Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-17
WHEELMEN AND LIVERyNEN
views OF One OF the Former Class. mi.
to Light Regulations


Il" the Editor Of The Evening Star;
In last nights Dece mber IL, issue NJ Tho
Star is report of a hearing given the
Liverymen's Association by the Commits
sioners. setting forth their objections to
section IL of the police regulations. which
requires all vehicles to be lighted after
dark
In thls connection, i trust you will give
pace TO a few remarks on the light ques-
ton from wheclman's point OF view.
Ills regulation is ernnently just and the
"'"p wheelmen of our city, who have been
dlscri'n!nated against so long owe the
commissioners vote of thanks for this
long step forward. as well as for the re-
cent modihca ton of the speed regulation
Inc Livery mems Association argues that
the enforcement of this regulation would
work unnecessary hardship on liverymen
ana others So far as the writer knows
this argument has never been urged nv
wheelmen, to whom it applies in far
greater degree, both as 10 cost of salts
factory lamps and the number in use As
TO the expenditure of considerable money
by men who are barely making their ey-
Eenses to judge frcm the exorbitant rates
charged by liverymen here as compared
with these of other cities, one would sup
pose tnat they were coming money. Again.
their statement that ordinary vehicles are
noisy enough to make their approach
known without lights is not carried out by
ans. Any vehicle. with the possible excep-
tlon OF heavy trucks, when reasonably well
cared for, makes SO little noise on our
smooth streets that person very seldom
Gears IL until Very near On the suburban
streets and roads of the District where
street lights are few and far between and
Where Cyclists must direct their attention
10 the roadway Immediately ahead, it is
common experience that wagon or car
riage approaching from either direction
cannot be heard until close that il is
often very difficult TO avoid a collision and
even should il be heard and the wheeIman
turn To the right, as frequently as not he
hnds to his sorrow that the wagon is on the
wrong side of the road, which usually is
none too wide at best
Az to the streets being so well lighted
that lamps are unnecessary, the writer
should like TO know how much considera-
ton such an excuse would receive coming
from a wheelman,
The exception made in the case of rubber
tired vehicles Is certainly very thoughtful
and commendablc the part OF the Liv-
erymens Association, BY their own adj
MISSION, these comprise not over per cent
OF the whole number, and are probably all,
or nearly all, owned, not by liverymen but
by class of people TO whom the small cost
OF lights would not be a consideration
That concession is almost generous 90
as those offered to Cuba by the new Span
ish reforms"
Last. but not least, the Liverymen's Asso-
ciation has the audacity to inform the
not be enforced even should the police
force be trebled,
The writer is pleased to note the firm
stand taken by the Commissioners on this
subject. The cycling public, whose num-
hers are growing daily, and whose bicycles
and lamps doubtless represent a larger in
vestment than that represented by the
liverymen's Association, have been dis
eliminated against long enough. The Wheel
man must display light, although, should
he, through failing to do so, collide with a
pedestrian with another vehicle, the
danger is to himself almost entirely and not
to the pedestrian OF other vehicle; while IN
the case of a carriage the injury would be
sustained wholly by the person run down.
and would likely be more serious than that
caused by bicycle The wheelman must
ride on tie right side of the street Uhis
regulation has recently been enforced
noted in The Starr but huckster, ash
drawn by horses-may occupy any
part of the street, turn sharp corners TO
the left. or do anything else that may suit
the convenience or caprice of the driver.
The wheelman must limit his speed accord
ing to regulation at the risk of being
fined in Il police cell over night, while
cases of fast and reckless driving are of
almost daily occurrence. The wheelman
has, up to a recent date, Teen under the
of police inscitizens dress, VINO
were in no wise slow to make arrests on
very meager pretexts, while drivers of
ct her vehicles, well street cars, are
seldom, il ever, apprehended even when
openly violating the regulations.
Careful riders mot scorchers) have no
fault to find with the bicycle regulations.
which are just and good and do not impose
unnecessary hardship; but, applied. they
are certainly class legislation" of the Sc
verest kind; and this last step, to have all
vehicles display lights after dark, is no
more than wheelmen have a right to de-
mand. and, if accompanied by a stricter en-
forcement of such other regulations as APP
ply equally to vehicles drawn by horses
and these propelled by men and women,
will certainly earn the sincere gratitude Of
all wneelmen.
December 16. 1897. CfCLlST.