The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-26
WOMEN DISCUSS BRAKES.
4 CHAT ABOUT BICYCLE ACCI-
DENTS AND TREIR CAUSES.
The Question OF a Law Calling for Brakes or
All wheeis-Moral Aspect OF the Case
brakes Are Needed Especially in the
GnnnirN-nrat Tlnea OF nlclcle Irnkea.

mourn over lost opportunities, either, for they
have been out on the road in full force. As
September advances tho ranks Of the vast army
OF pedal pushers grow fuller and fuller. II
things keep going the way they are now, or, bet
ter still, II cyclists keep returning to town, am
other fortnight will see the Park and boulevards
crowded as they were last spring, when all the
experts came out OF their winter quarters and
hundreds upon hundreds OF novices took to their
saddles.
No woman who rides: awhcel thinks it tho
least bit strange that her sex never gets tired Ct
riding. but 1t Is queer that tho women don't
grow weary Of talking about the sport. They
don't, though. They find Just as much to say
about it in the spring as they do about Easter
bonnets, and in the fall when they return 10
town the subject Is as absorbing as that of fall
millinery. A lot Of them were talking about
the necessity of brakes in an uptown academy
the other day after an April cloud that was
playing hide and seek with an August sun had
driven them In from of the road for IA WHILE.
1t all como about this way. A young wonan
with a cut across her left temple and u big blue
spot on her check Joined the group.
Been In u free fghti' some one asked tho
newcomer. looking hard at her wounds.
No. she answered. Not that, exactly.
These pointing to her face. are u souvenir OF
u summer tour awhcel.'
How did you get 'eml' asked a tall. slender
girl. wearing what has come to be called hot
hosiery. You're such an expert l never
thought that you would get a scratch while
wheeling"
"Oh l was c~oasting down a Jersey hill, lost
control OF my wheel, and got u toss over the han.
die bars"
Did you have a brakcl'' put In a stout wheel
woman. Il bet you didn't, because II your
-l-t III -. -.-n .g.l
have stopped 1t AS easily as rolling of a log"
NO" answered the tourist, II didn't have
q brake. l don't believe in them. even since
my fall. and nothing could induce me to equip
my wheel with a brake"
That's the very reason there are 80 many
serious and fatal accidents" hastily spoke up
the stout woman with Il great show OF feeling.
The whole trouble lies in the factsthat the ma.
jority OF bicyclists. men and women, are OF the
same mind with you on this brake question.
For my part ! am sorry that the effort to pass
an ordinance compelling cyclists to equip their
wheels with brakes failed. The absence OF
brakes IS surely responsible for nine-tcnths Of
the accidents that befall bicycle riders, and the
only wa. to.avert-such mishsps is to force
every ono to use a brake just AS we are forced
to carry lights and bells. Don't sou think sol"
she wound up, appealing to a stunning. looking
young woman in IL uhity suit.
The question OF brakes is an exceedingly
delicate one, r'ptlcd the young woman. "
Is to be looked Al from many sides. Indeed, |
think This question of brakes is a great moral
question and one To Nc settled by III" lndivid-
ual. 1t may be perfectly right TOR YOU 10 ride a
wheel without "a brake while 1t would he an
absolute sin for me to DO 50. just as il might be
right for you TO dance and hurttul for NE 10 in.
duiEo in that pa-timc.'
Il don't understand how YOU make it out a
moral question: interrupted AN eider!y.woman.
Who says that wheeling Is mak!nh IA girl OF her
Well" explained the young woman, II think
IL aTidcr feels absolutely. knows. we will say.
that She has perfect control OF her wheel ii
j. altogether unnecessary for her 10 equip her
whcc. with u brake; but If q rider i not sure OF
herself, il she is the least BIT nervous, then il is
criminal tOc her 10 rice without one. She sins
not only against herself but also agains, Others.
for she takes her own life in her hands. to a Ger.
tain extent, and also the lives of others. At the
same time, IL Is altogether wrong for a woman
TO become dependent on u brake, for she is sure
to use II 30 much that she never learns TO
thoroughly control her wheel, and II her brake
happens 10 tall 10 work she is helpless.
II think II an eNGgSCration 70 say that most
of the bicycle accidents are due TO an absence
OF brake, though some OF them undeniabiy are.
II would be just AS sensible TO say that the ma
Jor'tY OF accidents caused by runaway horses
are owing to the vehicles to which they are at
ta,hed not being sqHipIcd with brakes, and l
cyclists 10 use brakes amy more than the
drivers Of all other vehicles; As TO that young
wOman's accident on the hill pointing toward
the wouuGcd member OF the party, Il have only
this to say. a brake would not have saved
her. When n woman Is touring and comes TO a
hui where She feels that il is necessary 10 use a
brake. no brake Thar has ever been invented
would stop her machine If il got TO going. Tho
thing for Il woman to do when She comes TO IA
hi! like TINT is To walk down it. and everything
I've said about women Applies to men. Here
some OF US were born. when the hest wheels
were made Of wood with rims OF iron. Let $
lind out what he thinks OF compelling the Use
'"This subject of brakes" said Mr.. Kay. "s
receiving very careful attention nowadays,
and wonderful Improvement Is being made in
this appliance. For u long time there was no
brake which was absolutely trustworthy. but
Some Of the new back pcdaliing brakes promise
to be ~taultlcss at no very distant day, and there
are many rGii yu othsr e, eT ,r1 ,a Io GraSfs svc IA ne ,o same :,
their machines with this attachment, especially
why. / thought If a brake is ever necessary
it t. in the city, INTERRUPTED u plump blonde
who rides n diamond frame,
That's just what these people who claim that
ten.trnths OF the bicycle accidents are caused
by the absence OF brakes think answered Mr.
Kay. That shows their ignorance, There is
than scNea miles an hour in the city. Now. II I
person ohcys that law he needs no brake, fol
when II cyGlist IS going at that rate OF speed h,
can stop his wheel and dismount at any time
The trouble with, the average whcelman anC
whrclwoman Is that when they get in clos'
y brake would not help them ont, because fully
so per cent Of lhG rc2,pie who use brake; wnrl
their handle bars, and entirely forget that Their,
Is such II hing rs a brake IN existence. II yo,
women OllN hlItN 4. II u lhE lItlIt lIllOTltl
for you to have your wheels adjusted just riGht
and to learn TO hold your handle bars firm anC
tight in the face of danger than il IS to have
brake. The direct cause Of most accidents /
not the absence uf brakes, but negligence on III,
part of riders. Bear that in mind negligence OF
The part of riders,
Every wheclwoman should have her snddl
and handle bars adjusted on a perfectly hori
zontal line. More plainly speaking. they shout,
be Of one height. 80 that the weigh, Of The bod!
shall be equally distributed on III" machine
The higher up yOu pull the stem Of the handl
bar out Of the head Of the bicycle, the more sen
sitivc the front wheel becomes and the NOR
difficult to manage, II n woman has her whec
adjusted so. and all persons who are perfect il
the art of cycling do, she is not in any, way dc
pendent on a brake II she conforms 10 the scveI
mile an hour limit when wheeling in the CT
II danger cunfrOnt5 her. all She has To 10 is I
hold her nrlu- perfectly rigid. ~eraspin= III
grips hrnly, and She will feel her wheel hccom
ns steady rs a tricycle.; il comes 10 a pcrfcc
standstil. she takes one foot OF The pedal. step
To the ground. aud there She j. without havin
been in the slightest danger of falling, \ QuiC
wit, a cool head, and good arm muscle COmloa
the most trustworthy brake yet known to IN
cyCliu- world.
$50 person .hruld hc permitted 10 ride in III
city WIN rams horn hanhl, hars, for it i impo'
siblc 20 Ealu the same Cuntro! over n mnChin
III 4 n" al .tl., zee. NJ I,pt, tlr. . t. -, a.