Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-08-06
To Wheel Safely In Streets.

aVoldab BILE. One mas only 10 hno"
how to ride. In Paris and London
there have been serious and mortal
collisions between bicycles and other
vehicles. and wheelmen and pedestri-
ans. In each city the government
has had to impose penalties for certain
careless kinds of riding, and to form
ulate rules for the protection OF life
and limb in the streets. These rules
chiefly consist in suggesting to cyclists
ways of improving their rding-the
management of their machine partlc-
ularly.
In England and Germany the law
is to turn to the left and keep to the
left side of the road always. They
must not ride at a pace exceeding
eight miles an hour. In the event OF
any neglect of these directions meas
ures are at once taken to prosecute
offenders. In France the rule Of the
road" is to keep to the left, too; but
in the United States everybody turns
to the right.
Some excellent advice on how to
avoid accidents in street cycling has
been prepared by the director of the
Palace of Sport Of Paris. 1t Is sum-
married. in the following paragraphs;
"Never ride at a pace which will
not permit All easy and immediate
dismounting from the machine when
desired
keep always thirty yards from a
vehicle when riding behind one, and
from thirty to forty-fve yards should
be the interval when riding in front
of one
Never sound your bell when ap-
preaching person from behind. This
only frightens or disconcerts pedes-
TRAN, and he never knows which d.
rection to take-the chances are much
in favor of his taking the wrong dl-
rection. 1t is the business of the eye
list to keep out of the pedestrian 5
way
IF the pedestrian is in front and
coming toward you and seems not to
know which direction to take, then
dismount at once rather than run the
risk of an accident.
Never get off the machine, when
riding in the streets, from the side
always slip off from behind and keep
the bicycle in motion all the time and
remount without stopping. Younever
know what may be behind you, and a
short stop may be the cause Of a col
hsion from behind.
when you mount be sure to 90 to
the curling on the right hand side
and mount from the right-hand side
of the bicycle.
"Never look behind you on any ac-
count-vehicles coming up behind you
will be guided by your movements.
Never pass in front of a car at
right angles-you don't know what is
on the other side.
"In approaching a side street inter
secting the one you are on at right
angles, go slowly and keep to the right.
zone must be careful about children
and dogs Shout at the dogs 50 as to
brighten them away, but children
must be told which way to run.
"If the road is slippery with mud or
water 90 slowly and take large
turns when turning from one direc-
ton to another.
Don't keep behind a cab; turn to
the left and pass and get ahead of it.
This is more agreeable and safer.
Avoid, in this way, getting hemmed in
by vehicles.
Gross tram-rails at right angles.
Don't try to pass at right angles angles
in front of cars or-tracks. Gro behind
Them. 9
Bicycling accidents owing to ma
chimes slipping" seems to be increas-
ing in number If bicyclists who us
ually sit upright in their saddles when
the roads seem slippery would lower
their handle-bars about an inch and a
half or two inches, and so stoop
slightly forward, these accidents would
happen less often. Eight times out
of ten the hind wheel is the first to
slip, but the further forward the rid
er's body is bent the more his weight
is thrown upon the front wheel, and
therefore, the less likely is the machine
to slip up.