The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-01
FEW BICYCLE ACCIDENTS
With Experience Has Come skiiI-The Part
Played by Brakes.

The nlishaps 10 wheelmen and pedestrians on
account Of wheels generally begin in April and
increase each month until cold weather sets in
During the last Ave years August has held the
record for mshaps in cycling The recklessn ess
OF scorchers, instead of being diminished by the
heat. appears TO be increased. and with the tent
perature at 80 well meaning riders, also, seem
TO be more thoughtless of their own welfare and
that OF others than they in the spring and
fall. In the summer Of 1897 the list of bicycle
accidents was 50 large that some riders OF the
tmd sort inclined to condemn wheeling
as dangerous exercise. In August of that
year misfortunes OF riders were reported
in the newspapers than during any other two
months of the Apparently the only ex
PLANTATION OF the fact was that the cyclists were
more enthusiastic and less cautious then than
at other times
The cycling season OF 1899 has been conspicu
GUS for its comparatively small number Of mis-.
haps, Judging from the accounts in the daily
papers and from the observations Of wheeln,en
not one half as many fatal accidents have oc-
Cured in New York this year as were reported
IN 1898. and the infrequenCy OF minor accidents
has also been noticeable There has been a de
cided absence this heye wear Of tqewomen W no are
likely to lose their heads when in close quarters
and little has been heard of riders who used to
mistake curbstones and holes In the street for
asphalt pavement But the exceptionally good
luck Of the cyclists may be attributed to some
very good reasons A veteran rider who has
himself been mixed up in several bicycle acct
dents. accounts for the wheel exceedingly graft.
flying behavior lately as follows
"Not since the bicycle first became popular
have riders exhibited so much skill as now: skill
not only in keeping their equilibrium, but in
fbarr y.laS and,
ing clear Of street cars and four wheeled vehicles
Their ability has come not through any increased
attention on the part Of cycle instructors but
solely through experience. OF course hundreds
OF men riders have been added to the ranks this
seasoe. but nine tenths Of the pedaers to be seen
on tn streets have ridden for at least two years
and have become pretty thoroughly acquainted
with their sport
1T is true also that much Of the good fortune
OF wheemen has been due 10 the TACT that they
have learned to compromise. so to say with the
drivers of trucks and other vehicles The impress.
sion which once prevailed among the 'bikers', that
they alone were entitled to the right Of way has
been removed to large extent. and they are will
ing now to meet tho drivers half way. On the
other hand drivers have discovered that they
cannot bully and frighten the cyclists whenever
they please, and that the latter have rights in
winch 'hey VIII NC Pro'ec'eu py the police.
"NOt the least plausible explanation OF the sea
sons good luck is TO be found in the circumstance
that fully one half OF the wheels in use TO day
are. equipped with strong. serviceabe brakes.
which their owners are able to Use with telling
effect. While the absence OF brakes in former
years was responsible for many injuries TO riders
Is singular that in many instances where wheels
were fitted with brakes the latter did little good
because riders were unskilled in applying them
This was largely the reason why brakes were
decried when attempt was made to compel
heir use by passing brake ordinance. Oppo-
nents Of the proposed measure declared that
riders who carried brakes were as liable to ac.
cidents by collision as were those who did not
wary them, Al present. brakes are regarded
ps a necessity by many cyclists Of both sexes
aho pretend to be able 10 manage their machines
ronerlV