What are the rules that cyclists need to obey these days? Have lights on your bike at night, signal before turning, don’t ride on pavements, etc, etc. How many rules are there that apply only to women? None, and if there were then there would (quite rightly) be an outrage.
However, that wasn’t always the case! In 1895 the New York World newspaper published a set of rules that women should obey when out riding their bicycles and they’re all pretty unbelievable.
Reading some of these is enough to leave you open-mouthed and more than a little angry, whilst others are just plain bizarre! Apparently women shouldn’t scream if they see a cow or emulate their brother’s attitude if he rides parallel with the ground, whatever that means.
Some of them, however, aren’t so crazy and perhaps everyone should still adhere to them – you definitely shouldn’t ask people what they think of your bloomers, for instance, and you shouldn’t contest the right of way with cable cars as you’ll most likely lose that battle.
Needless to say these rules were probably invented by men who were more than a little miffed at women taking up a hobby that they clearly thought was theirs.
Thanks to Headwater for the amazing infographic and thank goodness we don’t have any of this nonsense anymore!
