Evening star., 1896-07-27
Present Their Protest to the Commits
sioners Today.
PROPOSED ALTERATIONS IN RULES
Cyclists Claim the Police Discrimi-
nate Against Them.
L 81 d / S C U S $40 N

gfneer Commissioner Burr heard the pro-
test of the bicyclists this morning in tho
| absence of the regular board. The hearing
took place In the board room, and beside a
| committee from the l.. A. W., a delegation
| from the United Wheelmen of the District
| of Columbia and some unattached bicy-
| clists We're present to hear the discussion.
At was more of a discussion than a regu-
lar hearing and Commissioner Truesdell,
who is himself bicyclist. took an active
part In it.
| The committee of the L. A. w presented
the following memorial, setting forth the
| changes recommended in the existing regu-
| lations:
| We respectfully petition that the follow
| ing changes be made in the police regula-
items, and that the other regulations re-
| 1erring to vehicles or regulations governing
1 The streets be more strictly enforced:
| That section II be changed so as TO pro-
hibit vehicles from being driven across in
tersecting streets at a speed greater than
| nve miles an hour"
| That vehicles of all kinds be required,
| when turning corners, to first proceed to
| middle of street before making turn into an
intersecting street.
| That vehicles of all kinds be required to
| carry suitable light after dark.
| That special squad of mounted police
| be selected, whose duty shall be to look af-
| ter teams and see that they follow the po-
| Ice regulation In TIE same manner as the
| mounted police look after wheelmen who
| transgress the regulations.
| we would also suggest that a number OF
| wheeimen. preferably members of the
League of American Wheelmen, be appoint
| ed special police without pay. supplied with
badge and power TO assist the police in
| enforcing the regulation governing the
streets. Their duty being TO look after Of
| tending drivers and riders, and 10 see that
glass and other like substance is not
| thrown or deposited in the streets When
l n MIA ha Of
| render under arrest and turn them over to
the police for prosecution.
we DO not believe that the law permit
'he oflNers TO cross the crossings at the
same speed as between streets and limiting
the cycle rider to six miles an hour is
equitable. If the riders are forced to slow
! down at crossings the drivers should also
| be restricted. We would suggest that n
would be better to allow both of these
vehicles to use the same speed a; crossings
| as between the streets and make n rep,,ls-
| tion making a bicycle rider or driver liable
| Tor arrest for reckless riding and driving.
| Let the police be the Judge of reckless
| rIolne. FOR instance. at an ordinary street
| crossing 1t would not be reckless TO cross
| at speed of, say, twelve miles an hour
but II street was crowded or crowds are
APT TO collect at 9th and F streets, 1th and
streets. Nth and PENNSYLVANIA avenue
| and 9TH and Pennsylvania avenue or other
| like streets, it would be reckless and they
should he arrested and fined in proportion.
| We believe this would be a more satfsfac-
! tory regulation, as the majority of rider,
| ana drivers slow up when crossing such
| crowded streets as much for their own
pro. Rro,ectlon as for that of the pedestrian.
| with this regulation the reckless would be
| the only ones who would suffer. As n in
now, rider with what is known as a low
gear-when the feet turn faster than those
| VINO ride with high gear-is apt TO he ar
| rested, because the majority of the police
| and citizens gauge the speed of the rider
py me rapidity with which he is turning
| his feet. We would state for your bena
| Ilt tnat most OF the .SporcbarS' i5a ~
| high gears, as IT requires the most expert
| Wneelman to ride over twelve miles an hour
S Win low gear. and an expert wheelman
mas too great an idea of his own danger
| TO ride along the street at a faster speed
| than now allowed by the regulation
Explanatory of the section asking that
| vehicles be required to proceed to the mid
| die or the street before making a turn
would state that 1t rs common practice
Tor both the driver and rider to cut the
corners close to the curb no matter wheth
| er turning to the right or left often collid
| Ing with some other vehicle or pedestrian
| crossing the street or travelling I'm the op-
| poslle erection, For instance. vehicle
| proceeding north and desiring to turn TO
| the left, will make a sharp turn to the left
| proceed short way on the south side of
| the street and then cut across to the north
| or correct side of the street In many
| cases another team or cycle is either COL
| noed with or has TO stop suddenly to keep
| out Of danger.
I'VE are sure that pedestrians will agree
| with us that there is as much trouble with
| this as with fast driving or riding, and that
| the majority of accidents occur i'm this way
| I'VE have noticed that cars do not slow
| down when crossing streets. No attention
| is paid TO this by the police
| we do not desire that special privileges
be granted wheelmen. but that they be
| granted the same privilege as other users
| of the streets. The cyclers are not quite as
bad as they are painted. Some are and
are even worse, In fact, some should not
| be allowed on the streets but the majority
| are not, and We believe If certain riders are
! given power TO force other riders to obey
| the regulation that they can assist the no.
| lice wonderfully and in a short time have
| the teamsters and riders used 10 follow
| ing the rules of the road that a ma iority OF
| those complaining will cease OF course
we are aware that pedestrians are continu-
ally complaining against the driver and
| rider, but If the rider should complaIn
| every time they are incommoded We are
| sure that the authorities would think the
riders are not alone to blame.
I'm conclusion would respectfully call
| your attention to the following rules of the
! road which We would like 10 have you ap-
prove and have published in the daily pa
| pers. which. if followed, would obviate In a
great measure the troubles which are oc-
| casioned by the misuse of the Streets"
Rules of the Road
Applicable to all persons who travel or
use the streets within the District of CO.
| lumbia- either on foot, or by bicycle. horses
| or any kind of vehicles.
l. In passing one who is approaching turn
| to the right.
2. In passing another going in the same
| direction pass on the left
3. While moving keep along the right
| hand side of the center of the street
4. Draw up alongside of the curb before
| stopping.
| 3. No one shall stop on the crossings at
\ the street corners, nor in the middle of the
street.
q. No one shall stop suddenly, or turn
suddenly, except when necessary 10 avoid
collision: all persons moving faster than
| three miles an hour must slow down
gradually before either stopping or turning
| corner or turning from straight course.
| Z. No horse shall be driven Immediately
| behind nor within fifteen feet of a person
or vehicle travelling I'm the same direction.
8. Pedestrians shall have the right of way
| for tie purpose of crossing the street, on
the cross-walks at the corners and must
rot cross or enter the roadway at any other
| point.
| Q. Horses. animals and vehicles travelling
on the streets and avenues running north
| erly and southerly shall have the right OF
| way over those travelling on the streets