The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-06-24
TROLLEY RIDING
An Old Conductor Suggests
a School For Training
Travellers.
TIRED OF CARELESS PEOPLE
Would Give Lessons in the
Art of Gracefully Board
ing and Leaving Cars.

$500 f&CIA0
to ride on trolley cars said a conductor
on the Orange street line to a Newark
Sunday CALI reporter, as he handed a
woman back five pennies as change from
a dime, and wrathfully rang the fare
register.
What's the matter now?" asked the
regular rider. HAS somebody been step
ping on your corns?"
mot only that, but the longer I'm in
this business the more ] see of how ig-
norant otherwise sensible people are OF
a little thing like riding in a street car"
The conductor rang two bells ? after a
woman had alighted at Nesbitt street,
and then he came out on the rear Nat
form to enjoy the smoke of the regular
riders cigar.
1T probably seems simple enough,
went on the knight of the bell rope, but
there amt ten people out of a hundred
who know how to ride in a trolley car.
That includes men and women.
.If cars were never crowded went on
the conductor, ut would be a different
matter. But that's bound to occur twice
a day-morning and night. There amt
a traction company in existence that
could prevent rowde cars once IN d
while. So to my mind the people VINO 40
much riding ought to go to school untii
they learn how to ride right. They ave
schools for bicycle instruction, why not
for trolley Instruction.
The conductor stopped talking long
enough to help a pretty girl aboard, anu
| after collecting her fare and giving per d
! transfer north on Broad, resumed ms
conversation.
..Wbere would you begin your instruc-
tion?, asked the regular patron.
.,Begin with showing people how TO
board a car said the conductor. 1hats
the regular starting point in a trohey
riders education. I'll assume that every
| person knows enough to always signal a
| car at the lower crossing of a street. het
even now. not W hours ago, a man sot
on at Plane street and he raked me over
the Goals because I didn't stop at ene
beef company's corner for him. Wen
then. I'd begin by showing people now 10
board a car. Men can generally GO TINS
pretty fairly. All you have to DO IS TO
reach forward with you right hand as
| the car approaches, and grasp the brass
rail which runs UP and down, about IN
the centre. You can do this WhHe the
| car is moving. At the same time lit your
left foot in the air. Now, the step VIII
| come under your foot if you've done II
right and the motion of the car lifts your
rieb4 foot. and you are swung aboard the
| platform as easy as falling off a log. Ii
Won are an expert the motorman will spot
YOU in a minute. He doesn't need to come
10 a full stop. He knows instinctively
when YOU are aboard, and lets the speed
| out another notch.
AWeIl. you're on the platform now. TO
avoid topping backward when the car
| starts I'D again, grasp the middle one OIL
the small brass rails which are on eacn
| end of the car to protect the windows.
| Pull yourself forward by this, enter the
| car. and if there is a seat take IL. TfaVe
a nickle handy, know just what KIND OF
a transfer you want, and Ill 90 the reser
If all passengers were like that tnere q
he more c~hurch-going conductors, adoea
the faretaker. :.
saWe'Il proceed with the next branch OF
instruction" he went on. "Thls part ohiy
refers to those who prefer to ride out on
the rear platform. Now, there is a rlghI
way and a wrong way to ride on a plat
| form. There are only three desirable po-
sitions. The first is in the forward lett
| hand corner as you face the door OF the
| car. Stand in there with your pack 10
the window and 10 one will step on yoar
feet or crowd you much You can HACK
| the ashes off your cigar without having
1 them fall on your W or any one else ;
clothes. You can get plenty of air and
| can see all there is going on.
.The next best place is the one directly
opposite that. In fact, some people pre-
| fer this, but as for me, let me get my
back AGAINST the window. In the other
place you only have the iron rod support
| ing the vestibule to lean against.
1.-THE third place is on the right hano
side of the platform, in the little corner
| formed by the edge of the vestibule and
the side of the controller box.
Everybody isn't small enough to fit N
| there, but If you're the right size it's a
most comfortable place to travel. You
| can wind your arm around the iron rod
and be as happy as a clam at high tide.
The only drawback is thata person stand
ing in front of you is liable to knock your
cigar down your throat if you chance to
be smoking.
nNow.as to the other places on the plat
form. there's hardly any choice. Get
wherever you can except in front of the
1 controller DOX. IL you SSi lASie Sou ~
liable to have your back strained if there
comes a rush. So that's the very worst
place to ride save right in the passage
way. where you have to get off the car
every time anybody wishes to board or
leave ia
sHere you are: Broad street. called
| out the conductor to an elderly lady.
After he had seen her safely off and
closely scrutlnized a nickel given him
by a sporty char who had swung himself
aboard just before, the conductor con-
tinued:-
AFTER my pupils had learned to ride
on the platform, how to avoid being
swung off at corners, ETC., I'd give them
a few lessons on riding inside.
sIf YOU are compelled to %standup, get
as near the front door as possible. There
are several advantages in this. You are
not jostled by others who come in, you
can hold on by the handles of the door
if you are fortunate enough to get next
to ii, the air is better up in front, and
then you can spot a vacant seat as soon
as there is one and make a run for it.
Decidedly, that is the best place to stand
inside.
"If there's one thing more than
anofherN that roakec mo mad ITS the wav