THE BICYCLE ORDINANCE - The San Francisco Call, 05 Feb 1896

* 1896/02/05 THE BICYCLE ORDINANCE - The San Francisco Call, 05 Feb 1896
* 1896/02/06 WAR WAGED ON WHEELS. - Bicycles and Bicyclists in the Tight Clutches of the Law. - The San Francisco Call, 06 Feb 1896
* 1896/02/07 THE BICYCLISTS ALL ACQUITTED. - Were Arrested by Patrolmen Who Misunderstood the Law. - EINTRACHT ELECTION. - The San Francisco Call, 07 Feb 1896
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=== THE BICYCLE ORDINANCE ===
==== Orders Will Soon Be Issued to Enforce the Measure to the Letter. ====
The bicycle ordinance recently passed by the Board of Supervisors seems to be imperfectly understood or to be ignored by the many new wheelmen and wheelwomen who develop each day, and while the police are lenient and have thus far made few arrests under the new measure, orders will shortly be issued to enforce the ordinance to the letter.
The regulations, which are too simple to be misunderstood, are as follows:
Order No. 2932 - Providing regulations to be observed in the use of bicycles, bicycle tandems and vehicles and machines of a similar character.
The people of the City and County of San Francisco do ordain as follows:
RATE OF SPEED - BELLS TO BE SOUNDED.
SECTION 1. No person shall immoderately, carelessly or negligently ride or drive a bicycle, bicycle tandem or other vehicle or machine of a similar character upon or along any public street or highway; or at a rate of speed faster than six (6) miles per hour, over or upon any street crossing or intersection; nor at any time without having a warning bell, which must be sounded while approaching and passing over a street crossing or intersection, or when approaching pedestrians who may be on or passing over the roadway of any street.
PROHIBITING SCORCHING OR COASTING.
 
Sec. 2. No person shall ride or drive a bicycle, bicycle tandem or other vehicle or machine of a similar character upon or along any public street or highway unless the feet of the person so riding or driving shall be kept on the pedals of the machine at all times while the machine is in motion, the practice of scorching or coasting being hereby inhibited.
RIDING PROHIBITED ON SIDEWALKS. 
Sec. 3. No person shall ride or drive a bicycle, bicycle tandem or other vehicle or machine of a similar character upon or along the sidewalk of any public street or highway within the City and County.
PROHIBITING THE CARRIAGE OF CHILDREN. 
Sec. 4. No person riding or driving a bicycle, bicycle tandem or other vehicle or machine of similar character shall carry on the same upon or along the streets, highways or public grounds of this City and County any child under the age of ten (10) years.
RIDERS SHALL KEEP TO THE RIGHT. 
Sec. 5. Any person using and propelling a bicycle, bicycle tandem or any similar machine shall keep to the right of the center of the roadway of the street and shall keep to the right at all times when approaching and passing vehicles.
CHIEF OF POLICE TO ENFORCE. 
Sec. 6. The Chief of Police is hereby charged with the duty and required to enforce the provisions of this order.
PENALTY. 
Sec. 7. Any persons violating the provisions of this order shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred ($500) dollars or imprisonment in the County Jail of this City and County not exceeding six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
In Board of Supervisors, San Francisco, November 25, 1895.
After having been published five successive days, according to law, taken up and passed by the following vote:
Ayes--Supervisors King, Scully, Benjamin, Hirsch, Dimond, Hughes, Danker, Taylor, Morgenstern, Spreckels, Hobbs, Wagner.
JOHN A. RUSSELL, Clerk.
Approved, San Francisco, November 26, 1895.
ADOLPH SUTRO, 
Mayor and ex-officio President of the Board of Supervisors.
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