CYCLISTS AND FOOTPATHS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1719, 9 April 1906, Page 3

CYCLISTS AND FOOTPATHS

(To tlie Editor, Gisborne Times.

Sir, —Any unbiased person must bo struck by tho persecution of a largo seoilon cf the community by tbo polico, cn reading in your oolumns week after week of tbe oases brought against cyclists for tho boinous offence of riding on tbo footpaths, I say advisedly ll persecution,’’ beoauso when tbo polico tone upon themsolvos to die* tinguish between ono eootion and anothor, whon enforcing tho law, their aotion can only bo so described. While there have boon numerous prosecutions of oyolists, there has not beon ono inslnuoo of any person boing summonsed and fined for wheoling a perambulator or go-oart upon tbo footpath, wbioh is, I beiievo, quito ns illegal a praotioe. Thoro seems to bo a rsmarkablo and unreasoning prejudice

anijeg some people against tho oyolist, but he is as muoh ontitled to consideration as any other member of tho oommunity, and in fact should be encouraged in the interests of tho wholo towD, as tho bnsinoss mao who oyoles can live twice as far away from tbo business centra as the man who has to walk. No ono sympathises with tho oyolist who “scorches' 1 along the foot* path frightening oil ladies and children, but I ft r ono do with the oyolist who rides quietly and properly and yet is driven lo rido upon very ruugb and perhaps muddy roads partially covered with fresh meta 1 , beoause of tho want of obarity and oonsidoration for others shown by some pedestrians. Tho evclists are very numerous j why should they not form an association to protect their interests, to try to force the Counoil to provide decent tracks for them along the moin Btroots of the suburbs if there is suoh objection to their uso of tbe footpaths, and to retaliate if peraeoutod unreasonably by laying informations against pedestrians who wheel perambulators and other vehicles upon tho footpaths, thus drawing attention to their grievances by compelling the polioe to prosecute other nu sauces, —I am, eto., OYOLIST,