Don'ts For Women Riders from 1895: inside....

[betty swollocks]

From the Newark Sunday Advocate 21st June 1895:-

DON'TS FOR WOMEN RIDERS

Don't be a fright.
Don't faint on the road.
Don't wear a man's cap.
Don't wear tight garters.
Don't forget your toolbag
Don't attempt a "century."
Don't coast. It is dangerous.
Don't boast of your long rides.
Don't criticize people's "legs."
Don't wear loud hued leggings.
Don't cultivate a "bicycle face."
Don't refuse assistance up a hill.
Don't wear clothes that don't fit.
Don't neglect a "light's out" cry.
Don't wear jewelry while on a tour.
Don't race. Leave that to the scorchers.
Don't wear laced boots. They are tiresome.
Don't imagine everybody is looking at you.
Don't go to church in your bicycle costume.
Don't wear a garden party hat with bloomers.
Don't contest the right of way with cable cars.
Don't chew gum. Exercise your jaws in private.
Don't wear white kid gloves. Silk is the thing.
Don't ask, "What do you think of my bloomers?"
Don't use bicycle slang. Leave that to the boys.
Don't go out after dark without a male escort.
Don't without a needle, thread and thimble.
Don't try to have every article of your attire "match."
Don't let your golden hair be hanging down your back.
Don't allow dear little Fido to accompany you
Don't scratch a match on the seat of your bloomers.
Don't discuss bloomers with every man you know.
Don't appear in public until you have learned to ride well.
Don't overdo things. Let cycling be a recreation, not a labor.
Don't ignore the laws of the road because you are a woman.
Don't try to ride in your brother's clothes "to see how it feels."
Don't scream if you meet a cow. If she sees you first, she will run.
Don't cultivate everything that is up to date because you ride a wheel.
Don't emulate your brother's attitude if he rides parallel with the ground.
Don't undertake a long ride if you are not confident of performing it easily.
Don't appear to be up on "records" and "record smashing." That is sporty.

There, that's told you.

 

[Fnaar]

Thank the lordy that tight garters and discussing bloomers are now OK!

 

[Bicycle]

Don't without a needle, thread and thimble.

It breaks my heart that doping has always been present in this sport.

 

[SquareDaff]

Don't try to have every article of your attire "match."

Leave that for the saddo's in 100 years time!!

 

[fimm]

Of its time, of course, but actually not as patronising as I was expecting it to be!

Don't coast. It is dangerous.
Don't neglect a "light's out" cry.

I wonder what coasting was, and why it was dangerous. And what was a "lights out" cry?

 

[NormanD]

what was a "lights out" cry?

Simple = woman on passing the same man "If you try looking at my bloomers one more time, I'll punch your lights out"

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Sensible advice.

Shame these young strumpets of today don't adhere to it.

 

[Theseus]

I wonder what coasting was, and why it was dangerous. And what was a "lights out" cry?

Pure speculation on my part, but ...

Coasting is when you freewheel. It is possible that in those days, they only had fixed wheels and coasting was achieved by lifting the feet off the pedals and letting the bike roll. This is indeed not a good idea on a fixed as a pedal strike to the back of the leg can hurt. Ladies may also risk getting thier skirts caught in the wheels or gears.

As for the lights out, given the lack of lights that would have been on in those days at night, it may heve been considered the polite thing to put out one's cycle lamp when approching another cyclist so as to not dazzle them and ruin thier night vision.

 

[colly]

I read that as

'Take notice when someone tells you your lights are not working.'

Good advice today.

 

[Maz]

Don't wear a garden party hat with bloomers.

That's pretty obvious! Victorian Gok Wan could've told you that!
Not sure what it's got to do with cycling, though...

 

[rich p]

Brilliant

My personal favorite, being a bit of a dandy myself, is this one...

...Don't wear white kid gloves. Silk is the thing

 

[NormanD]

Don't scream if you meet a cow. If she sees you first, she will run.

Now this is what I imagine : "OI!!Bytch!!, you tried to sleep with my husband, come here!!

 

[Mr Phoebus]

Don't speed past male cyclists whilst giving them the "wanker" sign.

 

[ColinJ]

"Don't appear in public until you have learned to ride well."

How exactly were women who didn't own huge gardens supposed to achieve that?