Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-24
DANGEROUS TO PEDESTRIANS.
A Local Attorney Discusses Roller
Skating on the Sidewalks.

while it may seem to some of the more
sympathetic and loving mothers and fathers
of the youngsters who use the sidewalks for
roller skating to be deprivation of the
children's rights to place some restrictions
upon the practice, yet this should be done
without further delay. and the necessary
ordinance under consideration by the Com
missioners should be passed., said a local
attorney to Star reporter.
Il have children of my own who use the
roller skates, but 1 have prohibited them
from skating upon the sidewalks and direct
ed them to confine their play upon the
quieter side streets on the asphalt pave
ments. The sidewalks of a city are for the
use of pedestrians. and pedestrians only,
and children on roller skates do not come
under this classification.
Indeed, although / am aware that such
an assertion will meet with indignant pro-
test on the part of indulgent mothers, the
three-wheeled velocipedes and tricycles
Should also be prohibited. 1t is bad enough
wagons hauled along on the sidewalks,
though perhaps for the sake of the par
ents' argument, these vehicles, like the
ever-present baby perambulators, a
necessity to the growth and the freedom of
the child In cities.
1T is no argument to assert that because
the roller skaters shall vacate the side
walks for the street pavements the latter
are dangerous to the life and the limb
of the skaters. for the street pavements
of a city are for traffic transportation and
not for roller skating. Although the problem
for the proper Fairgrounds for children in
cities is great and a veXatious one, it is
no longer denied that the streets of cities
are not the proper place for play on the
part of children.
THE roller skaters upon our streets are
becoming so numerous that they are rap
idly developing into a nuisance to pedes-
TRANS, and this is no doubt the actuating
Gov fGar ,,icci
ton. They race along In twos and threes
at full speed, and crowd pedestrians into
the cutters OF against the sides of buildings,
and collisions are frequent. Sometimes In
juries result to both Skater and pedestrian,
or to one of the two.
"These roller skaters are especially dan
gerous to elderly persons Of both sexes who
cannot get out of the way with the agile
side-stepping possible on the part of the
younger population. When three ambitious
and speedy roller skaters lock arms and
burn up the sidewalk in their fight every
body in reach and sight gives way to their
onslaught. Sometimes they will come along
In struggling OF collective groups of dozen
or more, and in this latter event pedestrians
are obliged to dodge to the right and the
left to escape being struck
"One OF the most annoying practices these
roller skaters have is that of dashing along
at full speed and then turning suddenly
This turn Is an especial delight, and in
their backward movements they will strike
pedestrians body, or run over his feet in
nye times out of ten.
1.-The roller skaters have now multiplied
into the thousands. If the Commissioners
relegate them to the asphalt pavements, it
will then be up to the parents whether they
wish to assume the responsibility of allow
Ing their children to incur the possible dan
ger Of collision with street vehicles. but
certain it is that they are out of place upon
the crowded sidewalks of a large city It Is
impossible in congested centers of popula-
ton to please all of the divergent elements
therein, and it would seem to me that this
is an instance where the privileges of the
few should give way to the rights of the
many In fact, the question is one which
may well be left to the good judgment and
discretion of the city authorities, and a de-
cision should be shortly arrived at"