BLIND BICYCLISTS.

Southern Cross, Volume 5, Issue 30, 30 October 1897, Page 11

BLIND BICYCLISTS.

“ Rot many persons, I fancy, are aware that blind people are able to cycle,” says a London bicycle manufacturer. “ I know of several blind persons, however, who, since the craze set in, have taken lessons and learned to ride surprisingly, well, too. But it’s less astonishing than you may think, remembering how acute the other senses of the blind become, and that many ordinary cyclists can ride blindfolded for short distances. We have built seven machines for blind customers this year, constructing them specially low, for easy mounting. I know a blind gentleman who travels for a provincial cycle firm, and ndes a tandem. He is accompanied by a friend who can see, but quite often he rides on the front seat and steers himself by his friend’s instructions. Another blind gentleman, a customer of mine, thinks nothiner of a thirty miles’run. He has freqi endy ridden from London to Brighton, accompanied, on a separate machine, by his private secretary ; and be may often be seen riding a yard or so ahead of him. I have a lady customer, too, who, though quite blind rides extremely gracefully. She can tell the moment she is off the road, and has never had a serious accident. There is also, engaged at one of the cycling schools, a very clever 1 trick rider,’ who is totally blind. A blind person has great advantages over ordinary cyclists on a pitchy dark night. I was out on a country road one black night with a cycling gentleman who was born blind. The oil running short our lamps went out, but that, though it bothered me* made no difference to him; he could remember every turning, and the number of pedal strokes between each, and he was of great assistance in finding the way home. —Cassell s Saturday . Journal.