New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-20

Last sunday was n great day FOR wheohhs'
The weather was n tritle warm, but not OPP
prcssvc and the air was clear ana prac'hS'
The roads were in fine condition. and the whoie
nspcct of the world was inviting. Naturally
many thousands of men and women improved
the opportunity Such favOritc paths as that
along the Ocean Parkway. in Brooklyn, were
throngcd from morning TO midnight, while
there was scarcely a traycrSablc road or pain
way In all the region round about that did not
see nj least one or two riders during the day
with so many people ont awhccl. OF All de-
grccs of expertncss and ineXperience. Of care
fulness and rccklesSness. II Is partly matter
Of wonder and largely fine tribute To the
sport that so few mishaps occurred. Compared
with boating. skating. swimming. shooting,
mountain climbing or almost any other such
sport the balance of safety seems TO be de-
cidcdly on the side Of cycling
Nevertheless there Sunday several
somewhat serious mishaps in cycling the
causes and nature OF which deserve at least
passing attention one was in Mount Vernon,
where three whcelmcn coastcd swiftly down
steep hill In the dark and came TO grief In
small park at The bottom, with smashed wheels,
broken bones and knockcd-out teeth. The
riders blame the city authorities for not having
the place properly lighted. and the city authori-
Ties blame the riders for coasting in violation
Of law. Probably both indictments are well
lodged City parks and streets should be well
lighted, and wheelmen should obey the law.
But over and above MI is this consideration.
that common-sensc should restrain wheclmen
from rapid riding whether coastlng or not on
a strange road in the dark. Three others were
-. clt fniurob I'm tho hrOnf light
Of midday on the Lconia hill. at Fort Lee, ~ J.
one man tried to coast down the hill and lost
control OF his wheel A man and n woman
on n tandem bicycle also started down the hill
ut IA rapid pace. lost control of the machine
and let il strike a stone. or both occurrences
the moral IS obvious. That hill has long been
notorious for It's pcrils 10 whcclmen, and every
one who goes down II ought to he aware Of the
fact and be on his guard. It is not easy TO I'M
dcrstaLd how riders can lose control of their
wheels if the wheels are properly equipped with
brakes II is still less easy TO understand how
rational men and women can venture TO coast
down steep and dangerous hills without efec-
tive brakes
Without intending tho slightest unkndness.
therefore. may say that these so-callcd sac
cidcnts' were such rs might have been pre-
vented 10y the exercise OF ordinary prudence.
Indeed. It is difficult 10 500 how they could have
occurred without gross negligence or careless
ncS> on the part Of tho riders themselves. And
SUCH we are convinced. Is the case with the
vast majority OF bicycle accidents. and with
niuc-tenths of the harm done by wheeling 10
the health of the riders If people will ride
rccklcssly they viii come 10 grief Just IA they
VIII n they walk or drive or swim or sail reck-
lessly. If they viii ride too far or too fast. or
adopt bad attitude on The wheel they will In
jurc their health, lust ms they Will If they over
do anything else or adopt unhealtuiul habits in
any other pursuit These abuses Of the sport
TIRE deplorabc, tut they are no rcproach 10 the
sport Itself. They the exceptions which
prove The rule Of hcal'hfulness and safety and
they are the examples which should serve ms
warning and instruction TO all the lovers and
users OF the wheel.