The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-06-15
A NEW ROAD LAW
Cyclists Ask For An Ordl-
nance Compelling Car
riages to Carry Lights
at Night.
ON THE GREEN DIAMOND
Many of the Local Teams Will
Play Out of Town--Richard
Stevens Defeated.
ON THE GREEN DIAMOND

Working upon the accepted theory of
what Is sauce for the goose is sauce
for the gander.'' the wheelmen who use
the new County Road are about to de-
mand of the Board of Aldermen that
they pass an ordinance compelling ear
riages and other vehicles that use the
great t~horoughfare to carry lights after
nightfall. Without such lights. the
wheelmen claim. they are in constant
danger of colliding with or being ran
down by those vehicles. Since certain
sections of the road have been opened to
traffic there have numerous cases where
accidents have been caused through the
inability of wheelmen to see carriages
ahead of them. Cae case that nearly re-
suited in serious injury 10 the cyclist
happened but a few days ago on the
Bayonne section. The cyelist was pedal
ling at a moderate rate of speed down
one of the hills when a carriage ahead
OF him, which he could not see, showed
UP suddenly and turned a corner. The
cyclist crashed into the vehicle before
he realized that it was near him. He
was thrown heavily to the ground, but
fortunately escaped with a few bruises
and a badly scratched face. His wheel
became ~entangled in the rear wheel of
IA& civ q y ~ 06NAy
hi hardly a resemblance Of a bicycle
remained. Both tires were crushed, and
exploded. and the spokes We're bent into
a shapeless mass. The driver of the
carriage, instead of sy~mpathizing with
the unfortunate cyclisT, roundly
abused him because the varnish on the
carriage had been scratched. The driver
did not stop to realize that nothing
short of twenty-five or thirty dollars
would repair the wheel his carriage had
smashed. to say nothing of the hair
breadth escape os the rider.
Accidents nave also occurred where
the carriage continued on its way
straight ahead. The carriages, with
very few exceptions, travel along at a
moderate pace, while wheelmen, on the
erately fast to retain their equilibrium.
Bicycles. and particularly those with a
hign gear. are made TO travel faster
a result, wheeln1en constantly overtake
vehicles at one time were far in advance
Of them, /! H,d is ,, here that the danger
sharp an outlook he may keep, comes
up with a carriage before he suspects its
presence Sometimes the cycLs5 is ex,
he either has a slight collision or is
o ooel When 70 a a ssrrfags & aui e : 70 in av tho
opposite direction the hanger is
doubled
to the right at all times, the law is most
fagrently violated On the new County
d hiaei ho Of W yeh isessS vhish display lay e ny
lights. 1t must be said to the credit Of
the wheefmen that they observe this
of a vehicle. All that is needed to verify
this assertion is a trip to the new Coun-
The wheelmen Of this city are at las,
waking to the fact that the law Of
roads gives them as citizens the same
rights as the drivers Of a carriage. rhe
at night. and must ring his bell when
approaching pedestrians in either day
or oIh, night It; sm Mavin gri eempi If c .w15a 3 li hs
| Justly argues that the latter should be
also compelled to observe 1t. A well
this matter BY a reporter of .The Ter
| sey City News last evening, said
For some unknown reason our legisla-
justly Disseminated against the riders
Of the bicycle. The law-makers say b.
cyclists must carry lamps and ring bells
ed cyelist will object to this; but he
wants the same protection; The pedes-
trian is in less danger OF being run down
run down by a carriage: Our new Coun-
ty Road is monopoiized by. the road hog
| who seated IN his earflaSe. lmaSlncs
| that cyclers nave no rights which he is
| Bound to respect. Unfortunately. D.any
| policemen think the same way, and
Where there is q dispute between a
| cyclist and the driver of a carriage re-
| garding their rights .on the road, the
| driver of the four wheeled vehicle is
| Invariably favored. Al sample of the
| pig headed opposition to- the bicycle was
| furnished but recently by q Senator IN
| North Carolipa. who introduced Q bill
compelling wheeimen to dismount when
| approaching another vehicle. There. are
many persons in Jersey City who think
the same as the North Carolina Sena-
| tor"
The Clio Wheelmen took formal pos
session Of their new quarters In Cres-
cent Hall. where the regular meeting
was held last evening. The final a
engagements were made for the trip to
Brooklyn today. where the club will
participate in the big bicycle parade.
Arrangements were also completed for
the run to Englewood tomorrow.
The G~reenville Wheelmen have decided
to hold a series Of club championship
races in the fall. and arrangements are
being made thus early for the event. To-
morrow the club will take a run to Tot
t~enville. The start will be made at one
O'Clock In the afternoon from the club
house.