New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-19
rLcrcLr ELGn1S ND nHoNGN

TIL. shocking death # Mr. Robert Center In
Tensile, public interest in ihr question Of rrs1
hitting il,. &C. b.,ycl.s in city streets Readers
Of The. Tribune are We, aware 'ha' it has al
WAY, cndc,yor,d 70 promote This hc1lthinl and
delightful form # diversion in all suii1hl" ways
hv ei,in. much space 10 matters Of concern ~
whcrlmcn The evolution Of lhc wheel Itself
through All The Stages # t~ rapid advance toward
perfection. the Improvement If highways. In"
coupc'liionS If experts The detail, Of lrs!Nll
ton. the formation Of clubs. the defence Of indi-
yidual rights and he triumph of c"nmonSrnsr
over prciudic" in rcslr 10 the modern N"li'l"
Of pleasure. We shall not. therefore, b" accused
Of illibrraliW when say HAT DECISIVE" meas
IRE, are necessary 10 prevent the bicycl" from
Incoming 4 nuisance which the publIc VIII mol
and ought not 10 tolerate The extraordinary IN
crease in HE number of city whc"lmrn during
the last year. and especially during the last few
weeks has produced marvellous change Of
conditions in streets adapted 10 bicycling. such
streets are already ~ times inconycni'nily
crowded by th. addition Of host Of bicycles Il"
,h, customary array Of wheeled vehicles, and
There r. 10 reason 10 suppose that III" limit of
congestion has been nearly reached Obviously,
therefore, it is incumbent on I'LL concerned 10 use
th.jr rights 50 as not 10 abuse them and the duty
Of the authorities 10 compel strict obedience 10
law.
The ma iority of bicycle riders. il may be as
suIn,d are prudent for their own slkoS ami con
sidcrat" # others. But there are many who need
10 hr Subjected 10 Strictcr discipline than has
been enforced against Them. ami their number
f. increasing not only absolutely with III" nal
tiulicaron Of wheels but relatively Also We fear.
These ucrS0ns choose 10 be a law unto them
selves Thcy often ride four or iv" abreast, at
Il far hi-hcr rate of speed than the city orlinlnc"
PERMITS they dart through narrow openings
without warning and from one side 81 The street
to The other; they wbirl around corners with
little rcglrl for thcr own welfare and none what
ever for inc safety Of others. and in general they
m.nopolizo the streets to a dangerous and indie
cent extent They are the enemies Of the com
nunity At large and in particular of all who ride
! iceitima.cy. At night especially they constitute
a dangerous nuisance. against which popular
sentiment will certainly enter a vigorous prutcS;
| before long The police POSSES, ample authority
! now ard though there are diiiicnii"s in Nh" WAY
Of enforcing il. owing 10 the facility with wldci
IN offender may disappear, they are altogether
too negligent IL their plain duty. The penalty
for viplaIions Of law ought Ia be- vigorously ap
| piled in every case
! II is not CHARGED that MIR Center was Il noto
rcuSly reckless rider. ana The circumstances OF
lis fatal accident do not prove That h" was al
fault when he met his death. excepting ~ re-
CARDS his position on his wheel. His death T.
due in part to his habit Of leaning forward. IL
racing style, with his eyes on the ground jus
before him, and in part TO the fact that the driver
Of the coal carr which suddenly shccrad into hi,
path from behind strcetcar was On the wronS