The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-05-01
RIGHTS OF WHEELMEN.
They Are Defined by Lawyer
Laws of the Road.


In view of the recent enforcement
of the law regarding bicycle riding on
the sidewalks and the frequent court
decisions that the wheel is vehicle,
the following from the pen of well
known lawyer of this state will be ap-
propriate, and will enlighten those
who have not yet found out that the
bicycle has rights on the road, if not
on the sidewalks:
AS bicycles are now coming into
such general use by people of every
rank and age and sex, it is impOr-
tant to know just what the rights
of bicycle riders are upon streets and
highways. In VOL So, on page $751; in
the last completed volume of Mime
sofa Reports, is found the case of
Thompson VS.. Dodge. The syllabus
reads as follows;
A highway Is intended for public
use, and person driving horse
thereon has no rights superior to
those of person riding a bicycle. A
bicycle is vehicle, and riding one in
the usual manner as is now done up
on the public highway, for convey
ance, recreation, pleasure, or business
IN not unlawful. A person riding a
bicycle cannot be made to pay dam
ages for his acts unless they were
done in such manner, and at such
a time as that he was acting in diSre-
gard to the rights of others.
So the latest decision of the su-
preme court of Minnesots decides, and
l give it here substantially as handed
down by the supreme court, that a
person riding bicycle upon the pub
lie highway has the same rights in so
doing as persons using fother vehicles
thereon. In the use of public high
way there are certain rights of the
road which must be observed by all
persons, and a violation of those
rights constitutes actionable negli-
gence.
Bicycles are vehicles used now very
extensively for conveyance, recrea-
tion, pleasure and business, and the
riding of one upon the public high
way in the ordinary manner is neither
unlawful nor prohibited, and they
cannot be banished because they were
not ancient vehicles, and used in the
Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve, or
by Mark Anthony upon the smooth
streets of Rome, instead of being
drawn, as he was in his chariot, by a
span of lions. Because one chooses
to drive horse hitched to carriage,
that does not give to him the right to
dictate to others their mode of con-
veyance upon the public highway,
where the rights of each are equal
1t is not the duty of party lawful
ly travelling upon the public high
way upon bicycle, when he sees
horse and carriage approaching, to
stop and inquire whether the horse
is likely to be frightened, nor to an
ticipate that such horse will be
frightened especially in the absence
of any apparent reason for so doing.
The 1878 general statutes of Mime
sofa, chapter IA, sec. l, provides, that
when persons meet each other on
any bridge or road, travelling with
carriages, wagons, sleds, sleighs or
other vehicles, each persons shall rea-
sOnably drive his carriage, or other
vehicle TO the right Of the middle of
the travelled part of such bridge or
road, so that the respective carriages
or other vehicles may pass each other
without interference"
Section 2 of the same statute,
which is also now in force, provides,
that "the driver of carriage or
other vehicle passing carriage or
ether vehicle travelling in the same
direction shall drive to the left of the
middle of the travelled part of a
bridge or road: and if uthe bridge or
road is of sufficient width for the two
vehicles to pass. the driver of the
leading one shall not willfully OBJ
struct the same" The penalty for
violation of these sections is a fine
not exceeding $50 for each offense and
be further liable for all damage sus
sained by reason of such offense
Now my main object in writing