Show ABATE THE BICYCLE TERROR Editor TrlbuneAs you have been so kind as to publish several communications commu-nications regarding the use of bicycles on the sidewalks I kindly l beg permission permis-sion to express my views I have watched with great interest to see what would be done by the Council to abate the evil of Bicycles on the sidewalks The outlook Is not very hopeful A gentleman who was formerly a member of the Salt Lake Council recently said It is as much as a mans place in the Council is worth to offer Tiny opposition to bicycles bicy-cles on the sidewalks I could hardly realize the truth of the I above statement at the time it was I made but if no action is taken to prevent pre-vent this evil then the truth of the I statement will be evident A prominent man recently remarked that In no other city In the United States were the bicycles given the right of way on the sidewalks and after af-ter having visited a great number of the principal cities of the United States I can add my testimony to the above statement We might asic what are our sidewalks for They were originally supposed to be fOl the convenience con-venience of people walking where children chil-dren and old people would be safe from horses etc but now we have something some-thing worse than horses with right of way upon the walks and safety will soon compel us to make a footpath in the middle of the street to walls and L give the walks to the wheelmen No doubt a considerable per cent of the riders observe the regulations as to speed on the sidewalks but It Is a notorious fact that a very large number num-ber of the people dont observe these rules I have seen old palsied women I and small children knocked doVn and I run over but I have never seen a Lr wheelman stop to Inquire what injury he has done One delicate woman I whom I know was knocked over and I I dragged several feet The large boy who had done the mischief was caught I and after trial was fined 4 1 for what I caused the woman weeks of Illness and I large expense Only recently I saw it man riding In the evening much faster than the law permits He struck a wet place on the sidewalk and because he was thrown from his wheel he abused everybody about the premises as If the sidewalk was especially for the wheelmen wheel-men People who take an Interest in their grounds and try to have nice sidewalks side-walks and grass have to suffer the abuse and foul language of rushing whirling wheelmen who consider no one but themselves and In the very place designed for the comfort and quiet of the people who pay the principal prin-cipal taxes The fact that our streets are so wide offers less excuse for the bicycles on the sidewalks than in any of our large cities in this country However it seems to be the only large city where the bicycles arc permitted on the sidewalks side-walks Under existing conditions In Salt Lake the effect of giving the wheelmen wheel-men tho right of way on the sidewalks Is to give full liberty to the woiat element ele-ment of the town making them more selfish and Insolent if possible than they would otherwise be I appeal to all respectable men who have wives and children and aged parents whom they love to rise and use their Influence In-fluence and I appeal to all honorable kindlyhearted men to give their assistance as-sistance to mitigate this crying shame to our fair city W Salt Lake City June 30 1900 |