Evening star., 1896-09-30
THE BICYCLE FRIGHT.
A Medical Explanation Of u Sinsula
Nervous Perturbation.


Nervous Perturbation.
From the Medical Record
The extended use of the bicycle has
brought to light numerous physical phe-
nomena which have proved profitable sub
jects for speculation and study Human
ingenuity has been taxed to perfect the
mechanism of the machine in almost every
direction in which Improvement Is possible
Its weight has been reduced to the lowest
standard consistent with strength and safe
ty. the Jolt Is counteracted by cushioned
wheels, the saddle has been constructed on
anatomical principles, the friction has been
lowered to the conservative maximum of
effective power, while the entire apparatus
has beeh 80 nicely balanced to the center
OF gravity Of the rider that the propelling
power IS rs. little embarrassed as is possi-
Die under the circumstances of ease and
surety Of progression. 1t is not SO much
the question of adaptablity of the machine
to the individual as of the individual to the
machine. There is no doubt that large
number of the accidents for which the BIZ
cycle is so cften blamed is more or less
chargeable to the want of care and the lack
OF skill on the part of the rider. Particu-
larly is this the case with many of the nu-
merouS collisions of which we hear SO
much. There is one peculiar cause of acct
dent which appears to be particularly as
sociated with the bicycle, in that the latter
Is IN itself special means to the end of
producing distinct and well-rccogniZed
form of nervous perturba ton, which may,
for convenience of description, be desig-
mated the bicycle fright. Although it oc-
ours most frequently with inexperienced
riders, 1t often attacks others who have
under ordinary circumstances reasonable
control Of their wheels, Under certain con-
ditions the passive machine becomes, by a
mental perversity OF the rider. uncon-
trollable and active agent of an apparently
accident vahiria ic hnc
forced to run into the very danger that the
rider would otherwise avoid and a direct
collision is inevitable, in spite of the fran
tic efforts to prevent It,: So far from hav-
Ing any proper will force in the matter, the
rider appears to aid the perverSe and ca
lamitous tendency. I he pher omena are to
be explained however, on Yell-established
psychological principles, and these differ in
degree from similar ones In that they are
more distinctly Individual than under other
and more usual methods of travel 1t is
purely and simply a ,perVersion of deter
mination on the part, of the rider entirely
uncontrolled by any other counteracting
agency. The one element of safety for a
frightened horsetnan is the possibility of
there being some little remaining sense IN
the horse. some instructive power on the
part of the latter to avert collisions, inde-
pendently of the demoralized occupant of
the saddle. On the other hand, 1.-THE run
away bicycle becomes an intensified: exem-
plification Of the riders loss Of individual
fright in many essential particulars The
intense and overwhelming desire to do well
In the face Of danger temporarily paralyzas
the necessary will force and makes such a
result impossible The unframed bicyclst
who wishes to avoid the vehicle approach
ing from an opposite direction finds him.
self helplessly steering toward the object
instead OF away from it. Under the hyp-
motto influence of concentrated attention
his movements become inco-ordinate, and
in the strl gge to regain his lost grip he
becomes the hopeless victim of the pervert-
ed refiexes of purposeless effort and the alb
ject subject of an optical illusion. When
once attacked with this nervous malady it
is almost useless to attempt to prevent its
injurious tendencies. The victim can no
more help himself than can the gnat resist
the attraction of the fame. All attempts
to collect the scattering wits usually add
to the original difficulty and intensity the
hysterical desperation of lost cause. The
only hope is in immediate dismounting and
the gaining OF an opportunity for the nat
ural recovery of nervous equilibrium.
For obvious reasons associated with the
well-known tendency to nervous disabili-
ties in females such phenomena are more
frequent In that sex than in the other, but
they occur often enough in both to demand
serious attention in connection with the
necessity fer lessening the number of many
avoidable accidents. So widely is this form
of fright acknowledged that teachers of BIZ
cycle riding lay special stress upon the dan
ger of fixing the gaze upon any object nee
essary to be avoided. and in proof of their
point frequently demonstrate to beginners
the strange tendency, even in roomy halls
to collide with obstacles purposely placed
in prominent positions. One of the rene
dies suggested is to look away from rather
than toward the object to be avoided, fix
ing the gsze ahead and only in the direc-
ton in which the machine should be steer
ed. On the same principle, 1t is uniformly
advised that the rider should never look at
the revolving wheel or the moving pedals.