Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-01
LOW HANDLE BAks.

LOW HANDLE BARS.
Criticism of the Restriction by the
COMMISSIONER.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
The new series Of regulations "for the
movements Of bicycles and other vehicles
in the city," recently approved by the Dis
trict Commissioners. go into effect on
Wednesday next. In this new series is
clause which says that mo cycle shall DC
ridden on the streets within the city limits
with the lower end of the handle bar on a
plane lower than four inches below the
top of the saddle at it's center"
This clause has met with disfavor every
where with the wheeling fraternity Cor a
large majority of them) of this city, even
down to the members of the police bicycle
corps. From what they have heard from
the different merchants and bicycle riders
in the different sections of the city, there is
Il general belief that the new regulation
will go into effect as 1t is. affecting as it
does thousands of.riders whose handle bars
are anywhere from six to ten inches and
even more below the top OF the saddle. 1t
is an unnecessary hardship to the riders,
who will be obliged to either buy a new set
of bars or else have them bent up to the re-
quired limit.
For the benefit of those who have not
w L
in full as follows:
"Inasmuch as safety in passing with rap
idly moving vehicles requires that the rid
ers or drivers approaching each other shall
each be able to judge of the probable move
ment of the approaching vehicle, no cycle
shall be ridden on the streets within the
city limits with the lower end of the han
die bars on a plane lower than four inches
below the top of the saddle at it's center,
and the rider shall at all times keep his
head in such a position as to command Il
view ahead Of not less than 800 feet"
Because Il rider has drop handle bars 1t
does not necessarily imply that his head is
ducked down all the time, SO that he cam
not see where he Is riding. \ rider with
handle bars dropped ten and even as low
as eleven inches below the saddle can see
with plenty of ease where he is riding.
The handle bars on my wheel have q
drop of six and u half inches. That does
not necessarily imply that ! am scorcher.
Drop bars are great aid to the cyclst in
road riding, and especially in climbing hills,
where the most power is NEEDED A person
can use them riding and still obtain a COM
Portable position on the wheel. and in many
cases the riders hands will be found grip
ped in the center of the handle bars.
Let the several bicycle, clubs of the city
and the local division of the League of
American Wheelmen take the matter up
and fight it out. l think that if the matter
is laid before the Commissioners and Il
hearing given that the clause can be re-
pealed or compromise Of some sort effect
ed. rtl
If this new regulation is passed it will be
harvest fer the local Bicycle and repair
men for some time to come It means that
eXorbtant prices will be asked for new han
die bars and high charges for rebending
old ones. 4
AS this regulation applies to the city lin
its only, suppose then. IL a cyclist wants
to take long spin outside Of the city or
District, over the rough and, billy roads.
where it Is necessary 10 use drop bars in
climbing the steep hills. that the cyelist
must carry with him. an extra pair of bars
CT stop and lower or raise the bars when
going from or returning TO the city. How
many cyclists would be found who would
want to go to all this tronble? .-I
If the cyclists are obliged to raise the
handle bar to the four-inch limit it would
be no more than fair that the members of
the bicycle police squad should do the same.
l understand that the squad will he allowed
to use drop bars but would that be just to
the rest Of the wheelmen of the city? What
is fair to one is fair to ALL In the bicycle
squad today can be found among them
wheels with bars dropped II inches and
ever below the saddle. What is this for?
So they can get good grip on the wheel
and attain a speed greater than the ordi-
nary rider to catch the scorcher I think
several months If they attempted to arrest
each individual rider because his handle
bars happened to be more than inches
below the saddle"
law goes into effect the crusade against the
poor, law-brcaking cyclists will begin next
Wednesday, and the revenues derived from
this source will begin to pour into the Dis
trict Golfers and will no doubt eclipse the
amount collected in fines for scorching dur
ing the year 1897. HOWARD FISK,
Secretary Century Cycle Club.
December 30. 1897.
The Regulation Favored.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
Any attempt to lessen the danger to pc
destrians upon our streets Is without doubt
worthy of praise. For that reason the Com
missioners' regulation that bicycle handle
bars should not be unduly depressed APP
peals to the approval of all those who
regard others rights equally with their
own. 1 am bicyclist, but believe that
sufficient speed, compatible with the safety
Of pedestrians, can be attained with the
appraised handle bars. Doubtless the drop
handle bars are more conducive to speed,
but speed is just what the authorities are
trying to prevent on the city streets. That
drop handle bars make riding more COM
Portable is disproven by the frequent sight
Of cyclists with drop handles who ride with
upright body. hands off, AS to the COM
plant that the change in height of handle
bars will infiict hardshins on many riders,
can say that had my handle bars raised
some time ago and the expense was trifling.
To many there will be no expense, for
many bars are reversible. But these con-
siderations are oflittle Importance compared
with conserving the safety OF the walking
public. That depressed handle bars tend to
too great speed on the streets can hardly be
denied, and 1t is equally indisputable that
raised handles will promote moderation on
the part Of cyclists. c.
December 81, 1897.
TURKEYS FOR NEXT GUNNER.