The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-10-16
THE MOTORCYCLE

.
c. J. Edwards in Tampa Tribune:
II is regrettable that the man who
said that "a chatting dish is a stew
pot with a college education" did
not tell US what in Sam Hill a motor
cycle is.
Why, a motorcycle is a rubber
tired jackass," says Speed Cop Bob
Malone who certainly ought to
know. because he rides one.
Regardless of what kind of To-
connective a motorcycle is associated
with, it certainly can't claim much
kin with an automobile An auto
mobile goes on its all-fours, but a
motorcycle couldn't go on its all
tours il it wanted to.
Lot of motorcyclists around town
never stop to consider the capacity
CT a motorcycle; they talk about
horsepower. two cylinders and all
that; they expect motorcycle to
bear as much burden as an automo-
DIit una DClit NY ACNCt OOiSlOtl
that a motorcycle has only half as
many tires as an automobile rOus
ter-bOut and hence no more than
half as much stability. They assume
that a motorcycle can carry Lizzie
on the tank or luggage-carrier just
, a safely as an auto will carry her
on the Jump seat" or in the ton
neau. Even the most conservative
riders. who have expressed them
selves, admit the danger in riding
double; but they Offset it by saying
! they are careful.
There are others far more cynical,
who Will say that the newspapers
are all the time protesting against
matters which concern individual
rights. They bring up the crusade
against slit-skirts and ask what good
al this newspaper talk has done.
/ SIit-skirts have come into popular
/ favor. anyway. Occasionally, we
I uSel TO remarh-privatel OF course
about slit-skirts, but since our
best girl has started wearing one,
we have ceased to have an opinion
on the subject.
Seriously. there has always been
certain indefinable thrill in risk
| ing hazards. For hazards some
| how shock the nerves and produce
tense sensations. Risked TOO often.
however. they lose their fascination
they become commonplace. no long
er eXhilirating They become, in
word TOO slow. They become TOO
slow just as the OldfashiOned two
steps and waltzes have become too
slow for the chap who has accustom-
ed himself to the "turkey-trOt' and
the tango" dissatisfied the chap
turns to stunts new and novel, to
deeds more daring-mOre hazard
Gus He wants speed. His over
wrought senses demand it.
Commissioners for public safety
have to curb this modern craving for
speed before the limit has been
reached For the same reason that
the ordinance COIIllJIte vi IIlt CITY
council is going to revise the traffic
| ordinances and limit the seating ca
pacity Of a motorcycle. 1t will soon
define a motorcycle as being not an
automobile. but a saddled convey
ance intended for a single rider. In
cidentalIy. it is considering also pro
visions for brakes and tail-lights.
Tales OF minor accident furnish
live gossip for lettering cyclists il
Tampa's all-night drug stores. Hard
ly a night passes but what some one
remarks. We'll. me and my girl fell
tonight and she skinned her ankle
or she skinned her arm or she
tore her clOthes.'
Sorrowing motorcyclists, the deatf
knell is about to be sounded for hi:
speed and spooning spells. And the
..ruber-tired jackass'' may seldom
be overloaded the word the
humane societies use-OverlOaded