Show I Night Cycling Is Dangerous THE THE other night a year old boy riding his bicycle on busy Second West street was struck by a turning oil truck at an intersection and almost instantly killed Responsibility for lor the accident has not been definitely fixed by police authorities or the courts so The Telegram is not presuming to pass judgment in this specific case when it uses this accident as the excuse for lor emphasizing the danger of bicycling on busy thoroughfares particularly particularly par par- at night Although investigation has not been completed completed com by the police they doubt if the young t bicyclist victim had a a light on his cycle None was found on the battered machine itself and no trace of f any light was found anywhere at atthe atthe atthe the scene of the accident The boy did have a arear arear arear rear reflector but that of course would not have been visible to the driver of the truck in inthis inthis inthis this case This is the first bicycle fatality of 1940 in 1940 in fact it is the first in two years years but but there have been any number of bicycle accidents recently Involving more or less serious injury to riders It is estimated there are 75 or 80 bicycle-auto bicycle accident cases reported to police each year all Involving some injury Probably Salt Lake City has been lucky in that there have not been more cyclist fatalities fatalities fatali fatali- ties because every accident case might be fatal When a heavy car or truck collides with witha a a light bicycle the bicycle and its rider are bound to get the worst of it Bicycle riding on busy streets or main highways high ways always is risky business At night it becomes becomes becomes be be- comes really dangerous and especially so if a bicycle is not properly equipped with front and andrear andrear andrear rear lights which can be seen by motorists The problem of safety for lor bicyclists is one which must largely be solved by parents Motorists Motorists Mo Mo- will watch out for lor bike riders when they can see them and when the cyclists ride prop prop- erly But there is certain to be grave risk of accidents when cyclists ride without lights at night when they ride erratically all over the street or ride side by side in groups along busy streets or highways Parents should warn their riding bicycle-riding youngsters of the danger They should see to it that their machines are arc properly equipped with lights They should urge them to stay off busy streets and ride safely Parents know from experience that bicycle riding can result in serious injury even death They should utilize that experience to protect their own children from harm If NO TRICKERY Mayor Ab Jenkins has wisely ordered all city traffic officers not to tolay tolay lay in wait walt for lor speeders but to keep out in plain plainvIew plainview plainview view of motorists all the time That order is sound for two reasons First we ve dont don't want the reputation of being a speed trap city Second hiding out by traffic officers prevents them from fulfilling the important function from irom the standpoint of encouraging traffic and law observance of being visibly on the job There isn't anything which has a more restraining influence on a motorist than the sight of an officer or a radio car patrolling the streets Its It's a silent admonition Were We're on the I job constantly watching traffic so drive safely I |