to the expense and trouble
and did not get lamps were arrested. In
this way the public attention was called to
the matter There was wide difference of
opinion as to whether not the light on
the bicycle really benefited the public.
On the one hand it was argued that it
did not, and in support of this opinion the
wheclmen presented a number of argu-
merts. On the other hand, light was re-
garded as some protection to the wheelmen,
as 1t served as Il notice to the pedestrian
that there was danger ahead. in the same
way as the headlight on q locomotive or
street, cable or electric car. When a pc
destrian happened TO be struck, the wheel
man lost no time in putting the RESPONSE
bIlity On the former. 1t is true that in
some instances of this kind the accident re-
suited from reckless riding, but no one who
rides wheel would ever imagine for an in
slant that wheelman Intentionally rides
against a pedestrian, for it is the former
who generally suffers most in such COLI
sions. His injuries, as q rule, not only
physical, but he has aodamaged wheel to
repair. =.
Allowed the Law to Sleep.
From time to time. however, the police
have allowed the law to sleep. and it is
only when an order of some kind is issued
that an attempt to arrest the violators CT
the law Is made. Such an order was made
last week. and the, first victim. a young
colored nam, was found armed with a pis-
tol. 1t is unnecessary to state that the
rider was sent TO Jail. There was another
reason advanced by the iwheemen why the
lights should not be required, and that was
that the light, being thrown directly in
front of them, prevented them from seeing
any great distance ahead, and thereby acci-
dents occurred which might otherwise not
occur. But the matter was fully discussed
before the Commissioners took action and
now the penalty clause provides for the i'm
position of a fine.
w nile the Wheeimen did not relish this
regulation, there was a boom in the lamp
market soon after it was issred. and The
dealers profited by 1t to a very large extent.
Only a few months ago an effort was made
to have the Commissioners issue a reg dla-
ton concerning the speed OF bicycles and
the wheelmen We're given full hearing on
this question
Just what speed was likely to prove dan
gerous the wheelInen could not tell. Some
persons vino favored the enactment of such
4 regulation suggested five miles an hour
as the limit, while others thought the limit
should be much higher. Nine miles an hour
seemed to satisfy many riders, but those
who liked to speed their silent Steeds over
the concrete paVaments were loud in their
piotestatons. If they were required to go
as slow as horse cars or not much faster
than horse could walk. they would be de-
prived of the advantages of rapid transit,
and might well dispose of their wheels.
But the Commissioners as vet have made
no regulation on the subject, and the
wheelmen are permitted to ride as fast as
they see fit.
Reckless Riding.
Thern are some dangerous things done hy