MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the great danger and of the numerous accidents caused by the common practice of persons riding on bicycles and tricycles of passing other vehicles on the near side instead of on the off side of those vehicles, and of the further danger caused by the circumstances that bicycles and tricycles, moving noiselessly and often at great speed, give no adequate notice of their approach; whether bicycles and tricycles are in any way exempt from the ordinary obligation to conform to the rule of the road; and whether the police have any power to enforce their adherence to the rule of the road, and the carrying by each bicycle or tricycle of a continuously sounding bell which would give adequate notice of its approach; and, if not, whether he will consider the propriety of giving such powers to the police, or of taking such other measures as may be calculated to secure the carrying into effect of these precautions against accident?
§ MR. ASQUITHI am informed by the Commissioner of Police that undoubtedly numerous accidents are caused by bicycles and tricycles, but he is not prepared to say that they occur from the causes suggested. Bicycles and tricycles are carriages and should conform to the rule of the road, and the police as far as possible enforce the law as to riding to common danger, &c. Cautionary notices are also issued drawing attention to the fact that all riders of bicycles and tricycles are required to sound a bell or whistle in order to give audible notice of 797 their approach, but there is no power of enforcing a continuous bell.