Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-30
BEWARE OF THE CAR TRACKS

Under condition can the street ear
tracks be termed the friend of the cyclist.
Not only the street car. but the steam rail-
road tracks can also be included. The sim
ple-looking pieces of !ron and steel are fTll
of trickery and treachery for the unsus-
pecting rider. beguiing him on only 10
throw him over at the first opportunity.
Some people have found out that il is
foolish to monkey with the buzz saw and
many cyclists have also found out that
ii is foolish TO moakey with the car tracks.
Both come I'm nearly the same category.
In this city there is no need for any rider
taking any chances in bucking against the
railroad tracks. The streets are plenty
wide enough and smooth enough for safe
riding. In other cities this may not DC the
case. The highways are SO badly paved
and so rough that the street car tracks
and the space inclosed by the rails furnish
the best OF riding. Over in Baltimore Il
is common sight to see the bicyehsts
strung out behind the street cars riding
in the slot. which furnishes the smoo;h-St
roadway on many of the streets of that
city. Ever since the cable has been intro
duced in this city il has brought disaster
upon the cyclists, and they ought to re-
member it.
When the cable road was first introduced
In this city solid rat-tail tires W, re- in
use. They We're of such small diameter
that the tire and wheel itself rould easily
fall into the slot Of the cable if the wheel
happened to be run over the opening How
many riders are there now in the city who
remember having sudden DOWN. ard
slide, arising only to find the wheel IN the
cable Outside of a few scrapes and
bruises the rider was fortunate if he es-
capped with only a few broken smokes
Generally the whole wheel would be buc-
the forks.
Even now with the pneumatic tire the
danger Is not lessened Ii Is lrue that
there is no danger of the lire slipping
through of lii hor he ~.
Underground electric road but if the :ile
is ridden over the opening it will get cut
worse than IL the rim spoiled the tire.
Then, again. the rider is apt at any mo-
nent to pick up splinter of steel. which
Will go through the tire like lightning and
cause more or less serious puncttus A
rider may be fortunate in this respect and
ride in the slot for some weeks without
getting so much scraDe to the, ruiz
Der OF the tire, and then. again he may
get puncture every time he rides IN that
place.
Another thing concerning the car tracks
,hat The new rider overlooks is in attempt
ing TO cross at almost a parallel This is
Iooish. In majority of cases the cyclist
nnds himself SPRAYING on the ground be-
fore he knows il The experience teaches
him something. Never attempt to cross the
car track unless at nearly a right angle
The wheel Will then pass straight ovrr the
rail, and the rider need have no fear of
falling. If the cross is made at too great
an acute angle, so as to be nearly parallel
with the track. the direction Of the tire is
apt to be changed by being caught in the
groove of the rail. This causes the ma
Jority of spills.
Again, when out in the country and he
tracks of the suburban roads are struck
additional care has to be exercised. The
same applies when crossing the tracks of a
steam railroad. The rails are generally
several inches higher than the ROADWAY
and should be taken at direct right angles
when crossed. IL taken at any other angle
the tire is apt to slip the edge of the
fail, and a nasty fall results This is es-
pecially the case when the rails are wet or
covered with grease, as they are in a lun-
Der of cases.
Always be careful in making across the
turns in the tracks. The construction at
this point is slightly different and the pro-
lection OF the rails above the roadway
greater. More than this, the groove In the
rail Is wider and deeper. increasing the
chances of falling Invariably make the
cross at right angles. and never ATTEMPT
TO ride in the groove Of the rail at a turn
Nine times out of ten II will result disas-
trously to You and your wheel.
When riding in the space between two
lines of tracks look out for the switches
which connect the two tracks Follow the
rule given above when you cross them
and there is no danger. Otherwise there
may be trouble Also look out for what
the car men term frogs" which are found
at frequent intervals of the track. They
are even more treachcrous than the tracks
and Will throw you instantly. One case in
particular is the frog in front of No. 3 en-
CINE mousse on NJ street. Georgetown. Rid
ers who go out the Conduit road have the
habit OF using the space between the
tracks. and they generally fail TO avoid
the innocent-looking frog. On a clear Sum
day there are anywhere from twelve to
twenty-five falls due to this one thing and
the engine house has at times been made
temporary hospital for persons injured in
this wise.