Evening star., 1924-01-06
Heard and Seen

Do you know how TO ride on a
street car?
That may sound like a useless ques-
day show plainly that they do not
know any of the fine points of street
car riding.
To them the fine art of riding on
or in the street cars is a lost art:
indeed. if ever they knew anything
about it at all.
But. like almost everything else in
the world. street car riding may be
improved by using ones head for all
it is worth.
Despite the tremendous increase in
the number of automobiles, the street
cars continue to be packed with hu-
manity. Nor are they all there be-
cause they cannot afford an auto
mobile.
When il comes TO safety the street
car can be commended. On several
other points it scores high. There
fore. some pointers on how to get the
most out of a street car ought to
help Perhaps some one will get up
course" and sell it at a fancy price.
Let US consider first the fine point
of keeping ones feet from being
trodden on while sitting on the long
seat just by the door.
If you sit there with your feet out
in the aisle-as scores do every day
the rest of your fellow passengers
deliberately step on them.
And you deserve 1T.
But even if you carefully tuck
them underneath you some careful
person is sure to unintentionally step
upon that right big toe.
But is there no hope?
There is. The wary rider has
learned how to prevent his feet from
being stepped on under all circum-
stances.
AS the throng surges forward, you
facing out, deliberately, calmly, care
fully and methodically raise both feet
into the air. so that the heels of both
feet are drawn backward and a trihe
up.
Then carefully elevate the toes, to
get them out of the way as much as
possible. After awhile this system
becomes mechanical, so that as the
crowd starts to get off your feet
leave the floor.
A fellow passenger has to step
pretty high, indeed, to hit your toes
when you are using this method
Here is the way to prevent the big
fat lady from sitting all over you as
she lets herself down into the seat
next to yours.
This is an absurdly simple method
yet It never fails. Like all true in
ventions, it's very simplicity makes
it great.
You are sitting on the side front
seat again.
There are three on the seat already,
but there is room for four, you know.
The fat lady knows, too.
She turns her back to the seat.
You see her descend.
Now unless you know this trick as
like as not she will descend all over
you.
But not if you do this:
AS she comes down merely hold the
fist at about your belt buckle and
deftly elevate the elbow sideways.
This allows the lady to slide down
your elbow into the seat, at the same
time forcing her to the limit Of the
space on the other side, leaving you
plenty Of space.
This is a good trick and can be
worked with either elbow or both at
once.
X X
Never try to walk in street car
when it is rounding curve.
Hundreds Of men and women try
this every day, and fall all over the
aisle and their fellow passengers. 1t
is difficult even for conductors, SO
why try 1t,
Yet women invariably get up and
start forward just as the car starts
to go around a curve.
Move forward!
If passengers would only do this
street car riding would be put on a
new plane.
But they won't. -
What shall one do to the obdurate
woman who refuses to- move for
ward, please" and then glares bale
fully around at you if you dare touch
her elbow timidly?
Hit her in the head with an ak,
That IL about the only thing that
czAELEs e. TRAcEwELL-