The San Francisco call., 1895-10-14
RIGHTS OF WHEELMEN,
A New Ordinance Defining
Them to Be Drawn UP
at Once.
All Sides VIII Meet and Come to
Some Agreement Upon the
Regulations.

The bicycle men are preparing to rally
to the support of an ordinance which will
exactly define their rights and positions
on the streets. There will be a big gather
ing at the meeting of the Health and Pc.
lice Committee of the Board of Super
visors Wednesday next, for the matter has
been referred to that body, when it is ex-
pected that an ordinance will be drawn up
with provisions satisfactory to all con-
cerne5.
In the recent cases which have come up
in the Police Court. cases where the de-
PENDANTS were offenders against the park
bicycle ordinance, 1t was conceded by
the attorney OF the Park Commission,
George A. Knight, that the ordinance was
invalid. The ordinance as it now stands
defines all the crimes OF which a moving
bicycle and its owner can be capable, but
it provides for no punishment of the Of
tenders, and so it is valueless.
There has always been a question as to
whether the Park Commission could pass
anything more than simple regulation,
for the Legislature, it is claimed. cannot
delegate the power TO make laws to any
such body as the Park Commission.
Before the meeting of the committee
Wednesday, call will be issued to all the
bicycle clubs OF the City asking that they
appoint committee of three for the pur-
pose OF attending a general conference, at
which the IDEAS OF the wheelmen can be
put in shape for presentation. Then at
the meeting of the Health and Police Com
mittee a committee Of wheelmen will con-
fer with the Park Commission and among
them some conclusion Will be arrived at.
The organized wheelmen, who are inter
esting themselves in the ordinance, are all
= 49,
say that while their club regulations
govern them, the unattached wheelman is
fancy free and he, they say, is the man
who brings trouble and discredit on the
brotherhood.
About the only point upon which the
different sides will be at variance is the
carving Of lantern. Representative
wheelmen concede the adyisability of
carrying q lantern in the park, but ask
that buggies be made to do the same, for
frequently when buggy is heard in the
dark it is impossible to tell whether it is
going away or bearing down on the rider
1t is claimed to be almost impossible to
keep the lamp lighted in some streets,
and wholly so on the stones which form
pavements in most places. Then, too, the
wheelmen say the lamp is always the first
thing damaged in smash-up, and then,
if night overtakes the rider he must push
his wheel home or run the risk of arrest,
1t is always going out, always rafting
always spilling oil all over the wheel and
the rider too when he touches it. and it is
universally condemned as useless and
bothersome fixture.
A bell, the wheelmen say, is every bit as
good, and if every wheel were compelled to
carry a good one, and TO use il when
necessary, it would serve every purpose of
a lantern.
The wheelmen are willing to keep down
to ten miles an hour, but they think this is
not enough for bicycle. They want to
be allowed TO run faster than this, as the
wheel IS much more easily handled, is
stopped much quicker and takes up very
little space in the road.