The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-23
THE RULE OF THE ROAD

THE RULE OF THE ROAD.
Now that carriages, wagons, drays
and bicycles are expected to occupy
the same street surface without inter
fering with one another, while at
crossings all Of them must look out
for the rights Of pedestrians, it Is more
than usually important that the rule
OF the road should be observed. Daily
there are more or less serious acct
cents, with the slight casualties re
suit1ng from them, and at all times
there is some risk, especially at street
intersections. This will be either al
together obviated or reduced to a
minimum if all persons who now oc
cupy the streets can be made to OBJ
serve the rule of the road. It is de-
Walton from it's simple obligations that
is the cause Of all, or almost all. OF
such accidents as have occurred Both
the rider of the wheel and the driver
OF team should, as far as possible.
keep to the right in every case: and
even when no one else is in sight.
should make it the custom to mass as
near TO the right hand curbing as can
be done with comfort and safety. This
Is particularly, important; because no
one can ever tell what will come in
sight at the next street crossing. If
team driven or wheel ridden at
considerable speed is coming from
either direction and turns toward the
person approaching, there viii GER.
tainly be a. head-bn collision. If It
should chance to be on the left side
OF the street.4yIfgit is on the right side
and makes the turning so as to take
the right side of the second street that
1T follows, then there will be no inter-
ference. The width Of the street will
De between the two vehicles, and that
gives warning enough for them to
avoid each other. Similarly, when one
vehicle passes another, whether it is
wheel or a wagon, the turn ont
should be made to the left, and the
warning bell should always be sound
ed te
There is great deal Of disregard
of this important rule, and it needs to
be newly impressed especially upon
practiced riders of the wheel They
have habit of sailing along and be-
hind some one ahead, who is riding
four or five feet from the curb They
fly past him on the right hand side.
RI
out into the street. If for any reason
the rider in front changes his course.
he will naturally change it to the
right, and a serious accident might be
the result. So common has this prac
tice become that the rider of the wheel.
when he hears bell sounding behind
him, indicating the approach of some
one desiring to pass, scarcely knows
whether to turn to the right or the
left, and, If careful, usually keeps
straight ahead. This is not the proper
rule, and ought TO be corrected. The
carelessness that Is now shown in
meeting and passing. like the reckless
ly rapid riding which marked the first
advent Of tha wheel, will probably dis
appear with5onger experience and the
growing necessity Of regard for the
rights of others.S
A just cause of complaint lies, also,
against pedestrians, who certainly at
the present time exhibit about the
same disregard for the rights Of
wheelmen al they have complained of
on their part heretofore. The fact that
the wheel has no proper rights on the
sidewalk, when there are people there,
is only the other side of the
fact that the pedestrian has no
right on the street surface ex-
cept at a crossing, and here only
while in transit at reasonable speed
from one sidessto the other. Since the
wheel has come into general use, 1t is
the duty of people who use the streets
to recognize this and act accordingly.
AS a rule, they do not do So Assum-
ing that they have the right of way
as against the wheel, which is true
at crossings, they proceed to grasp
that right everywhere else. They
stand in small groups at crossings in
conversation and oblige riders to turn
aside or run over them. They cross
streets obliquely,. from corner to cor
ner. and saunter 1eisurely from side
walk to sidewalk in the middle OF the
block through perfect procession Of
wheels, indiHerept to the convenience
and comfort of the riders. This is the
same sort Of disEegard Of the interests
Of others th8t Is shown by the drivers
Of teams. who deliberately. at times.
draw their nwagpns across the track
OF an appreaching wheel, and the
same that some Wheelmen still exhibit
when they scorch recklessly along
with lowered heads, intent only upon