Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-13
BICYCLES ARE HELD
SUBJECT TO LAWS
Governed by Same Rules as
All Machines, Police
Chief Declares.

Bicycles are vehicles, according to
the District traffic code. and as such,
are subject to the same rules as those
which govern automobiles, but, ac-
cording to Maj. Henry G. Pratt. super
intendent of Metropolitan Police, his
department is making few arrests
among bicycle riders because the Po-
lice Court justices on account of the
general youth Of the bicycle users, have
shown q tendency to regard the of
lenses as of q minor nature and to
hesitate to initiate criminal record
against the youngsters.
II do not want to be understood as
criticizing the courts" said Maj. Pratt,
but the apparent reason for the rela-
lively few arrests made by our depart
ment Is the more or less general feeling
that the courts attitude will be that the
young riders have committed but minor
offenses. ! know that there are con-
slant violations of the traffic regulations
by bicycle riders, and 1t is great Won
der to me that there have not been
more serious injuries resulting from the
way they dart around corners and
weave in and out of traffic. However as
you know, the great majority of the
riders are mere youths on whom fine
would fall with great severity, and /
think that fact has had it's influence
cases against bicycle riders and In June
four cases"
Surveys Bears Out Pratt.
A days survey of controlled crossings
in the city bore out the Majors state
ment as to the extent Of the violations.
It was the exception rather than the
rule to find q rider observing the rules
of the road and the violations noted in
cluded crossing streams Of traffic against
the lights, right turns on the red light.
with any and every sort and variety OF
left turns The uniformed messengers
Of telegraph companies were, however,
generally observant of the traffic laws.
In several instances only the alert
ness of motor vehicle drivers averted ac-
cidentS, and in at least one instance the
abrupt Swerve nearly resulted in an
other crash. Twice pedestrians who
had commenced to cross at an inter-
section when the green light faced
them, were forced to jump back to
avoid bicycles, which darted at them
from their left in making right turns
against the red light.
At Fifteenth street and Pennsylvania
avenue. an intersection both light and
manually controlled, three OF the five
bicycles noted continued against the red
light, while all other traffic was stopped
and made right turns. At Fourteenth
and G streets, a ight-controlled cross
ing, only one out of the six bicycles seen
in four light shifts, obeyed the signals.
One Of these continued on across the
street and wheeled merrily on his way,
another went on against the light and
made a left turn, while the other viola
tors ran the light and made right turns.
The same conditions we're noted at all
intersections surveyed.
AutoiSts Complain.
In an effort to ascertain the reaction
of motor vehicle owners, George Ke-
neipp manager of the District Of Co.
lumbia division of the American Au-
tomobile Association, was asked il any
complaints had been received by him
from his members.
This matter has been called to our
attention by some of the A. A. A.
members" said Mr.. Keneipp. and /,
too, have noticed a rather general nom
observance of traffic rules by bicycle
riders as I have driven around the
city. but have been hoping that the
present enforcement campaign would
tend to clear up the situation.
In addition to the riders who appar-