The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-08
NEWS OF THE wHEELMEN.
CAREL ESsNESS OF ~RRO0KJTy mo-
TORMEN CAUSES COMPLAINTS.

The Law Requiring n Trolley Car TO Btop At tha
Near End ornn AsphAitea street IL Frequently
vIoIated-A Decrease In H. 4. w. Msnaber-
ship-RaeinE MsR Will stand Together.
Trolley car motormen of Brooklyn are becom-
inp somewhat careless about observing the ordi-
nance that requires them TO stop on the near
side of an asphaltod t~horouGhfAro. Instead OF
coming to a full stop, many merely slacken
speed and then start ahead again. Some OF the
moro reckless ones and tho green motormen.
who always turn on the full current and start
their car with a jump that knocks the passen.
gers about, go ahead at full Roadway, and cross
tho street at a clip that threatens death to
cyclists who are moving along at q pace OF eight
or ten miles an hour. Tho habit of the cars stop
ping and ringing their bell before crossing an as
phalted street that is much used for driving and
wheeling has made cyclors confident when APP
preaching trolley crossings that II no car wal
n sight directly on the crossing 1t was safe to
ride on, with assurance that IL any car did APP
proach It would stop. Because Of this. the vio-
lation Of the rule makes the danger of accident
much greater than IL was before tho ordinance
was passed, and wheelmen had to approach q
crossing with great caution, keeping a lookout
in every direction. On the lines that run along
Boerum place and Smith street. crossing
Schermerhorn and State streets. which are
tho regular routes to the bridge used
" v thN JSAASN NAO AbSNoAi ASA -
particularly reckless, especially at night. An
illustration Of how menacinR to life is the car
whose motorman ignores tho law was furnished
on Monday night, when a member Of the Long
Island Wheelmen was riding uptown and reach
ed Boerum place at o $40 o'clock. According to
his story he was going at ten or twelve miles an
hour up State street. There was no car in sight
on the crossing when he was 100 feet away, and
he continued without checking speed, in the
-~yA A. A-- HI. 1IA ID T,N..ll
stop before going across. When he was fifty
feet from the corner he heard tho clang
Of o gong, and q car leaped ahead ct full speed
over the crossing. He could not attempt to run
in front OF it without being struck by IL, and he
could not slow up in time TO avoid running into
tho side of the car, so he made q sharp turn to
the left to run into Boerum place. between the
trolley and the curb and around behind the car.
Boorum place was being repaired. and near the
cornor stood a wooden horse, blocking the street
from the gutter to the track. 1t confronted the
rider the moment he turned, and no had his
choice between running into it or the car. tic
chose the horse. and as he plunged into
it and went s~prawlinR to the ground
he heard the outlaws of the motorman
and the conductor, who evidently enjoyed tho
spectacle hugely. 1t would BIO better for all
cyclists crossing trolley tracks at night to slow
down and proceed cautiously, but, according
to the story of this rider. the motorman was
seriously at fault because he simply slowed
down a little before reaching the crossing, at q
point where those on the other street could not
see tho platform Of tho car, and then. with q
elang Of the bell, turned on the full power and
bounded ahead. A rider less cool-headed and
not 80 well able to handle his wheel would have
been run down.
ROCHESTER,, June 7.-Berkeley Oval track,
New York, having called of the two.mile ma
next, the racing men of the National Circuit
WIN race at the State Circuit meet at Buffalo
had scheduled tho two-mile. championship. with
$23o az o purse and a mile handicap with $3.50.
pae eg list n IN H%ISSn tba A tne r FsauC assoc Gt fno
from taking the circuit date for which it had
applied some time ago. This is the first stand
years, and there is an evident intention to stand
together this season for their own benefit.
Glass of all kinds, and much OF it that looks as
II 1t was the remains OF bottles that were thrown
from the promenade or the trolley cars. is
bridge. There are also bent nails and odd
scraps Of tin and iron on the roadway that mako
ia q law agsinst throwing articles Of this kind on
q highway, but II seems to be necessary that
example in order to make it effective. With all
It's forco Of policemen the bridge would seem to
class were the officers v~igilant.
w. T. wintringham.-Tho rules of the road
are excellent. and THE SUN advocates that they
fact remains that they are not needed, and in
stupid and needless riders on the roads who do
not obey them Just as long as human nature re-
refer you viii lind that the p]ropriety Of passing
on the right or on the left aide does not enter for
S SnssInT from tho b eSint made on s,t being .,d that S.a 5'd Son.
fuSing signals to signify their intention.
The TSsr use rb Of . bells Il not 3, E sICm}PSllsNa every.
hibit their use. Riders will probably give
verbal signals as long as they, have voices.
what was advocated, and only that, IS you re-
mark, the attempt Of oyertaking riders to pass
most ali the rearend collisions" There are
times. however, when q wheelman., because of
stances to make a dash past on the right in order
to save himself. Such occasions Will occur while
the exigencies OF the road continue as they are.
good good ting, + there seS were ere no % 5 sPoH' ON %I the r % 1
Rosenfeld Of the L. A. W. consulate has aptly
lows inviolably the rules OF the road gets Killed.
Because OF the ignorance ana inconsidoratc'
law cannot always do So"
at 10 rather a mean. Spanish trick, I'll ad
approaching riders keep over to their proper
side and give plenty Of room to you all you
and continuing: '"3n The narrower roads and
paths. where the travel moves In both direc
lions, Jnero are q lOL OF uOltb VINO Keep way
over to the left, but they are all afraid OF q
wabbly greenhorn. II you try the trick you
will get al the room you want. although you
will hear things said in passing that will not be
very. complimentary, learned this little
wrinkle one night when l went to Brooklyn and
rode around the outside of the park. 1t was
very lRto and every one was ON the way
home, moving in the opposite direction from the
way I was riding. They came along spread Out
that my one little light going the other way did
not seem to be noticed. They came along brush
ing my elbow continually and l was In momen.
tary fear of being thrown. But whenl began tc
wabble they could all see the swaying motion Of
the light, and the scurry they made to keer
away was funny. Since then 1 have used the
dodge on the road when l have been out will
my wife, who Is tlmid. and l receive abundanI
room for her. 1t is not such a mean thing aftel
all. for 1t applies only to those who are too ia
over to tho left. which means largely scorchers
and they deserve to be worried "a bit"
A loss Of 1913 members in the L. A. w. sine,
last week Is shown by tho latest figures, bu
there 10 a gain in the number of new member
over the report of last Tuesday. The new ap
plicatiOns are s02. and the total membership
l In nnn Aa.., Vol Aaa % % uAA md 1891