Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-12
ETIQUETTE OF THE ROAD.
How Wheelmen Should Treat Them
selves and the Public.


From Harper's Weekly.
In a general way 1t may be said that the
etiquette of the road in cycling is the same
as the etiquette of the road in driving,
skating or walking. and that this etiquette
is simply the following out of certain, for
the most part. unwritten rules which have
come to be adopted by civilized people
everywhere as being the most convenient,
simple and sensible to govern them in their
highway passing or intercourse. 1t is not
to be expected that the man or the woman
who is ignorant Of the refinements of life,
Of cultivation and education. or who know
ing these, willfully neglects or breaks the
ordinary rules Of politeness, will obey what
may be called the etiquette of the road
simply because he or she may be a cyclist.
Bad manners, or rather the want of man.
ners, becomes discernible upon the road
even more quickly than in the drawing
room, and rude and unpublished people will
ride the wheel just as they will drive and
ride horses or travel in public conveyanceS.
The unrefned but appropriate epithet of
road hog" which has now become part
of the verEacular in the United States, and
which is applied to the individual who
monopolizes the road and refuses to turn
even little from his course to allow other
drivers, or particularly cyclists, to pass
him. whether going in the same or the OPP
posite direction, represents unfortunately
and roads of America, and who are not
amenable to any rules OF etiquette, or
even to the dictates of ordinary civility.
The etiquette of the road, from the cy-
ordinary rules which law or custom has
ordained for the government of users of
the highways, supplemented by those un-
written rules and customs which refine
ment and civility dictate, and which can
not always be tabulated. as many of them
are spontaneous and arise from the neceS-
stiles Of the moment.
Cardinal Rules.
Under the first head of cycling road ETH
quette comes such cardinal rules turn
ing to the right when meeting any vehi-
Gle or pedestrian coming from the op-
posite direction, passing any vehicle or
pedestrian going in the same direction al
ways to the left, and signaling when max
ing a sudden turn or change Of direction.
There are minor rules connected with these
three important ores, but the cyclist who
observes the three great cardinal ones can
hardly go wrong. More accidents to cy-
have occurred from violation of one or
all of these three rules than in any other
way It is sometimes go easy to forget or
neglect to observe any of the three when
this neglect means q shortcut, q saving OF
time, or a chance to show off ones skill
in the management Of the wheel. that many
a cyclist is guilty Of breach OF etiquette
as regards these rules who would be hor-
rified were he or she accused of bad man
ners or lack of civility. The knowledge.
with the increasing use Of the wheel, that
those who IL cur accidents or are respon-
sible for accidents to others from the
breakage o: or failure to carry out these
rules can be held responsible for dam
ages in the second place, and cannot re-
cover them in the first, should be impress
ed in some way upon the cyclists OF the
country and in this way reform can
probably be effected.
Unwritten Rules.
The minor unwritten rules Of cycling
| road etiquette have to deal more with the
social side OF the sport. Should wheelmen
and women who are strangers salute each
| other in passing, especially when they SO
pass on country roads? Does the fact that
| a man and woman are cyclists allow the
| man to tender assistance to the woman II
her wheel has gone wrong In any way?
| How should men and women dress when
| wheeling? All these and hundred other
| questions which are daily answering them
| selves, or are being answered by the cyclists
| of the country, constitute, when solved by
| the larger number Of men and women
| cyclists, the etiquette Of the road. Cycling
| is as yet too young a sport to have fully
| established an etiquette, and there are stu.
| atoms which almost daily confront the
cyclist experienced as he or she may be in
the rednements which govern the inter.